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Copycat Frisch’s Big Boy Buddie Boy Recipe
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| Warm ham, melted Swiss, crisp lettuce, juicy tomato, and creamy tartar-style sauce come together in this homemade copycat of the classic Frisch’s Buddie Boy. |
If you grew up around a Frisch’s Big Boy, there’s a good chance the Buddie Boy brings back some memories. Unlike Frisch’s famous beef-based Big Boy sandwiches, the Buddie Boy is all about warm ham and melted Swiss cheese, finished with cool lettuce, tomato, and that unmistakable creamy, tangy Frisch’s-style tartar sauce.
This copycat Frisch’s Big Boy Buddie Boy recipe recreates that classic combination at home with deli ham, Swiss cheese, fresh toppings, a toasted hoagie-style bun, and an easy homemade tartar-style sauce.
It’s warm and cheesy, cool and crisp, creamy and tangy all at once—and it comes together in about 20 minutes.
A Little Background on Frisch’s Big Boy and the Buddie Boy
Frisch’s Big Boy has been a familiar name in the Midwest for generations, particularly in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Its menu has included several distinctive sandwiches over the years, but the Buddie Boy stands apart from the restaurant’s better-known hamburgers.
The classic Buddie Boy is a ham sandwich. Frisch’s menu descriptions have identified it as hot or grilled deli-style ham topped with melted Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and Frisch’s famous tartar sauce or special sauce, served on a hoagie-style or French-style bun.
That combination is what makes the sandwich so memorable. The ham is warm and savory. The Swiss becomes soft and melty. Lettuce adds crunch, tomato adds freshness, and the creamy tartar-style sauce brings the tangy flavor that ties everything together.
This homemade version is inspired by those classic ingredients. Frisch’s actual recipes and preparation methods are proprietary, so this is not intended to represent the restaurant’s exact formula.
Why You’ll Love This Copycat Buddie Boy Recipe
- It recreates the classic ham-and-Swiss combination of the Buddie Boy.
- It uses simple grocery-store ingredients.
- It takes only about 20 minutes from start to finish.
- The sandwich combines warm, melty ingredients with cool, crisp toppings.
- It includes an easy Frisch’s-inspired tartar sauce you can make at home.
- It’s an easy lunch or quick weeknight dinner for Frisch’s fans.
Ingredients
Serves: 4 sandwiches
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: About 20 minutes
For the sandwiches:
- 1 pound thinly sliced deli ham
- 8 slices Swiss cheese
- 4 hoagie rolls or French-style sandwich rolls
- 4 large lettuce leaves or about 1 cup shredded lettuce
- 1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened, for toasting the rolls
For the easy tartar-style sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickles or dill pickle relish
- 1 tablespoon finely minced onion
- 1 teaspoon pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of black pepper
Note: Frisch’s Original Tartar Sauce has its own distinctive flavor. The sauce above is a simple homemade approximation designed to give the sandwich a creamy, pickle-forward, tangy finish. If you have Frisch’s Original Tartar Sauce available, you can use it instead.
Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
- Large skillet or griddle
- Spatula or tongs
- Small mixing bowl
- Knife and cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
How to Make a Copycat Frisch’s Big Boy Buddie Boy
Step 1: Make the tartar-style sauce.
In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, chopped pickles or relish, minced onion, pickle juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and black pepper.
Cover the sauce and refrigerate it while you prepare the sandwiches. If you have time, letting it chill for 20 to 30 minutes gives the flavors a chance to blend.
Step 2: Prepare the lettuce and tomato.
Wash and thoroughly dry the lettuce. Slice the tomato into thin rounds and gently blot the slices with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. This helps keep the finished sandwich from becoming soggy.
Step 3: Toast the rolls.
Split the hoagie rolls lengthwise without cutting completely through them if possible. Lightly butter the cut surfaces.
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Place the rolls cut-side down and toast for about 1 to 2 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove and set aside.
You want the bread warm with a little crispness on the inside while remaining soft enough to wrap around the filling.
Step 4: Warm the ham.
Reduce the skillet to medium-low heat. Divide the ham into four portions and place them in the skillet.
Instead of laying the ham completely flat, loosely fold the slices over one another. This creates layers and gives the sandwich more of that piled-high deli texture.
Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, turning or rearranging the ham as needed, until it is steaming hot.
Food safety note: If you're reheating packaged ready-to-eat ham, heat it thoroughly according to the package directions and any dietary or food-safety needs of the people you're serving.
Step 5: Melt the Swiss cheese.
Place two slices of Swiss cheese over each portion of hot ham.
Add about a tablespoon of water to an empty area of the skillet and immediately cover the pan with a lid for 30 to 60 seconds. The steam will help the Swiss soften and melt over the ham.
Remove the lid once the cheese is nicely melted.
Step 6: Add the tartar-style sauce.
Spread a generous layer of the chilled tartar-style sauce inside each toasted roll. Start with about 1 to 2 tablespoons per sandwich and add more if you like a saucier Buddie Boy.
Step 7: Build the sandwiches.
Transfer one portion of hot ham and melted Swiss to each roll.
Top with tomato slices and lettuce. Add another small spoonful of tartar-style sauce if desired.
The contrast is part of what makes this sandwich work: hot ham and melted cheese underneath cool tomato, crisp lettuce, and creamy sauce.
Step 8: Serve immediately.
Close the rolls gently and serve the sandwiches while the ham and Swiss are still warm.
Pair them with crinkle-cut fries for an especially nostalgic Frisch’s-style meal.
Tips for the Best Homemade Buddie Boy
- Use good deli ham. Thinly sliced smoked or deli ham gives you the right combination of tenderness and savory flavor.
- Don't substitute American cheese if you want the classic combination. Swiss cheese is an important part of the Buddie Boy.
- Warm the ham before melting the cheese. This gives you a genuinely hot sandwich instead of warm cheese over cold deli meat.
- Keep the lettuce and tomato cold. The temperature contrast is part of the sandwich's appeal.
- Dry the tomato. Blotting the slices keeps excess juice from soaking into the roll.
- Don't forget the tartar sauce. It's one of the defining flavors of many classic Frisch’s sandwiches, including the Buddie Boy.
- Use a hoagie or French-style roll. A standard hamburger bun doesn't give the sandwich quite the same shape or bread-to-filling ratio.
Can I Use Frisch’s Original Tartar Sauce?
Absolutely. In fact, if you can get it, that is the easiest way to bring a familiar Frisch’s flavor to your homemade sandwich.
The homemade sauce in this recipe is meant as an accessible alternative for people who don't have Frisch’s tartar sauce on hand. It is not presented as Frisch’s actual tartar sauce recipe.
Easy Shortcuts
This is already a quick sandwich, but you can make it even easier.
- Buy pre-sliced Swiss cheese.
- Use pre-washed lettuce.
- Use dill pickle relish instead of chopping pickles.
- Make the tartar-style sauce a day ahead.
- Warm the ham in the microwave if you don't want to use a skillet, then melt the cheese over it before assembling.
If you're serving several people, arrange the rolls on a baking sheet, fill them with warm ham and Swiss, and briefly place them in a low oven until the cheese melts. Add the cold lettuce, tomato, and sauce afterward.
Approximate Nutrition Per Sandwich
Nutrition will vary significantly depending on the ham, cheese, roll, and amount of sauce used. For one sandwich made with approximately 4 ounces of ham, 2 slices of Swiss cheese, one hoagie roll, vegetables, and tartar-style sauce, a reasonable estimate is:
- Calories: about 600–700
- Protein: about 35–40g
- Carbohydrates: about 40–50g
- Fat: about 30–40g
- Fiber: about 2–3g
- Sodium: about 1,500–2,000mg
These figures are estimates only. Deli ham, Swiss cheese, bread, and prepared condiments can vary considerably in sodium and calories, so use the nutrition information from your specific ingredients if you need precise numbers.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
The individual components can be prepared ahead, but the assembled Buddie Boy is best eaten immediately.
Tartar-style sauce: Make it ahead and refrigerate it in a covered container. For best quality, use within 3 to 4 days.
Vegetables: Wash and dry the lettuce and slice the tomato shortly before serving.
Ham and cheese: Keep refrigerated until you're ready to cook.
Leftover assembled sandwiches: They can be refrigerated, but the lettuce and tomato will lose their texture and the bread may become soggy. For that reason, store leftover components separately whenever possible.
Allergy-Friendly and Diet Preference Modifications
Gluten-free:
- Use a gluten-free hoagie roll or sandwich bun.
- Check the labels on the ham, mayonnaise, relish, and other condiments.
Dairy-free:
- Replace the Swiss with a dairy-free cheese that melts well.
- Use dairy-free butter or toast the bread without butter.
Egg-free:
- Traditional mayonnaise contains egg, so use an egg-free mayonnaise when making the tartar-style sauce.
- Check your bread and other packaged ingredients as well.
Lower-carb:
- Skip the hoagie roll and turn the ingredients into lettuce wraps.
- Another option is to serve the warm ham and Swiss over a large bed of lettuce with tomato and a spoonful of tartar-style dressing.
Lower-sodium:
- Look for reduced-sodium deli ham and Swiss cheese.
- Use less sauce.
- Avoid adding additional salt to the sandwich.
Vegetarian:
Because ham is the centerpiece of the traditional Buddie Boy, a vegetarian version won't closely duplicate the original. However, vegetarian deli-style ham can be substituted if you want to recreate the overall combination of Swiss, lettuce, tomato, and tartar-style sauce.
What to Serve with a Buddie Boy
- Crinkle-cut French fries
- Onion rings
- Potato chips
- Coleslaw
- Pickles
- Potato salad
- Vegetable soup
- A simple side salad
For the full nostalgic diner experience, crinkle-cut fries are hard to beat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Frisch’s Buddie Boy made with ground beef?
No. The Buddie Boy is a ham and Swiss sandwich. Frisch’s menu descriptions identify the sandwich as hot or grilled deli ham with melted Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and Frisch’s tartar or special sauce on a hoagie-style bun. Beef is used in several other classic Frisch’s sandwiches, which may be where some confusion comes from.
What kind of cheese goes on a Buddie Boy?
Swiss cheese. Its mild, slightly nutty flavor works especially well with salty ham and tangy tartar sauce.
What sauce is on a Buddie Boy?
Frisch’s menu descriptions identify Frisch’s Original Tartar Sauce or the restaurant's special sauce, depending on the menu and era. This recipe includes an easy homemade tartar-style sauce for cooks who don't have the Frisch’s product available.
What kind of bread should I use?
A soft hoagie or French-style sandwich roll is the closest practical choice for a homemade version. Toast the inside lightly while keeping the exterior soft.
Should the ham be hot?
Yes. The Buddie Boy has traditionally been described as a hot or grilled ham-and-Swiss sandwich. Warming the ham before melting the Swiss gives the sandwich its characteristic contrast with the cool lettuce and tomato.
Can I make the tartar-style sauce ahead of time?
Yes. Making it several hours ahead actually gives the pickle and onion flavors more time to blend with the mayonnaise.
Final Thoughts
This copycat Frisch’s Big Boy Buddie Boy recipe proves that a memorable sandwich doesn't need a long ingredient list. Warm deli ham, melted Swiss cheese, cool lettuce and tomato, creamy tartar-style sauce, and a toasted hoagie roll do all the work.
If the Buddie Boy was one of your Frisch’s favorites, try this homemade version and let me know how close it comes to the sandwich you remember. And if you've been eating Buddie Boys for decades, I'd especially love to hear how you remember them being served.
Leave a comment with your Frisch’s memories, any tweaks you made, or what you served alongside your sandwich. And share the recipe with another Frisch’s fan who might be craving a little old-school Big Boy nostalgia.
Disclaimer
This recipe is a homemade copycat inspired by the Frisch’s Big Boy Buddie Boy. It is not Frisch’s original or proprietary recipe, and no claim is made that Simply Copycat Recipes has access to Frisch’s formulas, preparation methods, or other proprietary information. Frisch’s Big Boy, Buddie Boy, and related names and trademarks belong to their respective owners. This website is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Frisch’s Big Boy.
Simply Copycat Recipes is also an Amazon affiliate. This means we may earn from qualifying purchases made through links, at no extra cost to you.
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