Leftover Ham and Cheese Panini

This Leftover Ham and Cheese Panini is perfect for Easter, Christmas or holiday leftovers. This sandwich is made with sourdough bread, swiss and mozzarella cheese, then grilled and pressed to perfection.

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My Air Fryer Glazed Ham recipe is on the menu for holidays like Christmas and Easter! There’s always leftover ham. Once I’ve gotten tired of eating the standard leftovers, I like to re-purpose the food into different meals. This sandwich is pretty epic and will do just that!

Ham Glaze

The Ham Glaze from Primal Kitchen will take your sandwich to the next level. The taste is rich and I can taste hints of pineapple, clove, and cinnamon. It’s absolutely perfect for a warm sandwich. It isn’t just for glazing ham! It works wonderfully as a glaze for veggies, too.

This glaze is Whole30 Approved®, paleo-friendly, and made with no soy, no canola, and no dairy.

What’s a Panini?

The word panino is similar and it is Italian and means bread roll and small bread. It’s a sandwich served warm and is usually grilled or toasted.

I love to make them because the grill marks make the bread so crunchy! And if you use a cast iron there’s so much flavor! The melted cheese paired with ham is nothing short of amazing.

Do You Have to Use a Panini Maker

Using a panini maker is a fast way to make this recipe and it will also crisp the bread and add grill marks.

You can also use a cast iron or cast iron grill pan. You can even use your air fryer! You won’t get the grill marks, but check out my Air Fryer Grilled Cheese recipe. You can follow the same instructions.

How to Make a Ham and Cheese Panini

1. Spread butter over both slices of bread.
2. Flip the bread slices and spread ham glaze over the other sides. Add ham, cheese, and spinach to the bread and form a sandwich.

What Type of Bread to Use

You can use any bread you like. Any bread will crisp. Paninis are often made with ciabatta. I went with sourdough bread for this one.

Best Cheese to Use

You can also use whatever cheese you like. Swiss typically pairs well with ham. If you want an intense cheese pull, mozzarella will work wonderfully. Cheddar cheese is also great.

Substitutions or Add-Ins

• Mashed Avocado
• Tomatoes (remove the seeds first)
• Onions
• Cooked Eggs
• Red Peppers
• Sundried Tomatoes

How Many Calories

Each sandwich has 396 calories.

Recipe Tips

• For crunchy bread with fine grill marks you will need oil, such as olive oil or butter.
• Thick-cut bread works best.
• Cook in batches if necessary.

Pair This Sandwich With These Recipes

Air Fryer French Fries
Roasted Ranch Potatoes
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Southern Macaroni Salad
Keto Broccoli Salad
How to Make a Charcuterie Cheese Board
Ham Potato and Vegetable Soup
Turkey and Cheese Sliders
Traeger Smoked Turkey