Cuban Sandwich

Cuban Sandwich

The ultimate pressed Cuban Sandwich layered with juicy roast pork, smoky ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard, all toasted until golden and melty.

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 45 minutes mins
Servings: 4 sandwiches

Ingredients 

Marinade

  • ▢ 1 lb boneless pork shoulder
  • ▢ 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • ▢ ½ cup fresh lime juice
  • ▢ 1 lime zested
  • ▢ 1 orange zested
  • ▢ 2 tbsp oregano
  • ▢ 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
  • ▢ 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • ▢ 2 tsp cumin powder
  • ▢ ½ cup olive oil
  • ▢ 1 tsp salt
  • ▢ 1 tsp black pepper

Pork Roast

  • ▢ 3 cups low sodium chicken stock
  • ▢ 2 bay leaves
  • ▢ 1 red onion roughly chopped

Cuban Sandwiches

  • ▢ 1 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour)
  • ▢ 2 tbsp dijon mustard
  • ▢ 4 loaves cuban bread 6-inch/15cm
  • ▢ 10 oz deli ham sliced
  • ▢ 2 slices salami
  • ▢ 8 slices swiss cheese
  • ▢ 4 pickles thinly sliced
  • ▢ 1 tbsp butter

Instructions 

  • Trim pork shoulder and remove excess fat.
  • To make the marinade, combine orange juice, lime juice, zests, oregano, coriander, garlic, and cumin. Whisk in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside
  • Place pork in a pressure cooker with chicken stock, bay leaves, onion, and marinade. Cook on low until tender, about 40 minutes.
  • Remove pork and slice thinly. To make the sauce, strain cooking liquid into a saucepan, reduce by half, add cornflour and stir until thickened. Once it’s reached desired consistency, stir in Dijon mustard. Remove from heat and set aside
  • Split bread loaves, spread sauce, then layer pork, ham, salami, cheese, and pickles.
  • Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high. Place sandwiches, cover with baking paper, press down on top with something heavy (I use another pan that’s a touch smaller), and cook 3 minutes per side until golden and cheese melts.
  • Let stand 1 minute before cutting. Serve hot.

Notes

Tips for Success:

Because these sandwiches deserve to come out perfectos every single time.

  • Marinate longer: Overnight is best. The pork gets juicier and the flavors really soak in.
  • Don’t rush the press: Keep the sandwiches weighed down so the bread crisps and the cheese melts evenly.
  • Bread swap: Can’t find Cuban bread? Use soft French bread or Italian rolls avoid crusty baguettes (too hard to press).
  • Pickles matter: Go for dill pickles, not sweet ones, for that signature Cuban tang.
  • Pork ahead: Roast the pork a day before and just reheat slices when you’re ready to assemble.

Nutrition

Calories: 898kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 58g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 34g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 2402mg | Potassium: 1306mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 902IU | Vitamin C: 70mg | Calcium: 483mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.