Best 6 Cuban Melt Recipes

Discover the art of creating the perfect Cuban melt sandwich at home with our comprehensive culinary guide. Delve into the secrets of blending flavors and ingredients to capture the essence of this classic sandwich. From selecting the ideal cuts of meat and cheese to perfecting the balance of spices, we'll take you step-by-step through the process of crafting a mouthwatering Cuban melt that's sure to satisfy your taste buds and transport you to the heart of Havana.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

CUBAN SLIDER BAKE

Cuban Slider Bake image

Provided by Jeff Mauro, host of Sandwich King

Time 45m

Yield 12 sliders

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lime
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces pulled or shredded pork (from the hot bar of the grocery store)
One 12-count package potato rolls, halved
12 ounces thinly sliced deli ham
8 ounces dill pickle slices
8 ounces Swiss cheese slices
1/4 cup yellow mustard

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the parsley, oregano, cumin, garlic, orange zest and lime zest and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
In a medium bowl, combine the pork and about 3 tablespoons of the butter mixture and toss to coat.
Spread some of the remaining butter mixture in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, then place the bottom half of the rolls on the butter. Top the roll bottoms with the ham, then the pork, then the pickle slices and finally the cheese. Spread the mustard on the underside of the roll tops, then lay the roll tops on top of the cheese. Pour the remaining butter mixture over the top of the rolls.
Cover the baking dish loosely with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is golden brown, about another 5 minutes.

CUBAN SLIDERS

Cuban Sliders image

These wonderful little rolls are baked until lightly toasted and the cheese melts. The leftover King's Hawaiian ham sliders keep really well in the fridge, and they make a lovely cold snack. Followers of my blog, houseofyumm.com, go nuts for these! -Serene Herrera, Dallas, Texas

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Appetizers Dinner Lunch

Time 30m

Yield 2 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

2 packages (12 ounces each) Hawaiian sweet rolls
1-1/4 pounds thinly sliced deli ham
9 slices Swiss cheese (about 6 ounces)
24 dill pickle slices
TOPPING:
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°. Without separating rolls, cut each package of rolls in half horizontally; arrange bottom halves in a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Layer with ham, cheese and pickles; replace top halves of rolls. , In a microwave, melt butter; stir in onion and mustard. Drizzle over rolls. Bake, covered, 10 minutes. Uncover; bake until golden brown and heated through, 5-10 minutes longer.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 191 calories, Fat 10g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 42mg cholesterol, Sodium 532mg sodium, Carbohydrate 17g carbohydrate (6g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 10g protein.

CUBAN LUNCH CANDIES

Cuban Lunch Candies image

I'm not sure where the name comes from, but these little treats are a snap to make and look really good on a Christmas sweets platter. I got the recipe from my friend Melanie, who brought these to my Christmas baking exchange. Cook time is chill time.

Provided by Pamela

Categories Candy

Time 20m

Yield 80 pieces

Number Of Ingredients 5

Ingredients

2 cups peanut butter chips
2 cups butterscotch chips
2 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups crushed ripple potato chips
1 1/2 cups peanuts (salted or unsalted)

Steps:

Melt together the peanut butter, butterscotch and chocolate chips in top of double boiler.
Add crushed potato chips and peanuts.
Mix together with melted chips.
Spoon into mini cupcake paper cups.
(You do not even have to put these into mini muffin pans as they do hold their shape while they are being filled. It is best to put the mini cupcake papers on a plain cookie sheet to make them easier to move before chilling.) Chill until set.
You can also add ½ cup coconut to melted chips and peanuts.
To speed up chilling time, pop them into the freezer for a few minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 80.8, Fat 5.1, SaturatedFat 2.5, Sodium 15.2, Carbohydrate 8, Fiber 0.7, Sugar 6.9, Protein 1.7

CUBAN MINI MELTS

Cuban Mini Melts image

Delight your game day guests with these miniature Cuban sandwiches.

Provided by Soup Loving Nicole

Categories Appetizers and Snacks Meat and Poultry Pork

Time 25m

Yield 10

Number Of Ingredients 7

Ingredients

10 slices white sandwich bread, quartered
12 slices honey ham, chopped
1 ½ cups shredded Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
20 dill pickle slices
20 toothpicks

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Divide quartered bread slices evenly between 2 large baking sheets .
Combine ham, Swiss cheese, mustard, and mayonnaise in a large bowl and mix well. Place 1 tablespoon of mixture on top of each piece of bread on 1 of the baking sheets.
Bake topped bread in the preheated oven for 4 minutes. Add baking sheet with plain bread to the oven and continue baking 3 minutes more.
Remove both baking sheets from the oven. Place a dill pickle slice on each topped bread slice; cover with a piece of plain toasted bread. Secure each mini sandwich with a toothpick.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 207.9 calories, Carbohydrate 15.6 g, Cholesterol 35.1 mg, Fat 10.6 g, Fiber 1.2 g, Protein 12.1 g, SaturatedFat 4.4 g, Sodium 873.5 mg, Sugar 1.5 g

MAKEOVER REUBEN MELT

Makeover Reuben Melt image

This twist on a classic Reuben keeps the corned beef and uses a sauce made with Swiss (and plenty of thousand-island flavor). Fresh slaw on top replaces the sauerkraut. -Jenni Sharp, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Lunch

Time 25m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
CHEESE SAUCE:
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cold fat-free milk
1/2 cup shredded baby Swiss cheese
2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
2 teaspoons ketchup
1/8 teaspoon sweet paprika
ASSEMBLY:
4 slices marble rye bread
2 teaspoons olive oil
10 ounces sliced deli corned beef

Steps:

Preheat broiler. In a small bowl, whisk vinegar, oil, caraway seeds, salt and pepper until blended. Add cabbage; toss to coat., In a small saucepan, whisk flour and milk until smooth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheese, relish, ketchup and paprika until cheese is melted. Keep warm., Meanwhile, place bread slices on a baking sheet. Brush both sides with oil. Broil 4-6 in. from heat 45-60 seconds on each side or until golden brown. Layer corned beef over bread slices. Broil 1-2 minutes longer or until meat is heated through. Top with cheese sauce and slaw.

Nutrition Facts :

AWARD-WINNING CUBAN SANDWICH BY EL COCHINITO RECIPE BY TASTY

Award-Winning Cuban Sandwich By El Cochinito Recipe by Tasty image

Here's what you need: black pepper, ground cumin, dried oregano, garlic, lime juice, bone-in pork butt, salt, cuban bread, mustard, swiss cheese, garlic oil, ham, pulled pork, cucumber pickle, pulled pork

Provided by Rie McClenny

Categories Lunch

Yield 20 sandwiches

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

1 ½ tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dried oregano
¼ cup garlic, grated
2 cups lime juice
10 lb bone-in pork butt
salt, to taste
⅓ loaf cuban bread, halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon mustard
2 slices swiss cheese
1 tablespoon garlic oil
4 slices ham
1 cup pulled pork
2 slices cucumber pickle
8 oz pulled pork

Steps:

Make the pulled pork: In a medium bowl, mix together the pepper, cumin, oregano, garlic, and lime juice. Set aside.
Make a few incisions, 1-2 inches (2-5 cm) deep, on both sides of the pork butt, cutting against the grain. Sprinkle generously with salt all over, make sure to season inside the incisions.
Transfer the pork butt to a roasting dish, and pour the marinade all over. Make sure the pork is well coated, including inside the incisions. Cover and marinate for 8-10 hours, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 250˚F (120˚C).
Roast the pork, covered, for 8-10 hours, or until the pork is tender and easily falls apart when prodded with a fork or tongs.
Let cool enough to handle, then remove any bones, and shred the pork with tongs. Keep in the fridge up to 5 days.
Make the Cuban sandwich: Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Set the bread open face on the prepared baking sheet and spread the mustard over one side. Top with the Swiss cheese. Brush the garlic oil on the other side of the bread. Top with the ham. Arrange the pulled pork over the cheese.
Toast in the oven for 2 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Add the pickles and press the sandwich.
Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 729 calories, Carbohydrate 10 grams, Fat 49 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 55 grams, Sugar 3 grams

Tips:

For a more flavorful sandwich, use Cuban bread or a crusty French bread.
If you don't have mojo sauce, you can substitute a mixture of olive oil, garlic, and oregano.
You can add other ingredients to your Cuban melt, such as ham, Genoa salami, or Swiss cheese.
If you're making the sandwich ahead of time, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours.
To reheat the sandwich, wrap it in foil and bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through.

Conclusion:

The Cuban melt is a delicious and easy-to-make sandwich that is perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. With its combination of savory pork, melty cheese, and tangy pickles, it's sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it. So next time you're looking for a new sandwich recipe to try, give the Cuban melt a try. You won't be disappointed.