Funeral Sandwiches are delicious ham and cheese sliders you can make as an easy appetizer recipe or as a family friendly meal.
Full of warm salty ham, nutty Swiss cheese and topped with a tangy Dijon butter sauce, these mini slider sandwiches are nothing to be sad about!
Why are these called funeral sandwiches?
Well, you don't have to wait for someone to pass before making these sandwiches. In fact, these are one of my on the go meals for our busy family!
These delicious ham and cheese sliders can be made as an easy appetizer recipe or as a family friendly meal.
So why does something so delicious have a name like funeral sandwiches?
Funeral sandwiches are notorious for being served at church gatherings. They're a southern tradition, too, I'm told!
Why? Because they’re such a crowd pleasing recipe and are easy to make. It goes without saying that in addition to all celebrations, they’ve made their way into the funeral luncheon circuit too.
It doesn’t seem to happen as much these days, but “back in the day” my Grandma and Mom would prepare potluck dishes for our church funerals. After the church ceremony, everyone would head over to the church basement for a luncheon.
More often than not, funeral sandwiches would be at such luncheons at churches.
Ingredients
- Hawaiian rolls - You'll need a pack of 12 for this recipe. Note that the size of the rolls varies depending on the brand. Slider buns can also be used. They won't be as sweet, though!
- deli ham - if you have leftover Easter ham, this is a perfect way to put it to use!
- Swiss cheese
- Dijon mustard
- Butter
- Seasonings - onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds
How to make funeral sandwiches
- Step 1: Cut entire package of rolls in half horizontally. Place bottom half in a 9x9 ovenproof baking dish.
- Step 2: Layer ham and Swiss cheese over bottom half. Replace the top of the rolls.
- Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together dijon mustard, melted butter, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce. Pour sauce over the rolls, just covering the tops.
Sprinkle the tops with poppy seeds, if using. Cover with foil and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Step 4: Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Uncover and cook for additional 2 minutes until tops are slightly browned and crisp.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
This recipe (and pretty much every slider recipe EVER!) is one of my top recommendations for field meals or for meal ideas for families on the go.
How to make ahead
Before I tell you how to make funeral sandwiches for later, let me start by staying this is one of the BEST food gifts. People will LOVE you for it. For real!
What will make people love you even more is if you give these in a disposable dish so they don't have to worry about returning your casserole dish. It's a great way to make life easier for the recipient, you know?
Okay, now that it's out of the way, let's make funeral rolls.
You can make funeral sandwiches ahead of time! Simply prepare the sandwiches as instructed, cover with plastic wrap and foil, and refrigerate or freeze until you're ready to bake and serve.
If you're giving these as a food gift, make sure to include baking instructions!
Tips
- You can use yellow mustard or mayonnaise if you don't have Dijon mustard
- A serrated knife works best for cutting these into portions.
- This and old fashioned ham salad are great ways to use leftover ham from Easter and other occasions!
- If you don't like Swiss cheese, use another kind. My hubby likes cheddar cheese.
Tips
What to serve with Funeral Sandwiches
Serve 'em up with a side of old fashioned baked beans and you're sitting pretty!
- No Mayo Potato Salad
- Low Carb Deviled Eggs
- Apple Slab Pie or Hawaiian Banana Bread
- Potato chips or coleslaw
Other mini slider sandwich recipes:
- 23 Pull Apart Sliders Recipes
- Roast Beef Sliders
- Baked Italian Sliders
- Pulled Pork Sliders
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders
Funeral Sliders (Ham and Cheese Sliders)
Ingredients
- 1 lb deli ham slices
- 6 slices of Swiss cheese
- 1 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup butter melted
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 package sweet dinner rolls Hawaiian rolls
- 1-2 teaspoons poppy seeds optional
Instructions
- Cut entire package of rolls in half horizontally. Place bottom half in a 9x9 ovenproof baking dish. Layer ham and Swiss cheese over bottom half.
Replace the top of the rolls. - In a medium bowl, whisk together dijon mustard, melted butter, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce. Pour sauce over the rolls, just covering the tops.
- Sprinkle the tops with poppy seeds, if using. Cover with foil and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for additional 2 minutes until tops are slightly browned and crisp. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- A serrated knife works best for cutting these into portions.
- You can use yellow mustard if you don't have Dijon
- This is a great way to use leftover ham from Easter and other occasions!
Nutrition
This Farm Girl Cooks is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Pat Slice
Unable to find the directions if I want to make the funeral sandwiches for later. Thanks