Get ready for the best sandwich of your life! This Cuban pulled pork sandwich is the stuff dreams are made of. It’s a great way to use leftover pork. And it can feed up to 4 people with 1 sandwich. Four!
From the very first time I tried one, the pressed Cuban sandwich or “Cubano” has been my favorite sandwich. It’s like nothing I’d ever had before. Some people will say it’s just a fancy ham and cheese. Trust me, it is so, so much more than that.
Traditional Cuban sandwiches combine pulled pork and ham with sliced pickles and melted thin slices of Swiss cheese. The whole thing is nestled on a long roll schmeared with yellow mustard and then pressed in a hot, buttered pan—sheer perfection.
And it’s not just my favorite either. The whole family devours these!
Why You’ll Love this authentic cuban sandwich recipe
- Easy to make – Just layer the ingredients together between your roll and press in a hot skillet.
- Great way to use leftover pulled pork – I make these every time I have leftover pork.
- Feeds four people with one sandwich – And everyone raves about it!
- Hearty and delicious – packed with both ham and pork.
Cuban Sandwich Ingredients
- Fresh loaf of French bread – Traditionally, “Cuban bread” is used for this classic sandwich. I can’t usually find Cuban bread near me, so I use the French loaf as a decent substitute.
- Mayonnaise and Mustard
- Swiss cheese
- Sliced pickles
- Black Forest ham – you can use almost any ham, but I find Black Forest has the best flavor for this sandwich.
- Cooked pulled pork – I just love to make this sandwich when I have leftovers of my Crockpot Pulled Pork.
- Butter – for heating and pressing the sandwich.
Substitutions & Alterations
- French bread – Authentic Cubano sandwiches use “Cuban bread”. A specific type of roll made with lard and topped with palmetto leaves while baking. I’m not able to find traditional Cuban bread near me, so I use a loaf of French bread. You could also use Italian bread.
- For the ham – You can also use Genoa salami along with the ham to create a “Tampa-style” pressed cuban sandwich.
How to Make a Cubano Sandwich
This simple cuban sandwich recipe couldn’t be easier. Just follow these simple steps.
- Split the bread in half lengthwise from top to bottom.
- Spread the mayonnaise on the inside of one half and the mustard on the inside of the other half.
- To the bottom half of the roll, add half of the Swiss cheese, then the pickles, followed by the ham, the pulled pork, and the remaining Swiss. Place the top half of the bread on top.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the butter to the hot cast iron skillet.
- Once the butter melts, add the sandwich and place a bacon press or heavy skillet on top of the sandwich.
- Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, just until they are crispy and hot.
- Slice and serve with any of the great side options listed for you below.
Tips & Tricks for this simple cuban sandwich recipe
- If you want, you can combine the mayo and mustard together and then spread it on both the inside of the top and bottom of the roll.
- Feel free to make your own pulled pork or purchase store bought.
- You can also use a panini press for this rather than a bacon press and skillet.
What to Serve with Cuban Sandwiches
I love to have a couple sides with these delicious sandwiches. These are a few of my favorite options to go along with them.
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Crispy Potato Wedges
- Old-Fashioned Potato Salad
- Smoked Baked Beans
- Mexican Corn Casserole
How to Store Leftover Cuban Sandwich
Wrap any leftover sandwich tightly in aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to Reheat a Cuban Sandwich
You can reheat your leftover sandwich in the oven or the microwave.
In the Oven – Leave the sandwich in the foil. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the foil-wrapped sandwich in the oven for 7-10 minutes or until warmed through.
In the Microwave – Remove the foil from around the sandwich. Reheat the sandwich on a microwave-safe plate on high for 1 minute or until warmed through completely.
kitchen tools to make a cubano sandwich
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Buy Now → FAQs
A traditional pressed Cuban sandwich is made with ham and pulled pork topped with Swiss cheese and sliced pickles. These ingredients are layered on a Cuban roll generously schmeared with mustard, and the whole sandwich is then pressed in a hot, buttered skillet.
You can use any type of ham, really. But I find Black Forest ham has a deeper and more complex flavor that complements the other flavors so well.
The meat used for a pressed Cubano sandwich is a combination of pulled pork and ham.
Dill pickles are best for a Cuban pork sandwich. You can opt for slices, chips, or spears.
Yellow mustard is the traditional choice. But you can use a spicy mustard or honey mustard if you like.
Cuban sandwiches are served hot. (Although leftovers are really good cold.)
Cuban sandwiches don’t traditionally contain mayonnaise. The use of mayo on a Cubano is mostly regional and a matter of preference. Most Floridian traditionalists take a strong stance against mayo on their Cubano. Although Key West versions usually include it.
More Pork Recipes
- Crockpot Sweet Pulled Pork
- Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Pulled Pork
- Oven-Baked Ranch Pork Chops
- Oven-Baked Pork Ribs
If you make this recipe and love it, we would love a 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! It helps us continue to provide free recipes.
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Cubano Sandwich Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 loaf fresh French bread
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons mustard
- 10 slices thin swiss cheese
- 8 slices dill sandwich pickles
- 12 slices thin black forest ham
- 2 cups cooked pulled pork
- 3 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Split the bread in half length wise, splitting the top from the bottom.
- Spread the mayonnaise on the inside of one half and the mustard on the inside of the other half.
- To the bottom half, add half of the swiss cheese, then the pickles, followed by the ham, the pulled pork, and the remaining swiss. Place the top half of the bread on top.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the butter to the skillet.
- Once melted, add the sandwiches and place a bacon press or heavy skillet on top.
- Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, just until they are crispy and hot.
Video
Notes
- If you want, you can combine the mayo and mustard together and then spread it on both the inside of the top and bottom.
- Feel free to make your own pulled pork or purchase store bought.
- You can also use a panini press for this rather than a bacon press and skillet.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
