German Toast Hawaii
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The famous open-faced sandwich made popular in Germany in the 1950’s, Toast Hawaii features ham, pineapple and Swiss cheese and is topped with a cherry or fruit preserves for a delightful sweet and savory flavor combo!
What is Toast Hawaii?
Toast Hawaii, also known as Hawaiian Toast, is a German dish that was made popular in the 1950’s. It features ham, pineapple and cheese (traditionally Emmental or Gruyere) and is similar to America’s “Hawaiian Pizza” except that its base is toast rather than pizza crust.
Toast Hawaii is served as an open-faced sandwich with a cherry placed in the center or your choice of fruity preserves. The combination of sweet and savory sandwich is also reminiscent of a Monte Christo sandwich and French croque-monsieur.
The dish was made popular by Clemens Wilmenrod, Germany’s first TV chef. He was known for creating inventive recipes amidst the food scarcity of post-war Germany. Toast Hawaii offered a touch of the exotic while being made with simple and accessible ingredients, e.g., bread, ham, cheese and canned pineapple in a time when fresh pineapple was nearly impossible to find.
This dish has remained popular in Germany ever since and can be found throughout Germany’s cafe’s and restaurants.
Toast Hawaii Recipe
To make Toast Hawaii you’ll need bread, butter, ham, pineapple and either Emmental, Gruyere or Swiss cheese. The slices of bread are toasted and then buttered and then they’re topped with ham, pineapple and lastly the cheese.
Then they’re baked in the oven until the cheese is melted.
The toasts are served with either a maraschino cherry placed in the center of the pineapple ring or a dollop of fruit preserves (cherry or cranberry are popular).
And that’s all there’s to it! In less than 10 minutes you have a ready lunch or a light dinner made with pantry staples.
Enjoy!
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Toast Hawaii
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 8 slices bread
- 8 slices ham
- 8 slices pineapple rings (canned or fresh), drained and blotted with a paper towel
- 8 slices Emmental, Gruyere or Swiss cheese
- 8 maraschino cherries or 4 tablespoons fruit preserves such as cherry or cranberry
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220°C). Briefly toast each slice of bread in the toaster. Butter each piece of bread and lay the bread slices down side by side on a lined baking sheet. Place a slice of ham on each slice of bread followed by a pineapple ring and slice or sprinkling of cheese.Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.Remove from the oven and either place a cherry in the center of the pineapple ring or a half tablespoon of fruit preserves. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet May 30, 2020
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
Ha! Finally I understand my childhood Saturday dinners, my German Mennonite father would make “cheese and bacon things”. Open faced toast, melted cheese, a strip of bacon and a half marishino on top, no pineapple though. This recipe is the closest thing I have seen to our family staple from the 70’s
Haha, bingo! I had no idea this particular food tradition made it across the ocean. I’m curious if this is widespread across Mennonite communities in the U.S. or if this is just something your father carried over with him. In any case that makes me smile :) Thanks for sharing, Ken.
We had this on a family trip to Germany in 2006. It was late we were driving and very hungry. Pulled into a little family owned restaurant along the road (I can’t remember but north of Frankfurt somewhere. We ordered this and the kids loved it!
Also, my husband remembers his mother making it for dinner.
Now I’m happy to have this recipe to use as a reminder
That’s great, Karen, thank you for sharing about your experience! It’s a fun, simple and tasty recipe.
I had to look up this recipe after hearing about it in the Netflix movie Dark. I think I’ll have to give it a try!
Lol I saw that on the Netflix series also
I so want to make this
Looking forward to trying this after seeing it on the German TV show Dark. Just wanted to point out, the actual recipe is missing ham from the ingredients.
I came here because I am watching Dark as well. Actually binge watching all episodes as I only just now discovered it…
I love lingonberries, discovered when living in Austria many years ago (was a ski instructor). You can find lingonberries at Ikea and World Market stores. I think they would be the perfect condiment for this recipe!
Perfect indeed, Sharon!
It’s nice see a German recipe on an English language site, even if it’s Toast Hawaii… ;-) The traditional preserve that goes with so many German dishes, and indeed this one, is lingonberry jam. Cranberries were not available in 1950s Germany and have made their way into German markets more recently. They certainly are a good substitute though.
I have not heard of this toast before but what I will say is that we love ham and pineapple together! I know we’d love this too!
This German Hawaii toast looks SO GOOD!! I can’t wait to try it!
YUM!! This look incredible! I will definitely be trying this asap!
Best recipe EVER! It’s so easy with delicious flavors and so filling!
Thank you, Toni, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Definitely my new favorite way to make toast!
This German Toast Hawaii couldn’t look any more perfect!
Yum! This is so delicious! I made this for lunch the other day and it was so delicious! I will definitely be making this again! Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed it, Beth, thank you!
What a great way to start my day! Looking forward to enjoying this for breakfast tomorrow; looks too good to pass up!