Crowd Pleaser Ham & Cheese Sliders - Wyse Guide (2024)

When it comes to tailgate parties, there’s nothing better than these ham and cheese slider sandwiches. With a combination of fig jam, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, and ham, it’s both a salty and sweet treat. Plus, they’re super easy to make!

These slider sandwiches are a sure-fire crowd pleaser.

These slider sandwiches take the idea of a funeral sandwich and turn the flavor way up. Growing up, I always hated the name funeral sandwich, which seems to insinuate sadness. But the sandwiches are actually amazingly delicious. They’re quick to put together, feed lots of people, and are loved by pretty much everyone who eats them.

To update the flavors, this recipe has a sweet and savory fig jam that’s offset with Dijon mustard. And while the jam may sound like enough of a draw, caramelized onions are the star of the sandwich. The onion takes time to caramelize on the stove, but the result is a sweet flavor that’s unmatched. Black Forest ham adds a salty, smoky flavor, and smoked gouda cheese pulls everything together.

Can you guess the one thing this recipe doesn’t change? The sweet bread rolls. They’re everyone’s favorite, and I would never consider using anything different.

Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.

The reason these sandwiches work so well as an appetizer, whether it’s for a tailgating party or a funeral (let’s hope not the latter), is because the ingredients are so few. A few key components work so well together to create something magical. Here are some of the important ingredients:

• Caramelized onions are a pivotal part of this recipe. As the onion slowly sautés in butter, its sugars darken and become sweet. The onion’s flavors pull together the sweet and savory components of the rest of the sandwich.
• Black Forest ham is a cured smoked meat with a deep but not overpowering flavor profile. To save on time and work, purchase the thinly sliced lunch meat at your deli counter.
• Fig jam has a definite sweetness to it, but it works so well in both sweet and savory applications. When layered into this sandwich, the sweetness from the jam simply highlights the other flavors and marries everything together.

Here’s how to make this recipe.

Once the onions are caramelizing on the stove, these slider sandwiches go together so quickly, and that’s the best part about them! In four simple steps, you’ll have a whole host of sandwiches to serve. Here are the steps to make this recipe:

1. Caramelize the onions. To a skillet on the stove, add butter and let it melt. Cut an onion into slices and add to the skillet. Let the onions brown and begin to caramelize. After about 20 minutes of sautéing, sprinkle the salt over the onions. Once fully caramelized, remove the onions from the heat and set them aside.

2. Assemble the sandwiches. Slice the sandwich buns in half and lay the bottom halves in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Using a brush or a knife, spread on the Dijon mustard, and reserve two teaspoons for use later. To the top halves, spread on the prepared fig jam. On top of the Dijon mustard, layer the ham, caramelized onions, and shredded Gouda cheese. Then place the top part of each sandwich bun on top of the cheese.

3. Brush the sandwiches with butter. To the melted butter, add the remaining Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce, and mix the three ingredients together. To the top of each sandwich bun, brush or spread the melted butter. With any remaining melted butter, simply pour it on top of the buns, allowing the butter to run down the sides. Then top each sandwich with poppy seeds.

4. Bake the sandwiches. When ready to bake, place the baking pan in the oven set to 350°F and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

These pro tips will make this recipe a success.

• Wait to salt the onions until they are mostly caramelized. This will prevent too much liquid from being drawn out of the onions while they’re browning. Adding the salt earlier would cause them to caramelize much slower.
• The sandwich buns that are used for this recipe usually come from the store as one perforated bundle. You can either slice the entire bundle in half and add the toppings or tear apart each bun and then slice it in half and add the toppings. Either way works. I prefer to tear them apart, assemble them, and fit them into the baking dish.
• When brushing the tops of each sandwich bun, opt for salted butter. The salted butter will give a bit of additional saltiness and is a secret flavor bomb to make these even more addictive.
• While baking, if the tops of the sandwiches seem like they are getting a bit too brown, you can place a sheet of tin foil on the top. This will preserve the golden brown color while allowing the rest of the sandwich to continue to bake.

Frequently asked questions about this recipe.

Other appetizer recipes you’ll love.

• Crispy honey Brussels sprouts
• Avocado hummus
• Classic deviled eggs
• Pulled pork sheet pan nachos
• French onion cheese dip
• Cranberry cheese log
• co*cktail meatballs with cranberry sauce
• Sweet and smoky baked Brie
• Fall spiced nut mix

Have I convinced you to make this recipe?

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