Elevate leftover ham into the ultimate sandwich with this toasted ham and gouda sandwich with spicy apple onion chutney! It's the best ham sandwich for a filling lunch or quick and easy dinner.

ham and gouda sandwich with spicy apple chutney and arugula cut in half and stacked on a plate.

I don't know about y'all, but one of my favorite parts of holiday meals is the leftovers. Holiday food only comes around once or twice a year, so I love living in a land of leftovers for days after the main event. So what do you do when you have a bunch of spiral sliced ham leftover after Easter or New Year's Day? You're certainly not going to waste it (at least I hope not!). You make a delicious, extra special ham sandwich, of course!

Why You'll Love These Toasted Ham and Gouda Sandwiches

Whether you're a sandwich lover or just lukewarm on sandwiches, you're sure to love this toasty ham sandwich with melty gouda cheese. They're the perfect way to use leftover ham, but they're also so crave-worthy that you'll go out of your way to buy ham in order to make them! The spicy apple and onion chutney is super simple to make and takes your sandwich from ordinary to gourmet. Spicy mustard and peppery arugula bring even more interest and spice to the party.

overhead view of ingredients needed to make a toasted ham and gouda sandwich with spicy apple chutney on a white marble background.

The Ingredients

Leftover spiral sliced ham. You can also use deli ham if that's what you have.
Gouda cheese. You can use smoked or regular.
Whole grain bread. Sourdough bread is also delicious here.
Spicy brown mustard. You can also se dijon mustard.
Arugula. For a fresh peppery kick and pretty green color.
Spicy apple onion chutney. Super easy to make and a delicious way to elevate any sandwich!

How To Make Them

spicy apple and onion chutney in a white bowl with a gold spoon in it.

Make The Spicy Apple Onion Chutney

four image collage showing steps for making spicy apple onion chutney.

Dice the apple and onion into ¼-inch pieces.
Heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add the apple and onion and cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the apple cider vinegar, honey, red pepper flakes, cloves, salt and pepper. Simmer on low heat, covered, for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Make the Toasted Ham Sandwiches

four image collage showing steps for making toasted ham and gouda sandwich with spicy apple chutney.

Heat up the ham in a large, lightly oiled skillet until it's warmed through. Wipe out the skillet to toast the sandwiches.
Butter one side of each of 2 slices of bread.
Layer gouda then ham on one slice of bread (on the unbuttered side). Place the buttered side in the warm skillet. Add apple chutney and arugula.
On the other slice of bread, spread spicy mustard on the unbuttered side. Place on top of the sandwich with the buttered side facing out.
Cook over low heat until the bottom slice of bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. Use a spatula to carefully flip the sandwich and continue cooking on low heat until the other side is toasted.
Repeat with the other sandwich.

Tip: Make sure your heat is on the low side to avoid burning the bread. If you need a little help getting the cheese to melt, cover the skillet with a lid.

Can They Be Made In Advance?

This warm and toasty sandwich is best served right away. You can, however, make the apple chutney in advance. It will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

closeup of ham and gouda sandwich with spicy apple chutney cut in half and stacked on a plate.

More Ways To Use Leftover Ham

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Toasted Ham and Gouda Sandwich with Spicy Apple Chutney

Print Recipe

Elevate leftover ham into the ultimate sandwich with this toasted ham and gouda sandwich with spicy apple onion chutney! It's the best ham sandwich for a filling lunch or quick and easy dinner.

Author: Kaleigh
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 2 sandwiches 1x
Category: sandwich
Method: stovetop
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

For the Spicy Apple Onion Chutney:

1 tsp olive oil
1 small apple
½ small onion
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
⅛ tsp ground cloves
Pinch sea salt
Pinch freshly cracked black pepper

For Ham Sandwiches:

½ tsp olive oil
2 big slices leftover spiral sliced ham
1 tsp butter
4 slices whole grain bread
2 oz. gouda, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. spicy brown mustard
½ cup baby arugula
spicy apple chutney

Instructions

Make the chutney. Dice apple and onion into ¼-inch pieces.
In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add onion and apple. Stir and cook until onion and apple are softened, about 5 minutes.
Add apple cider vinegar, honey, red pepper flakes, cloves, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Turn heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the apples are soft.
Make the sandwich.
Heat ½ teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ham and cook until warmed through. Remove ham and wipe out skillet.
Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place 2 slices butter-side down in the skillet over low heat.
Layer each slice of bread in the skillet with gouda, then ham. Top with arugula and apple chutney.
Spread mustard on unbuttered sides of remaining slices of bread. Place mustard side down on top of sandwiches in the pan. Cook until the bottom slices are golden.
Flip sandwiches and cook until second sides are golden.
Remove sandwiches from pan and serve warm.

Notes

Regular deli ham can be used if you don't have spiral sliced ham.
Apple chutney can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
If you don't have spicy brown mustard, dijon works well.

Keywords: grilled ham and gouda sandwich, ham sandwich with apple chutney, best ham sandwich, toasted ham and cheese sandwich

This post was originally published November 2018 and has been updated.