Tsoureki, Greek Easter bread ham and cheese sandwich

Make a simple ham and cheese sandwich, (or jambon kai tyri sandwich as we say in Greek) using tsoureki, Greek Easter bread rolls. In less than five minutes you will have the perfect snack or light meal using deli ham and sliced cheese.

Tsoureki bread ham and cheese sandwich on a white plate.

In my Greek family, as is the case in many Greek families, Pascha (Easter) is the most celebrated holiday. Along with the religious significance, there are many traditions which revolve around food! Koulourakia, dyed eggs, lamb and of course tsoureki, the sweet Greek Easter bread, are plentiful!

It is not uncommon for Easter Monday to roll around and to have plenty of this goodness left over. I can definitely always count on having tsoureki left over, leading me and Helen to come up with some incredible ways to use up leftover tsoureki. This year, I also did something different by creating the cutest Tsoureki rolls or muffins. You guys loved this idea because it took this already easy tsoureki recipe, and made it even easier by skipping the braiding of the loaf. They are also easy to serve and they make the perfect sandwich bread! Once I realized that, I made this fun and delicious ham and cheese sandwich using my tsoureki rolls. I give this one 5-stars!

Why I love this recipe

Full disclosure, I love tsoureki and so I love anything that includes tsoureki! With this sandwich, I especially love that I can make a light meal, or a nice snack, using this flavourful and slightly sweet Greek Easter bread.

It is so easy to put this sandwich together. If you have the ingredients handy you can definitely whip this up in under five minutes.

Like most sandwiches, this tsoureki ham and cheese sandwich travels well. Wrap it up and pack it in your bag for a take along lunch.

It is so versatile. I love my sandwich just the way it is, but once you think about making sandwiches using tsoureki, the possible variations are endless!

Tsoureki bread ham and cheese sandwich on a white plate.

Key ingredients

Tsoureki roll These rolls were made based on a fail-proof tsoureki recipe. This slightly sweet bread is made with masticha and mahlepi, giving it the most amazing and unique flavour. The texture is fluffy and soft.

Ham This is referred to as jambon in Greek and I love to have jambon and tyri (cheese) toast (sandwich) in Greece for breakfast! I used a deli smoked ham for this sandwich. The saltiness of the ham goes so well with the slightly sweet nature of the tsoureki.

Cheese I used a slice of Swiss cheese for this sandwich. I find that it goes so well with ham.

Mayonnaise I spread mayonnaise on both sides of my roll. I usually buy mayonnaise that is made with olive oil, but any good mayo will do. You can even make your own!

How to make it

Like most sandwiches, this couldn’t be easier. It is almost weird calling it a sandwich! Still, here are a few assembly instructions in case you have never made a sandwich before 🙂

Step 1
Slice your tsoureki roll in half. Spread mayonnaise on both cut sides of the bread.

Step 2
On the bottom half of your roll layer two slices of jambon (ham). Top with a slice of cheese – I used Swiss cheese to make my sandwich. Add the top half of your roll and enjoy!

Recipe substitutions

If you did not bake my tsoureki rolls or muffins this year, don’t worry. You can make this same sandwich using two slices of tsoureki. Or, you can start baking my tsoureki muffins!

I liked using ham and cheese in this sandwich, but you can add whatever type of deli meat you like – smoked turkey would be nice as would a pastrami. For the cheese, I used a slice of Swiss, but cheddar, Monterey Jack, or any cheese actually would do.

I spread mayonnaise on my sandwich but you can use mustard, or mayo and mustard!

If you want to get some vegetables into your sandwich add some lettuce and tomato slices. Thinly sliced red onions would also be lovely here.

I did not toast my tsoureki roll, but you can! You can also place your sandwich in a panini press if you have one to get it warm and delicious.

Recipe variations

If you are excited about the idea of turning your tsoureki into a sandwich, then you must try my viral Tsoureki and feta grilled cheese. You will absolutely love this guys, I promise!

Tsoureki and feta grilled cheese

Another way to use leftover tsoureki is to create a French toast sandwich! Be sure to give my Tsoureki French toast sandwich with cream cheese and jam a try.

Tsoureki French toast sandwich with cream cheese and jam, on a white plate, and fresh berries on the plate. Here the tsoureki is cut in two, showing you the inside.

If you love the idea of this sandwich and using up leftover or extra tsoureki, then here are a few other ideas I think you will love:

Tsoureki French toast, Greek Easter bread French toast Easy and simply delicious. Thick slices of tsoureki turned into French toast and then served with maple syrup and fresh fruit over top.

Tsoureki bread pudding What a comforting breakfast or brunch idea! The sauce is a delicious addition.

Tsoureki Paximadia or Tsoureki Biscotti This is a great way to get tsoureki to last a really long time. Dry them out, and enjoy dipped into coffee or milk.

Tsoureki and feta grilled cheese My viral recipe – this one is a true winner guys. Give my original tsoureki and feta grilled cheese sandwich a try.

Tsoureki french toast
Tsoureki bread pudding
Greek biscotti, or paximadia, made with tsoureki bread and dipped in chocolate and sprinkles
Tsoureki and feta grilled cheese is a sweet, salty, crunchy and oozy grilled cheese sandwich that you’ll love!

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Recipe

Tsoureki bread ham and cheese sandwich on a white plate.

Tsoureki, Greek Easter bread ham and cheese sandwich

Use tsoureki as the bread in this simple ham and cheese sandwich.
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Course: Light meal, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Greek
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 387kcal
Author: miakouppa

Ingredients

  • 1 tsoureki roll or two slices tsoureki from a loaf
  • 2 slices deli ham
  • 1 slice Swiss cheese
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise

Instructions

  • Slice your roll in half and spread the cut side of each half with mayonnaise.
    1 tsoureki roll, 1 tbsp mayonnaise
  • Arrange the ham and cheese over the bottom half of your roll and top with the top of the tsoureki bun. Enjoy!
    2 slices deli ham, 1 slice Swiss cheese

Notes

If you don’t have tsoureki rolls, then two slices of tsoureki from a loaf would work well too.

Nutrition

Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 869mg | Potassium: 175mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 150IU | Calcium: 156mg | Iron: 1mg

Thanks for sharing!

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