If you’re looking for an easy party sandwich that everyone will love, these Pastrami Sliders are the answer. They’re hot, cheesy, buttery, and loaded with layers of flavor—Russian dressing, Havarti, pastrami, Swiss, and dill pickles all tucked inside soft slider buns and baked until warm and melty.
They’re basically a mini hot deli sandwich in slider form, and they’re perfect for game day (think Super Bowl!), casual entertaining, holiday gatherings, or even an easy weeknight dinner when you want something fun and comforting.
You can assemble the whole tray in minutes, bake until the cheese is gooey, and then pull them apart into 12 perfect little sliders. That buttery poppy seed topping puts them over-the-top amazing. They are so good! Make a pan of our baked ham and cheese sliders too. They have a similar buttery topping!
Why You’ll Love These Pastrami Sliders
- It’s super easy to customize these sliders with different cheeses or sauces.
- They are hot, melty and cheesy (the best kind of sliders).
- They’re easy to make in a 9×13 pan.
- Nice option for parties, game day, and potlucks.
- You get classic deli flavors in bite-sized form.
- They can be ready in about 35 minutes!
Ingredients Needed:
- Olive oil cooking spray – keeps everything from sticking
- Slider buns – soft buns like King’s Hawaiian work great
- Russian dressing – creamy, tangy, and perfect with pastrami
- Havarti cheese – buttery and melty
- Pastrami – savory, salty deli flavor
- Swiss cheese – classic pairing with pastrami
- Dill pickle slices – adds crunch and tang
- Melted butter – brushed on top for golden flavor
- Poppy seeds and onion powder – adds that classic slider topping flavor
How to Make Pastrami Sliders
These sliders are all about easy layering and baking until everything is warm and gooey.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking tray or 9×13-inch dish with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Keeping the buns together in one giant piece, slice the rolls in half horizontally and place the bottom half in the pan.
- Spread Russian dressing on the rolls. Layer Havarti, pastrami, Swiss, and pickle slices.
- Add the top half of the rolls.
- Mix melted butter with poppy seeds and onion powder, then brush over the tops.
- Cover with foil and bake about 20 minutes, until warm and melty.
- If you want browned tops, uncover and broil briefly. Serve warm!
Recipe Tips
- Use good deli pastrami—it’s the main flavor here.
- Don’t overdo the pickles—just enough to add tang without making the sliders slippery.
- Covering with foil helps everything heat evenly and keeps the tops from browning too quickly.
- Want crispier tops? Broil at the end for 30 to 60 seconds (watch closely to avoid burning).
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To re-heat, warm in the oven at 325°F until heated through (best for keeping buns from getting soggy).
- The microwave works in a pinch, but the buns will soften.
- Use any leftover pastrami to make our Hot Reuben Dip!
Easy Variations
- Use provolone instead of Havarti for a milder melt.
- Swap Russian dressing for Thousand Island or Creamy French dressing.
- Use rye slider buns if you can find them (so deli-style!)
- Add a layer of sauerkraut for a Reuben-inspired slider.
- Add spicy mustard for extra bite.
What to Serve with Pastrami Sliders
These are perfect with classic party sides:
- potato chips or kettle chips (+ caramelized onion dip!)
- fries or sweet potato fries
- cole slaw
- macaroni salad
- dill pickle spears
- fruit salad for something fresh
They’re also great alongside other game day appetizers such as dill pickle dip, bacon wrapped tater tots and nachos!
These really are the best baked sliders to make for a party. They are quick to assemble, baked all at once, and guaranteed to be a party food favorite. That buttery poppy seed topping and melty cheese combo is so good, you might want to make a second pan… just in case!
Pastrami Sliders
Equipment
- 9×13-inch casserole dish (for baking the sliders)
- Bread Knife (for cutting the rolls)
- Basting Brush (for brushing the topping onto the sliders)
- Aluminum Foil (covering the sliders while baking)
Ingredients
- One 12-count package slider buns (such as King's Hawaiian)
- 4 tablespoons Russian dressing
- Six 1-ounce slices Havarti cheese
- Twelve 1-ounce slices pastrami
- Six 1-ounce slices Swiss cheese
- Six sandwich-style dill pickle slices
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a large baking tray or 9×13-inch casserole dish with foil and spray the bottom with cooking spray.
- As one unit, slice the rolls in half horizontally. Place the bottom half of rolls on the prepared tray.
- Spread the Russian dressing out onto the rolls. Arrange the Havarti slices on top, then arrange the pastrami slices on the Havarti, then arrange the Swiss cheese on the pastrami, and finally arrange the pickle slices on top of the Swiss. Place the top half of rolls on top.
- In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, poppy seeds, and onion powder, and brush on top of the rolls.
- Cover the rolls with foil and bake until they’re warm throughout and the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. If needed, remove the foil and broil after baking to brown the tops. Serve warm.
Notes
- Cover with foil while baking so the sliders heat evenly and the cheese melts without over-browning the tops.
- For extra golden tops, broil briefly at the end (watch closely!).
- Leftovers reheat best in the oven so the buns stay soft but not soggy.
- Thousand Island or Creamy French dressing may be substituted for the Russian dressing, if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
