Kentucky Derby Tea Sandwich Trio (Printable Version)

A trio of Southern-style tea sandwiches with cucumber, egg salad, and ham on soft bread.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cucumber Sandwiches

01 - 6 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
02 - 1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
04 - 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
06 - Pinch of salt and black pepper

→ Egg Salad Sandwiches

07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 teaspoon chives, minced
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 6 slices whole wheat bread, crusts removed

→ Ham Sandwiches

14 - 6 slices rye sandwich bread, crusts removed
15 - 3 ounces thinly sliced deli ham
16 - 2 tablespoons Dijon or honey mustard
17 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
18 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Transfer eggs to cold water, cool completely, peel, and chop finely. Combine chopped eggs with mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, chives, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
02 - In a bowl, combine softened cream cheese, unsalted butter, chopped fresh dill, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth. Spread the mixture thinly onto each slice of white bread.
03 - Arrange cucumber slices evenly on three prepared bread slices. Top with remaining bread slices, press gently, and cut each sandwich into two or three finger sandwiches.
04 - Spread softened butter on one side of each rye bread slice. Apply mustard over the butter on three slices, layer with ham, and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Top with remaining bread slices, press gently, and cut each sandwich into two or three finger sandwiches.
05 - Spread egg salad evenly over three whole wheat bread slices. Top with remaining bread slices and cut each sandwich into two or three finger sandwiches.
06 - Arrange all sandwiches on a serving platter. Cover with a damp paper towel and plastic wrap until serving to maintain freshness.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Three different flavors mean everyone finds something they love, and you only have to get the technique right once.
  • You can make these up to four hours ahead, which turns entertaining from stressful into genuinely manageable.
  • They look far more impressive than the fifteen minutes of effort they actually require.
02 -
  • If your cucumbers release too much water, pat the slices dry before assembling or they'll turn the bread to mush; this one mistake changes everything.
  • Don't remove crusts until the sandwiches are fully assembled—the crust gives you something to hold onto while you work, and it comes off cleaner that way.
03 -
  • Make your egg salad the morning of, but assemble the actual sandwiches no more than four hours before serving—the bread softens past the point of being pleasant after that.
  • If you're making these for a crowd, arrange them on parchment paper under plastic wrap so you can easily slide the whole thing onto your nicest platter without rearranging.
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