My Mom’s Potluck Dish Is So Famous, She Can’t Show Up Without It

Summer is my ultimate favorite time of the year. Not just because the weather is warm and the days are longer, but because of the menus. The weeks between Memorial Day and Labor Day mean you can eat a grilled hamburger or hot dog, Caprese salad, icebox cake, macaroni salad, and other potluck foods on repeat and no one will ever bat an eye. 

My family doesn’t host traditional potlucks, per se, but we do get together a few times throughout the summer for big weekends filled with eating. Those lake weekends are complete with staples like my aunt’s cowboy caviar dip, my mom’s pierogi lasagna casserole, a Crock-Pot full of Mississippi pot roast, and mountain pies over the fire.

Because those holiday weekends on the lake mean three to four days of cooking all three meals together, we like to switch it up, especially for lunch. Plain cold cut sandwiches and pasta salad can get old quickly, so, my mom zhuzhes up the classic with an equally easy recipe—and, now, she can’t show up to the weekend without it.

No potluck is complete without my mom’s famous baked Hawaiian roll slider sandwiches.

My Mom’s Hawaiian Roll Sliders

Hawaiian roll sliders are not groundbreaking by any means, but they’re a delicious hit every time. The baked sandwiches start with a package of sweet Hawaiian rolls that are filled with your favorite sammy toppings—like ham and cheese, turkey and Swiss, or Italian meats—and topped with a savory, buttery sauce before getting cooked to warm perfection.

They take about 30 minutes to make, which seems longer than traditional sandwiches, but these sliders feed a crowd. Plus, they’re so easy to prep ahead of time by assembling the Hawaiian rolls with your meats and cheeses, slipping them back in the bag, and storing them in the fridge until it’s time to add the buttery sauce and bake. 

How To Make My Mom’s Hawaiian Roll Sliders

The best part about these sandwiches—besides the great taste and easy prep—is that they’re completely customizable. Typically, my mom makes three varieties filled with different meats and cheeses to please the whole family. Her typical rotation features ham and cheese; turkey and Swiss; and an Italian sub-style option with ham, salami, provolone, and banana peppers.

No matter the filling, though, the sandwiches are all topped with a mixture of a stick of melted butter, 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, and her secret ingredient: everything bagel seasoning.

Once she drizzles the butter mixture over the top of slider buns, she bakes them in a 350-degree F (175-degree C) oven for about 20 minutes, until the tops begin to brown and the meat and cheese are warmed through. The sliders come out of the oven, she slices them, and serves them warm for the perfect lunch to grab between canonballs into the lake and rounds of cornhole.

Thanks to the ease, customizations, and sheer deliciousness of these crowd-pleasing sandwiches, they’re the ultimate staple for any potluck or party for the summer and beyond.

Get the recipe: Baked Ham and Cheese Sliders