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The Best Cuban Sandwich Recipe

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First, comes the sweet buttery bread and then the Best Cuban Sandwich! It’s loaded with Cuban pork roast, cheese, ham, and pickles. It’s a complete meal between two slices of bread. Make plenty because you’re going to love it!

THIS POST HAS BEEN UPGRADED FROM 10/6/16 TO IMPROVE READER EXPERIENCE.
Oval Medianoche bread roll filled with dill pickle slices, ham, roasted pork, and swiss cheese on a grey metal plate and then grilled. White dishes of a sriracha aioli and pickle slices sit next to a basket of Medianoche rolls.

Cuban Sandwich Recipe is a complete meal between two slices of bread. It’s sweet, tangy, eggy, and everything that I could want in a Cuban sandwich.

Do you remember the beautiful Cuban Medianoche Bread that I posted? Well, the Best Cuban Sandwich that’s ever come out of my kitchen was the reason for that beautiful Cuban bread recipe.

Our son lives in Miami and John and I had our first experience with a Miami Cuban Sandwich recipe shortly after he moved there. We fell in love with their authentic Cubano sandwich, and I set out on a quest to make one in my own kitchen.

Since first making my Cuban recipe I’ve learned that there is also a Cuban sandwich called a Medianoche.

The Cuban sandwich recipe that I used is featured in the cookbook “Three Guys From Miami Cook Cuban by “The Three Guys” from Miami.

They use the Medianoche bread and call it a Cuban Sandwich but technically it could be a Medianoche. I’m just the cook so if you’re passionate about the difference, take it up with the pros!

Close up of half a grilled bread roll filled with pickles, ham, roasted pork, and swiss cheese on a metal plate.

What is the difference between a Cuban sandwich and a Medianoche?

A Medianoche consists of roast pork, ham, mustard, Swiss cheese, and sweet pickles. It is a close cousin to the Cuban sandwich, the chief difference being that a medianoche is made on soft, sweet egg dough bread similar to Challah rather than on crustier Cuban bread.

Cuban bread is a fairly simple white bread, similar to French bread and Italian bread.

How To Make A Cuban Sandwich – There is only one way to build this sandwich!

“The Three Guys” from Miami state there is only one way to build this sandwich. On buttered Medianoche bread, place the pickles, roasted pork, ham and then cheese in that order. Mustard is optional.

I combined Dijon mustard with a little sriracha sauce. The difference is amazing.

Best Cuban Sandwiches Ingredients

  • Bread Rolls
  • Cuban Roast Pork
  • Sliced Ham
  • Swiss Cheese
  • Dill Pickles
  • Mustard – optional

NOTE: You only need 1 pound of the pork for 4 sandwiches, but I baked the entire pork roast so I had plenty for future Cuban sandwiches! I froze my leftover pork for a future dinner which makes a delicious no-fuss meal when we are to busy to cook or just don’t feel like it.

Pin this yummy sandwich to your favorite sandwich board!

Oval Medianoche bread roll filled with dill pickle slices, ham, roasted pork, and swiss cheese on a grey metal plate. A white dish of a sriracha aioli sits in the background next to a basket of rolls.

You May Need:

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  • Panini Press – This is the one that I have. I like that the grates are reversible and become a griddle and that they can be removed for easy cleaning.
  • Slotted Spatula – Also called a fish spatula. I use mine for everything. It’s basically replaced my turner spatula.

If you like my Cubano recipe, here are a few more I think you’ll love!

Oval Medianoche bread roll filled with dill pickle slices, ham, roasted pork, and swiss cheese on a grey metal plate. A white dish of a sriracha aioli sits in the background next to a basket of rolls.
Print
5 from 19 votes

The Best Cuban Sandwich

Best Cuban Sandwich starts with a sweet buttery roll that's loaded with marinated pork, ham, Swiss Cheese, and pickles. It's a complete delicious meal between two slices of bread!
Prep Time 25 mins
Cook Time 3 hrs
Marinating Time 2 hrs
Total Time 5 hrs 20 mins
Servings 4 Sandwiches
Author Hostess At Heart

Ingredients

Sandwich

  • 4 Cuban Medianoche Bread rolls
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 lb Cuban Roast Pork
  • 8 slices sliced ham (sweet cured, Serrano, or bolo ham – I used honey ham
  • 8 slices Swiss Cheese
  • Dill pickle slices
  • Mustard optional I used a Dijon but a spicy brown would be great or just yellow too.
  • *Sriracha Optional

Cuban Roast Pork

  • 4 pound Pork shoulder roast
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 1 cup sour orange juice I used 2/3 cup 100% orange juice (not from concentrate, 1 lime juiced and 1 lemon juiced)
  • 1 cup minced onion
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup olive oil Spanish if you have it. I used Italian

Instructions

Cuban Roast Pork

  • Mash the garlic, salt and peppercorns into a paste, using a mortar and pestle or a food processor. Stir in sour orange juice, onion and oregano. Let mixture sit for 30 minutes.
  • Heat olive oil in a 2 quart saucepan until hot but not frying hot. You'll see some movement in the oil. Remove the oil from the heat and quickly AND CAREFULLY whisk the garlic-orange juice mixture until well blended. Let cool before using as a marinade.
  • Pierce the pork roast several times all over with a fork or sharp knife. Place it in a roasting pan and pour garlic mixture (save a little for basting while roasting) over pork. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for two or three hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Remove lid from the pork and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 225°F and roast until the meat is soft and you can pull it apart easily with a fork, about 2 hours and 20 minutes. Baste occasionally while roasting. I roasted mine to an internal temperature of 175°F. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Sandwich Assembly.

  • Butter the inside of the top and bottom of the bread and *mustard if using. Put the pickles on the bread, followed by the roasted pork, ham, and cheese. Be generous!
  • Butter a hot griddle or pan. Place the sandwich on the pan and using a heavy skillet, bacon press or foil wrapped brick, or panini press, flatten the sandwich for approximately 3 minutes and then flip to the other side.
  • You don’t want you pan so hot that your bread burns but it needs to be hot enough to melt your cheese.
  • Slice the sandwich diagonally and serve immediately.

Notes

4 sandwiches only take 1 pound of meat.  I freeze what I don’t use so we always have Cubanos without having to roast the pork each time.
Cooking time depends on the size of your roast.
The Three Guys from Miami recommend that you let your meat and cheese come to room temperature so the bread so it doesn’t get over toasted before the cheese melts.
I recommend that you toast the inside of the bread so the pickles don’t make your bread soggy.
* I add a little Sriracha to Dijon mustard.  It adds a delicious little kick to the sandwich.
Recipes courtesy of the Three Guys From Miami from their book: “Three Guys From Miami Cook Cuban.” Copyright ©2004 All Rights Reserved. Check out their website at: https://icuban.com/food https://icuban.com/food
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
Tried this recipe? That’s awesome!Mention @hostessatheart or tag #hostessatheart!

My mother-in-law gave me a panini press/grill. I’d been wanting one and she never used hers so I was the beneficiary!

Now that I had a panini press, I could make them without a foil-covered brick or a cast iron skillet…or so I thought. I squished my bread until the whole thing slid apart as you can see. The ham slid to the back and the cheese and pork to the front.

Side by side comparison of a properly grilled panini bread roll stuffed with cheese, roasted pork, ham, and pickles

You asked me to post some less than perfect results. My perfectionist self is doing it under duress.

Even though the first attempt tasted amazing, my Panini skills needed some work as you can see! Like anything, practice makes perfect.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for spending some time with me today!

Comments

  1. Michele says

    How much do we love this sandwich.??… so much so that my family requested it for the big football game day on Saturday after Thanksgiving! The pork roast was huge, but we grazed on it all day watching football and playing card games. Such a winner! Thank you!

    Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      Thank you, Beth! I’m diving into my freezer to see if I have any of this meat left! I need me a Cubano pronto!

      Reply

  5. Sharon says

    I am always ready to bite into a great sandwich! This classic Cuban looks amazing, can’t wait to make my own at home.

    Reply

  8. Kylee says

    Would you believe I never had one of these in my life? I made these on the weekend and had no idea how it should taste, but if this is my only point of reference – cuban sandwiches are DELISH!!!

    Reply

  9. Sandra Shaffer says

    Wow, now this is a hearty sandwich! Not a fan of sweet pickles, so I’m sticking with the best Cuban sandwich. Yay, I have a panini press too!

    Reply

  10. Deb says

    I love how you spiced this up with a bit of Sriracha – extra spice sounds delicious to me! You have it perfectly grilled with oozey cheesy goodness!!

    Reply

  11. Angela says

    My goodness, what’s not to love about this sandwich!! Every layer sounds perfect!! The pork especially has me drooling! Looking forward to making this!

    Reply

  13. Noelle says

    I love making sandwhichs for lunch and this one really hit the spot!! I can see myself making this again really soon

    Reply

  14. Mary Bostow says

    Delicious sandwich, EASY to make. I would make this again, everyone enjoyed them and asked for seconds…

    Reply

  15. Pam says

    We love Cuban sandwiches, but would you believe I have never thought of making them at home! Great idea, and great recipe. Thanks!

    Reply

  17. michele says

    On the hunt to try the soft egg bread version now that Ive had the cuban variety! Loved the crunchy bread and the crunch of the pickles with the melty cheese and tender pork! LOVED a lot! Thanks!

    Reply

  19. debi at Life Currents says

    I’m not too familiar with Cuban food, but this sandwich looks delicious. The roast Cuban pork looks like it’ll be a family favorite. And, I love the before & after panini skills photos.

    Reply

  20. Karen (Back Road Journal) says

    A Medianoche sandwich with its special bread is my husband’s favorite and you have done it perfectly.

    Reply

  22. Margherita says

    Oh Julie, this looks amazing… my mouth is literally drooling, I bet it is really hard have just one of this!

    Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      Thank you so much! These sandwiches were pretty good so half was fine for me. John had 1-1/2 which was perfect for him. I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend!

      Reply

  23. Matt @ RoughEats says

    I’ve always wanted to make a Cuban sandwich, especially after watching Chef. I can’t wait to try this, and the bread recipe too!!!

    Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      Thank you, Matt! You will love this bread! I’m going to make it again and love that I have leftover pork in the freezer. It’s like dinner money! I sure hope you will stop back and let me know what you think. Enjoy your day! Julie

      Reply

  24. Ai | Ai made it for you says

    I’ve never had a Cuban but it looks absolutely delicious!! Thanks for sharing these at the fiesta! Now I have to go wipe the drool off my keyboard lol. Happy FF!

    Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      Thank you, Ai! We had our first Cubano about 5 years ago and can’t get enough of them now. This bread would be good on so many sandwiches.

      Reply

  25. Michelle @ Giraffes Can Bake says

    I am totally drooling here Julie, this looks incredible! And to be honest, it looks pretty perfect to me!

    Reply

  26. judigraber says

    I never had a Cuban sandwich but obviously I have been missing something good. Sour orange juice – that’s a new one! Thanks for co-hosting this week 🙂

    Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      Thank you Judi! Sour orange was a new one for me too and not available where I shop. I used the citrus mix and it was really good. I just love hosting FF. They are the best bloggers ever. I wish I had more time to do it more often. People that don’t do it don’t know what they’re missing!

      Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      Thank you, Nancy! We really enjoy these sandwiches. I’m glad that I roasted extra pork so can make them much quicker next time.

      Reply

  28. Angie | Fiesta Friday says

    Ok, ignore what I said on your other post. THIS IS my favorite medianoche snack! Ok, not snack, but a full meal. This is my favorite medianoche meal! What?! You mean you never had a medianoche meal?!

    Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      Thank you, Angie! I’d had a couple good Cubano sandwiches but they don’t exist in Nebraska so had to learn to make this sandwich. I will be searching the Three Guys cookbook for more. We sure loved their recipes.

      Reply

  29. Julianna says

    Oh my gosh, Julie! I can’t believe that I have been known to say that I don’t like sandwiches! These look like something I actually want to eat! Yum!

    Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      I used to say the same thing Julianna and that’s because the bread was dry and the ingredients boring. I’ve had an attitude change with this one! Thank you!

      Reply

  30. Petra says

    I love a good sandwich and if I had this one I am not sure I would have made it to photograph is before it was in my belly! Yum! I had a panini press but got rid of it when I moved as I have to admit I never used it and now am thinking it might have been a bit rash!
    Thank you for co hosting Fiesta Friday and have a great weekend! 🙂

    Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      Thank you Petra! I’ve done that too I hate having stuff I don’t use and then have fleeting thoughts that maybe I should have hung on to it. I’ve lived a long time without one and if this wasn’t given to me I might not have one yet. You can use another pan or a brick too.

      Reply

  31. Lily says

    OMG! That sandwich looks heavenly. I love the thick slices of pork shoulder, the gooey cheese and that bread – i would kill for that bread. You have me drooling right now!

    Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      Thank you, Lily! I’m happy that I still have some of that pork in the freezer. It’s like dinner money in the bank.

      Reply

  32. Michelle says

    I had a Cuban sandwich once and it was in Costa Rica! I love your recipe it brings back memories of our first vacation without the kids!
    I’ll be making this for him. I wonder if he’ll remember too!?! Lol
    Thanks!
    Michelle

    Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      Do make it for him Michelle! Maybe a date night? I’ve never been to Costa Rica but it’s on my bucket list!

      Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      Thank you, Debbie! I always just thought they’d be too much work, but they really aren’t and are so good. Are you expecting any bad weather this weekend?

      Reply

      • Debbie says

        Just a cold front that is supposed to produce rain, but nothing from that awful storm out there. I really feel for Florida. Really scary what that monster is doing!

        Reply

        • Julie Menghini says

          It’s 39 here this morning and it rained all day yesterday with tornado watches. Go figure. My son lives in Miami and we were pretty nervous but it looks like they dodged the worst of it. Cold and rain…time to bake!

          Reply

          • Debbie says

            Burrr! We could get down into the 40’s next week. I’m ready though! I hope your son stays safe and the storm doesn’t circle back around. What a mess! I know quite a few people down in FL.Pray that everyone stays safe!

  35. Jasmine says

    My husband is a sucker for a good cuban sandwich and I’ve tried a few different recipes. This one looks like one we HAVE to make!

    Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      Oh Jasmine, I don’t think he will be disappointed. Please give it a try and let me know what your husband thinks. We have one place in town that we can get them and they’re good. We keep trying them at other places and they’re are just meh. Thank you for stopping by and have a great weekend!

      Reply

  36. Platter Talk says

    I had never tried these until I was in FL. They are soo, soo good. Thank you for the recipe and pictures. Very well done!

    Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      The best were in Florida Dan! They ruined me for any others until these. I appreciate you stopping by and leaving me such a sweet comment! My pictures are a work in progress….

      Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      Oh Katie, your kiddos would love these and since I cooked an almost 5-pound pork shoulder I have leftovers in the freezer for the next time I whip up that bread. Thank you so much for stopping by and have a marvelous weekend!

      Reply

  38. Lucy says

    I have a panini press that I don’t use nearly enough. My husband loves Cuban sandwiches. I will have to give these a try. Your photos are gorgeous–all that melty cheese is making my mouth water 🙂

    Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      I needed a panini press class, Lucy before I dove into this sandwich. I don’t know why I didn’t experiment first. Regardless it was delicious! Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you have an amazing weekend!

      Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      Thank you, Karly! I’m very happy that we have one we can make at home without being constantly disappointed in a midwest restaurants version of a Cuban sandwich!

      Reply

  40. Just Jo says

    Oh man alive does everything looks gooooood in this post! ilove the look of the bread and the pork, am totally salivating here right now 😀

    Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      Thank you, Jo! My husband ate these sandwiches three days in a row. Time to pull the rest of the pork out of the freezer LOL!

      Reply

    • Julie Menghini says

      Thank you Jess! I needed a panini press tutorial LOL. I mushed this poor sandwich to death but got better after John’s third day of eating them.

      Reply

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