Hot ham and cheese sandwiches are the ultimate comfort food. Melted cheese and sliced ham between buttery toasted bread is a winning flavor combination that’s warm satisfying, and easy to make. While you can certainly griddle these sandwiches in a skillet on the stovetop, using your oven is an even easier hands-off way to get hot, melty ham and cheese sandwiches for dinner.
Read on to learn how to make the best hot ham and cheese sandwiches baked right in your oven. With a few simple tips and tricks, you’ll have drippy, gooey ham and cheese sandwiches ready in minutes
Ingredients for Hot Ham and Cheese
Part of what makes these sandwiches so tasty is using quality ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
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Bread – Choose a hearty artisan bread, ciabatta, baguette, or sandwich rolls to stand up to oven heat.
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Butter – Real butter provides the most flavor as it melts onto the bread while baking.
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Ham – Deli sliced ham is ideal, offering thin layers of flavor.
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Cheese – Use melty cheeses like cheddar, Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella.
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Condiments (optional) – Spicy mustard, mayo, or homemade sauce adds extra flavor.
With these simple staple ingredients, you’re ready to bake up the perfect hot ham and cheese.
Toasting the Bread
A key step for hot oven-baked ham and cheese is toasting the bread first before adding the fillings. This extra oven time ensures the bread gets crispy and golden rather than soggy.
To toast the bread:
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Slice a loaf of bread or separate rolls. Spread lightly with butter on one side.
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Place buttered side up on a baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 2-5 minutes until lightly toasted.
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Keep an eye on the bread so it doesn’t burn. Remove once you see golden brown color.
Assembling the Sandwiches
After toasting the bread, it’s time to fill it up. Assembly is easy:
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On the untoasted side of one bread slice, layer sliced ham to cover.
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Top ham with sliced cheese to cover.
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Add a second slice toasted bread, buttered side up to make a sandwich.
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Repeat with remaining bread, ham and cheese.
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Brush the top of sandwiches lightly with more butter.
Baking Hot Ham and Cheese Perfection
Preheat your oven to 375°F to finish cooking the sandwiches.
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Place assembled sandwiches on a baking sheet and bake 8-10 minutes.
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The cheese should be melted and bread toasted when done.
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Allow to cool slightly before eating so filling can firm up.
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Serve warm with mustard, mayo or a flavorful spread.
The oven does all the work, melting the cheese inside so these sandwiches are hot and gooey.
Variations for Delicious Hot Ham and Cheese
Once you master the classic baked ham and cheese, get creative with flavors:
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Add sliced tomatoes, pickles or sautéed onions for extra flavor.
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Use a flavored butter like garlic herb or chili lime to spread on bread.
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Mix mayo with smoked paprika, sriracha, pesto or tapenade to spread inside.
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Try different cheeses like provolone, fontina, pepper jack or havarti.
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Swap out ham for sliced turkey, roast beef or salami.
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Bake open-faced sandwiches for easy knife-and-fork eating.
Tips for Baking Perfect Hot Ham and Cheese
Follow these tips for the best oven-baked hot ham and cheese every time:
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Use fresh, soft bread or rolls that won’t get too crispy or dried out.
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Make sure to toast the bread before adding ham and cheese so the bread gets crispy but the cheese doesn’t overcook.
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Layer on plenty of sliced cheese so that it melts into that ideal gooey goodness.
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Add roasted red peppers, tomatoes or other moist toppings after baking so bread doesn’t get soggy.
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Brush extra butter on top of assembled sandwiches to help bread brown.
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Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet to allow air flow for even melting and toasting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Need more hot ham and cheese guidance? Here are some common baking questions:
What is the best cheese for hot ham and cheese?
Good melting cheeses like cheddar, Swiss, provolone and mozzarella work best. Their textures melt smoothly when baked.
What kind of bread is ideal for baked ham and cheese?
Choose a heavier bread like sourdough, baguette or ciabatta that can stand up to oven heat without drying out.
How can you prevent ham and cheese from being dry?
Butter the bread and don’t overbake. Also layer on plenty of cheese so it melts before bread dries out.
What condiments go well in hot ham and cheese?
Spicy mustard, mayo, garlic aioli, tapenade or sliced pickles add nice flavor contrast to these rich sandwiches.
Should you toast the bread first before baking ham and cheese?
Yes, toasting first helps the bread get crispy while cheese melts without overcooking the fillings.
Enjoy Drippy, Hot Ooey Gooey Ham and Cheese
Baking ham and cheese sandwiches in the oven means carefree hands-off cooking with melty, delicious results. The extra step of toasting the bread before filling and baking is the key for crispy edges and oozing centers. Feel free to get creative with fun additions and spreads to make these hot ham and cheese sandwiches your own. Just be prepared for happy faces around the dinner table!
What cheese is best with ham?
Swiss cheese is the go-to for ham, and that’s what I usually use. It tastes great with ham, but cheddar doesn’t melt as well, so I don’t use it in this recipe. Smoked Gouda is delicious and is perfect for a more “grown-up” party sandwich.
And, although I haven’t tried it yet, brie with sliced apples could be a winner.
Hot Ham and Cheese that’s been baked with Hawaiian rolls and an onion & Dijon butter sauce make the perfect party sandwiches.
We always made two kinds of sandwiches when I was a kid: hot ham and cheese and tuna cheesies. Then they were put in the oven and wrapped in foil. They were cooked until they were hot and the cheese was brown and melted. These were the 80’s version of party sandwiches.
We lived in a pretty small town and I still remember when we got our first fast-food joint. It was a Hardee’s and even then they served their hot ham and cheese sandwiches. My parents still love to tease me that they’d be going to the Pine Tree for a nice dinner and invite me along. I’d always respond with “just get me a hot ham and cheese, Dukes of Hazzard is on tonight”.
This hot ham and cheese recipe isn’t quite the same, but it still makes me think of good times.
I make party sandwiches all the time, regardless of whether there’s an actual party happening. They’re so easy to make that you can eat them for lunch too. For dinner, a quick salad goes great with them.
These aren’t just plain old hot ham and cheese sandwiches, either. They’re called “party sandwiches” for a reason. They do have ham and cheese on a roll, but you bake them all at the same time and then pour onion butter on top.