My grilled ham and cheese sandwich recipe is the thing sandwich dreams are made of. A comfort food classic, this hot sandwich can be made in minutes. Keep reading to get my tips on how to make the best sandwich.

 

There is something about a delicious grilled cheese sandwich that is hard to beat! Add some deli ham and you have a fast meal that is delicious any time of the day.

Tips for the best grilled ham and cheese

You might be thinking that this is just a sandwich, but I have some tips and tricks that will make this the BEST sandwich you have tasted.

• Full spread – Make sure to spread your butter all over one side of each piece of bread. That means, spread the butter out all the way to the crust to achieve that beautiful golden color.
• Cheese – It’s important to use a cheese that will melt.
• Temperature – In order to achieve the best sandwich, you want to make sure that you cook at medium temperature, not too high, because you want the cheese to have time to melt before the bread starts to brown. Don’t rush the process.

Grilled ham and cheese ingredients

The main components of this hot sandwich include the ham, cheese, and bread. This recipe is very versatile so feel free to experiment with your favorite combinations.

Ham

Choose your favorite type of ham for your sandwich. I prefer a thinly sliced deli honey ham.

• Honey ham – A delicious, slightly sweet ham.
• Black forest ham – Has a smokier flavor than honey ham.
• Spiral ham – This wouldn’t be my first choice since it’s typically cut thicker than deli ham. If you do use spiral cut ham, you might want to place it in the skillet for a minute to warm up before adding it to the sandwich.

Cheese

There are several different types of cheese that work well for a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. Use one type of cheese or combine them for extra flavor. You will want a cheese that melts well.

• Cheddar – Mild cheddar is a delicious option for grilled cheese.
• Havarti – This melts really well and is one that I am using for this sandwich.
• Swiss – A great compliment to ham.
• American – The classic cheese and one I am using for this recipe.
• Provolone – You can’t go wrong with provolone.
• Mozzarella – Another great melty cheese option.

Bread

Make sure not to use bread that has holes in it, like some sourdough bread, because you don’t want the cheese to leak out. I also recommend using a sturdy bread that can hold the ingredients.

• Country style bread – I am using a country style bread for this recipe.
• Hearty wheat bread – A thicker sliced wheat bread adds delicious flavor to the sandwich.
• Italian bread – An artisan bread or Italian bread work well.
• Texas toast – Thick sliced bread, perfect for a sandwich.
• Potato bread – A dense bread with a slightly sweet flavor.
• Sourdough bread – Sourdough is wonderful as long as you choose a thicker cut slice with not many holes.

Spread

Butter or mayonnaise? You can use either for a grilled cheese. In my recipe, I am using butter but feel free to substitute with mayo.

Toppings

This sandwich tastes amazing with just ham and cheese but you can add a spread or other fillings. A few suggestions include:

• Mustard – Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, creole mustard, hot mustard
• Onions – Grilled onions, sliced red onion
• Pickles – Dill pickles or sweet pickles

How to make a grilled ham and cheese sandwich

Step one: Start by spreading butter on one side of each slice of bread. Remember, spread the butter all the way out to the crust.

Step two: Lay one of the slices of bread, butter side down, in a skillet or griddle. Place 2 pieces of cheese and then slices of ham. Top with remaining cheese slices.

Step three: At this point, if you are adding something else like mustard, onions, or pickles, do that now. Top with the remaining slice of bread, putting the butter side up.

Step four: Cook that sandwich until the bottom starts to turn golden brown. (I like to place a lid on the skillet for a minute to help the cheese completely melt.) Use a spatula to flip the sandwich to cook the other side until golden brown. Serve warm.

Heather’s recipe tips

• Ingredients – You can adjust the amount of ham and cheese you are using depending on the size of your bread. If you are using smaller size bread, feel free to reduce the cheese to a total of 2 slices.
• Heat – Don’t have the heat up too high. You want to cook over medium heat so that the cheese has time to melt.
• Cheese – If you want to help the cheese melt faster, place a lid on the skillet while cooking.
• Butter – Make sure the butter is softened before spreading. This will help it easily spread over the sliced bread.

Variations

This recipe is simple to adjust to your taste preference. Here are a few ideas for a little something different:

• Breakfast sandwich: Add bacon or scrambled eggs into the sandwich to make a tasty breakfast sandwich. Serve with a side of syrup or breakfast sauce.
• Deli meat: Change up your deli meat by using sliced turkey, roast beef, or pepperoni.
• Seasoning: If you would like to add a little extra flavor, sprinkle a little garlic powder on the butter after it’s spread on the bread.

What to serve with grilled ham and cheese

I like serving this sandwich with a variety of things like a pickle, chips, pasta salad, fries, and more.

It’s also great with broccoli salad, grape salad, or just a simple house salad. If you want more ideas be sure to check out this list of 25 sides for grilled cheese.

More easy sandwich recipes

Looking for more amazing sandwich recipes, be sure to check these out:

• Meatball sandwich
• Meatloaf sandwich
• Buffalo chicken sandwich
• Shredded chicken sandwich
• Steak egg and cheese sandwich