The Cuban sandwich, a variation of the traditional ham and cheese sandwich, is made with ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard on Cuban bread. Immigrants brought the recipe from Cuba to Florida in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It is believed to have been a common lunch eaten by Cuban workers in Key West cigar factories as early as the 1860s. Around 1900, the sandwich was found in workers’ cafes in Florida’s Ybor City and West Tampa. By the 1960s, Cuban sandwiches were a common item on menus in Miami, and today they can be found in the Cuban communities of many large cities.
Recipe Servings: 4
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Total Time
20 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
Directions
- Slice the loaf of bread in half lengthwise and then cut it into four equal sections.
- Stack 3–4 slices of ham and 3–4 slices of roast pork on the bottom halves of each of the four sections of bread.
- Cover the meat with slices of Swiss cheese followed by pickle slices.
- Spread mustard on the inside of the top halves of bread and place them on top of the pickles, mustard side down.
- Place a large griddle or frying pan over medium-low heat.
- Spread butter over the exterior of the top and bottom slices of bread.
- Transfer the sandwiches onto the heated griddle and place a heavy pan on top of the sandwiches to press them down. Depending on the size of the skillet you may have to cook one or two sandwiches at a time.
- Cook each sandwich for about 8 minutes per side or until the cheese is melted and the meat is warm. Adjust the heat as needed to ensure the bread doesn’t burn.
- Remove the sandwiches from the pan and serve them immediately.
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