Cuban Sandwich
There’s nothing more satisfying than biting into a Cuban Sandwich! Cuban bread is loaded with seasoned mustard, melty Swiss cheese, smoked deli ham, pulled pork and all of the pickles your heart desires. It’s like if you took a ham and cheese sandwich and elevated it tenfold!
Cuban Sandwich
This is not your mama’s ham and cheese sandwich! Unless, of course, your mom used to make Cuban sandwiches. If this happens to be your first time experiencing the pure joy of a Cuban sandwich, I envy you. There’s nothing like taking that first bite into the toasted bread, mustard, meats, pickles and cheese. You’ll never go back to a plain Jane ham and cheese again!
This sandwich first took off in Florida and has gained popularity all over the nation ever since. If you ever go to a sandwich shop in Florida, you’ll likely see it listed on the menu with different variations. Some people include things like salami, mayo, tomatoes, lettuce, etc. There’s no one Cuban sandwich that reigns supreme as the classic. It’s the first thing I order whenever I go to Miami!
With that being said, this recipe serves as a great blueprint! It features all of the classic Cuban sandwich ingredients that you can build off of however you’d like. While I love this sandwich exactly as it is, you can feel free to toss on anything that sounds good to you. However you end up stacking it, be sure to plate it next to some salty potato chips for the full experience!
How to Make a Cuban Sandwich
- Here’s how to make the very BEST Cuban sandwich recipe! For more precise step by step instructions, just keep on scrolling down to the recipe card.
- Prepare the bread with mustard. Mix together the mustard, cayenne and paprika. Slice the bread in half and coat both sides with mustard.
- Assemble the sandwich. Add cheese, ham, pulled pork and pickles to one half of the sandwich. Top with even more cheese! Add the other piece of bread on top and cut the sandwich in half.
- Toast the sandwiches. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Place the sandwiches in the skillet and press down hard. Place something heavy on the sandwich like another skillet. Toast until golden brown and crispy, then flip on the other side and repeat the process.
- Enjoy! Plate your Cubano with salty potato chips, more pickles or some plantain chips.
What else can I add?
There are so many fun variations to try with a Cuban sandwich! In Miami, some Cuban sandwiches are served with ingredients like lettuce, mayo, tomatoes, bacon and turkey. In Tampa, you’ll often find salami in your Cuban sandwich. You can also change up the bread! Cuban bread is the most popular one to use, but hoagies also work in a pinch.
Where was the Cuban sandwich invented?
The first ever Cuban sandwich (or Cubano) was created in Cuba, as the name suggests! It was then made popular in both Ybor City and Miami, each city putting their own unique spins on the multilayered sandwich.
How to Make a Cubano In Advance
Once your hot Cubano sandwich has been pressed, it’s best served as soon as possible. The mustard will soften the bread over time. Plus, the Swiss cheese is best enjoyed while it’s still warm from being melted. I don’t recommend making these sandwiches ahead of time.
With that being said, it certainly helps to have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go! I love keeping Pulled Pork ready to go in the fridge just for recipes like this.
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Get the Recipe: Cuban Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup yellow mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 loaf cuban bread or long hoagie roll
- 1/2 pound Swiss cheese
- 1/2 pound smoked deli ham
- 2 cups shredded cooked pork loin or pulled pork, warmed
- 1/2 cup dill pickle slices
- 1/4 cup salted butter
Equipment
- 1 skillet
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, cayenne and paprika.
- Cut the loaf of bread in half lengthwise and arrange on a flat surface.
- Spread each half on both sides with the mustard.
- Divide the sandwich ingredients evenly on one half of the bread starting with cheese, then ham, pork, pickle slices and then the remaining cheese.
- Place the top half of the bread on the sandwich.
- Cut the sandwich in half.
- Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat.
- Place the sandwiches in the skillet and press down firmly. Top the sandwich with a second skillet or a foil wrapped brick.
- Toast the sandwiches until golden brown and crispy. Flip the sandwiches over and top with the skillet again or the heavy weight.
- Continue cooking until crispy, golden and the filling is heated through, approximately 4-5 minutes on each side.
- Serve the sandwiches hot with plantain chips or pickles.