This Cuban sandwich recipe is the ultimate pork sandwich made with marinated roast pork, sliced ham, Swiss cheese, yellow mustard and pickles, easy to make!
Cuban Sandwich Recipe
We're cooking up homemade Cuban Sandwiches in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen tonight, my friends. Would you care for one? If you've never tried a Cuban sandwich, you are about to jump for joy.
This is one of our favorite recipes, for both me and Patty. We fell in love with them during our stays in Florida. It's really hard to beat a sandwich that's layered up with thick slices of ham, loads of slow roasted pork (yes, two types of pork!), held together with melty Swiss cheese and slathered in butter, yellow mustard and topped with crunchy dill pickles.
It's a classic sandwich, really, incredibly popular in Florida but also all over the United States. This one needs to go into your recipe box, my friends. It's perfect for leftover pork shoulder or pulled pork.
It certainly isn't your plain old ham and cheese sandwich! Let's discuss!
What is a Cuban Sandwich?
The Cuban sandwich is popular American sandwich made with two types of pork (ham and roast pork), Swiss cheese, yellow mustard, sliced pickles and sometimes salami, depending on your location. It is a pressed sandwich served up on Cuban bread.
It's origins trace back to Florida where it was enjoyed by Cuban workers in Tampa and Key West. It eventually spread in popularity, no doubt due to its wonderful flavor, spawning a friendly rivalry between Tampa and Miami, with Tampa including salami and Miami omitting it.
Let's talk about how to make a Cuban Sandwich (aka Cubano), shall we?
Cuban Sandwich Ingredients
- Cuban Bread. Use 1 loaf Cuban bread. Use French bread or Italian bread as a substitute.
- Butter. I use 4 tablespoons butter, though you can use more. This is fairly butter sandwich. You can also use olive oil instead.
- Yellow Mustard. Use 2 tablespoons yellow mustard, though you can easily include more.
- Roast Pork. Use 1 pound roast pork. Use your favorite recipe, or use this Pernil Recipe (Puerto Rican Roast Pork) or Cuban Roast Pork (Mojo Pork). You can also use Pulled Pork or sliced and cooked pork tenderloin.
- Sliced Ham. Use 1 pound sliced ham. Glazed ham is great, or you can use your favorite thinly sliced deli ham.
- Swiss Cheese. Use 4 ounces Swiss cheese, or more if you want more melty cheese flavor.
- Sliced Dill Pickles. Use 4 ounces sliced dill pickles, or as many as you can fit on top of the sandwich. You can add as many as you'd like.
How to Make a Cuban Sandwich - the Recipe Method
The Bread. Slice the loaf of bread in half lengthwise. Butter the top and bottom half with 2 tablespoon softened butter. Spread the mustard on the top piece of bread.
Layer It Up! Layer the sandwich with roast pork, sliced ham, Swiss cheese and pickles. Top the Cubano with the top bread slice.
Butter, Grill and Press. Slather the remaining butter over both sides of the sandwich. Heat a grill, grill pan or heavy skillet to medium heat. Grill the Cuban sandwich for 5-6 minutes per side, pressing it down very firmly with a cast iron skillet on top or spatula to "press" it tightly, until golden brown and bread is nice and crispy.
You can also use a sandwich or panini press for this.
NOTE: Aluminum Foil Option. Some people like to wrap their Cuban sandwiches in aluminum foil first before grilling and pressing, which can help with cleanup. I've done this several times and it works great, though it can get a bit messy if cheese and other ingredients leak out.
Serve and Enjoy! Remove, slice and serve.
Boom! Done! Your Cuban Sandwiches are ready to enjoy! What do you think? Pretty amazing, aren't they? A seemingly simple recipe with simple ingredients that is HUGE on flavor. That's perfect in my book.
I love this recipe.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- The Bread. Cuban bread is tradition for Cuban sandwiches. It's very much like French bread or Italian bread, though differs in the use of lard or shortening, and in how they are baked.
- The Roast Pork. Slow roasted pork is most commonly used, particularly Cuban roast pork. You can also use leftover pulled pork or sliced pork tenderloin or pork shoulder that's been seasoned and grilled if needed.
- The Ham. Use your favorite ham. Glazed ham is popular, though smoked ham is great. I usually get something from the deli and have them slice it thick for me.
- The Mustard. Yellow mustard is traditional. You can use other mustards, but a truly authentic Cuban sandwich uses yellow mustard only. Try it with my homemade yellow mustard recipe.
- The Pickles. My favorite are bread and butter pickles. They have a nice sweetness and a touch of spice. It's also great with hot pickles, for my spicy food lovers.
- Recipe Variations. Salami is often included in the Tampa version of the sandwich, though not in Miami. The choice is yours. Which do you prefer? Salami or no?
Storage & Leftovers
Leftover Cuban sandwiches will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. I like to warm them up in my air fryer toaster oven, or on low heat in the oven to enjoy again.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this homemade Cuban Sandwich recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. I think you'll love this one. So good!
Cookbook Recommendation
If you enjoy spicy cooking, I hope you'll check out my cookbook! 75 easy recipes with big, bold flavor.
- The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook, by Mike Hultquist (affiliate link, my friends!)
Amazon Affiliate links, my friends! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
- Muffaletta Sandwich
- Shrimp Po Boy
- Cuban Medianoche Sandwich
- Juicy Lucy Cheeseburger
- Pimento Cheese Sandwich
- Italian Beef Sandwich Recipe (Chicago Style)
- Choripan Argentina
- Molletes (Mexican Open-Faced Sandwiches)
- See all of my Sandwich Recipes
- Ropa Vieja - Cuban Shredded Beef
- Cuban Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)
- Pollo Guisado (Chicken Stew)
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Cuban Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 loaf Cuban bread
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard or to taste
- 1 pound roast pork
- 1 pound sliced ham glazed ham is great, or your favorite deli ham
- 4 ounces Swiss cheese or more to your preference
- 4 ounces sliced dill pickles or to taste
Instructions
- Slice the bread in half lengthwise. Butter the bottom half with 2 tablespoon softened butter. Spread the mustard on the top half.
- Layer the sandwich with roast pork, sliced ham, Swiss cheese and dill pickles. Top the Cubano with the top bread slice.
- Slather the remaining butter over both sides of the sandwich.
- Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill the Cuban sandwich for 5-6 minutes per side, pressing it down very firmly with another pan or spatula to "press" it tightly, until warmed through and bread is nice and crispy.
- Remove, slice and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 11/27/24 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 10/28/20.
Pepper Cop says
Great Sammich!! Couldn't find Cuban Bread- used a "Rustic Artisan Italian" from our local bakery. Grilled a Montreal seasoned boneless Pork Loin Roast, it was great. Had the ham and Swiss cut fresh from our local deli. Used dill pickles and our favorite mustard. (A stadium mustard called Bertman's from Cleveland Ohio). It grilled up perfect and the leftovers were very good. Thanks Mike, for the Cooking Challenges, we're having fun with them. Pepperheads ROCK!!
Mike H. says
Go Pepperheads! Haha, thanks!
John Cunningham says
made the Cuban sandwich today, & we loved it!
Easy & delicious. Will do again for sure.
Mike H. says
Happy to hear it, John. Thank you!
Scott Baker says
I made this sandwich over the weekend, and it was a HUGE hit. I used the Mojo Pork recipe, making a whole pork shoulder...so there was lots left over for other fun meals. I cut the pork into nice slices and refrigerated them overnight. Next day was quick and easy, I assembled the sandwiches and fried them up on my panini press. In about 20 minutes, I had enough sandwiches to deliver to my friends as a special treat. The best compliment I got - "I was just going to have a bite and could not stop until I finished the whole thing!" The pickles are key...they give a nice crunch and punch of flavor. Just a tip: I ordered cuban bread online, and it came in quick and fresh. The pack of six rolls was perfect for the recipe.
Mike Hultquist says
Boom!! Yes! I love it. Thanks for sharing this, Scott. Super happy everyone enjoyed them!! The perfect sandwich for sure.
Janet says
I made the Cuban sandwich and it turned out fantastic. I marinated a pork loin using the Mojo Pork method listed, and the flavor was incredible. The pork was so tender and flavorful, and using the loin made it much quicker to cook than a whole shoulder since I was only serving four people. The sandwich came together beautifully with the perfect balance of savory and tangy flavors. Every bite had a great crunch and so much flavor—definitely one I’ll be making again! I also didn't pile the meat as high as I didn’t want it to feel too heavy, and it ended up being just right. 😋
Mike H. says
Love hearing you've adjusted it to your preference, Janet. Thank you so much for the review!
Terry Brown says
I made this last night, it was delicious. Had it for my breakfast too.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Terry. Cheers.
Carol Whitaker says
Best Cuban sandwich. Love all the flavors. I cooked the Mojo pork and it was excellent my family loved it. They are HOOKED.
Mike H. says
Happy to hear it, Carol. Thank you and enjoy!
Nicole says
I'm not usually a big fan of pickles or mustard but I made this recipe as written (except for Cuban bread - couldn't find any) and it was SO good! I am officially hooked. I would definitely make this again.
Mike Hultquist says
Yes!! Glad you liked it, Nicole! The combo really does come together!