Ham-Broccoli Rolls

Ham slices layered with Swiss cheese, wrapped around broccoli spears, and drenched in a tangy pineapple-horseradish sauce. It’s retro entertaining at its finest, and the whole thing comes together in the microwave in about 15 minutes of cook time.

The sauce is what sets these apart from plain ham and cheese rolls. Pineapple juice, horseradish, mustard, Worcestershire, and egg yolk get cooked into a thick, creamy sauce that’s simultaneously sweet, sharp, and savory. It’s a lot of flavor complexity from a handful of pantry staples.

The layering order matters: ham on the bottom, Swiss cheese on top, broccoli spears in the center. When you roll everything up, the cheese melts against the ham and the broccoli stays wrapped tight in the middle.

Pineapple rings on top during the final zap add a sweet, tropical finish.

Kitchen Tips

• Use thick-cut ham slices (¼ inch) so they’re sturdy enough to roll without tearing.
• Cook and drain the broccoli spears before assembling. Raw broccoli won’t cook through in the microwave time given for the rolls.
• Stir the sauce every minute while it thickens. Egg yolk sauces curdle if left unattended.
• Secure each roll with a toothpick. Without them, the rolls unravel as the cheese melts and loosens the layers.

Variations

• Turkey version: Swap ham for deli turkey slices and use cheddar instead of Swiss.
• Asparagus rolls: Replace broccoli with asparagus spears for a more elegant spring version.