Ciabatta Cubano Sandwich Recipe
Instead of a traditional Cuban Sandwich, I swapped out the bread and created this flavorful, cheesy Ciabatta Cubano Sandwich.
This Cubano Sandwich has the same delicious filling as the classic version, but with an easier bread to locate far, far from the Caribbean.
Why You Must Make
- Ever since we ate at Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City, Florida, years ago, I was dying to make a Cubano sandwich at home. But not having access to the proper bread held me back.
- But I decided to make do with what I could find, and wing it with a loaf of ciabatta!
- It may not have been authentic, but it was exceptionally tasty!!! So give it a try!!
Ingredient Notes:
Purists will certainly gasp, but short of baking my own loaf, I was resigned to not finding “exotic” ingredients in my Midwest hometown. So a ciabatta Cubano sandwich recipe was born.
- Kitchen Staples – Olive Oil, Salt, Black Pepper, Garlic Cloves, Ground Cumin
- Pork Shoulder Roast – About 3 pounds. Don’t be concerned about the fat, much of it melts away as it cooks, plus it keeps the meat moist and flavorful.
- Fresh Oregano
- Fresh Orange Juice
- Fresh Lime Juice
- Ciabatta Bread – Slice in half horizontally. May also use focaccia or a baguette.
- Mayonnaise – I use Hellmann’s or Duke’s brands
- Dijon Mustard – I use Grey Poupon
- Sliced Deli Ham – about ¾ pound
- Sliced Garlic Pickles
- Sliced Swiss Cheese – ¼-½ pound
How to Make
- An authentic Cuban sandwich is made on a specialized bread with a crisp exterior and soft interior, which is then coated with mustard, layered with cheese, pickles, ham, roast pork, then another layer of cheese. This sandwich is then pressed and grilled to perfection!
- After marinating a pork shoulder with orange and lime juices, garlic, cumin, and oregano, it was roasted until it was fork tender. After it cooled, I pulled out my panini press and gathered the Cubano sandwich ingredients.
- Piping hot, with cheese oozing out the sides, I couldn’t wait to take a bite. I was not disappointed. All the delicious flavors danced together beautifully. I was still smitten. So was the hubby, though I saw him pull out the garlic dill pickle slices. Those sweet midgets he’s so fond of just wouldn’t work in these sandwiches….or maybe I should try them next time???
Recipe Tips
- Roast your pork the day before to make simple work of assembling the sandwiches when you’re ready to eat them.
- You won’t need all the roast pork unless you’re making a lot of Cuban sandwiches. Freeze the excess and save for another meal.
- If you want to make a Tampa-style Cubano, add a layer of salami to your sandwich.
- If you don’t want to invest in a panini press, just fry your sandwiches in a skillet and place a second, heavy skillet (cast iron works well) on top of the Cubano for pressure. You can even put a brick in the top skillet for more weight.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Cuban sandwich can also be called a Cubano, Mixto, Cuban Pressed Sandwich or Cuban Mix.
The Cubano can be traced back to southern Florida. They are a type of ham and cheese sandwich that cafes fed the Cuban workers employed by cigar factories.
First is the special Cuban bread that’s made with lard. The lard contributes flavor plus makes for a soft, fluffy interior when baked. The traditional fillings include ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard.
Good substitutes for Cuban bread include a baguette, focaccia, or ciabatta. For a traditional Cuban sandwich, look for or bake up true Cuban bread.
Some simple sides like black beans, red beans and rice, corn on the cob, coleslaw, or chips with mango salsa would all be delicious. Serve with a Mojito, a Cuba Libre, or beer.
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- Instant Pot French Dip Sandwich
- Smoked Salmon Reuben Sandwich
- Pulled Pork Sandwich
- More Entree Recipes
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Ciabatta Cubano Sandwich Recipe
I would love to make a traditional Cuban sandwich, but swapped out the bread and created this Ciabatta Cubano Sandwich Recipe. Same flavorful filling, but with an easier bread to locate far, far from the Caribbean.
Ingredients
Cuban Roast Pork:
- 3 pound pork shoulder roast
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For sandwich:
- 1 loaf ciabatta bread
- 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2-3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ¾ pound sliced deli ham
- Sliced garlic pickles
- ¼-½ pound sliced Swiss cheese (I used ¼ pound)
Instructions
- Combine the garlic, cumin, pepper, oregano, orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Place the pork and marinade in a large Ziploc bag and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight, flipping a few times.
- To roast, preheat oven to 275°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place pork plus some of the marinade on the pan and fold up the top layer of foil, crimping the edges together while leaving an air pocket inside the foil.
- Place in oven and roast for 3 hours.
- At the 3-hour mark, open the foil, and set the oven to 325°.
- Roast for 2-3 more hours, basting on occasion until the meat is fall-apart tender. Remove pork from the oven and let the pork rest until it's cool enough to shred into bite-sized pieces, discarding excess fat.
- To make sandwiches, cut the ciabatta in half lengthwise.
- Mix together equal amounts of the mayonnaise and Dijon and spread on one half of the loaf.
- Top with a layer of cheese, then sliced ham, shredded pork, pickles, and then more cheese. Top with the other half of the bread.
- Cut into slices and grill on your panini maker or cook in a skillet weighing down the top of the sandwich with a cast iron pan or another weight.
- Sandwiches are ready when the cheese is melted and the meat is warm.
Notes
Roast pork recipe adapted from Serious Eats.
Save any excess pork for quesadillas, tacos, etc.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1 sandwichAmount Per Serving: Calories: 897Total Fat: 52gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 201mgSodium: 1237mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 5gSugar: 5gProtein: 64g
23 Comments on “Ciabatta Cubano Sandwich Recipe”
I made the roast pork for Sunday Supper and am making this with the leftovers! I live in Laguna Beach, CA where latin flavors are not hard to find, but I could not find Cuban bread either. I got the par baked ciabatta from Trader Joe’s and these turned out amazing!
We also fell in love with the Cuban food at La Columbiana in Ybor City … such a cool restaurant!
The bread gods in Italy and Cuba will forgive you, Liz. By the looks of it, I think any nationality could adjust to that sandwich. It’s much more appealing to me than a boring old ham/cheese sandwich which is what I am making far too often. Pickle or not pickle, doesn’t matter. Fine looking sandwich.
I’m not much of a sandwich person, but when I do eat one, this is the one I want!
This is the kind of sandwich that you don’t want to share because it is way too good. Loving that cheesy goodness. Thinking of getting a head start on the pork today and starting it in the slowcooker and then maybe toasting it up a bit in the oven at the end to save some time. Pinned!
I had my first Cubano over 20 years ago while visiting our daughter at MSU and it was amazing. I know this one will be as well.
I’ve only had grilled Cuban sandwiches in restaurants, but I think your ciabatta Cuban looks delicious! I will definitely make this recipe at home, Liz!
I love the sound of the pork! Don’t know why but I’ve never liked ham but this sandwich always sounds so good! Funny how food memories stay with a person!
Yet to have a Cuban sandwich and I will be more than happy to have your ciabatta version of it 😀
Liz, I can’t stand it! Had a huge cooking day yesterday so am not cooking today, but I want this sandwich right this minute!
Cubanos are my favourite sandwich, there is just something so dreamy about the combination of flavours! We made cubanos years ago after watching the movie Chef, which is largely about a Chef opening a food truck specializing in making Cubanos, thank goodness we had the ingredients at home otherwise we would have been up the river without a paddle! Your use of a chiabatta is wonderful, i just used a home made French stick, it was good but it didn’t have the chew of a ciabatta!
There’s nothing I love more than a good sandwich on ciabatta. This looks wonderful!
Honestly, it doesn’t matter to me what bread do you make the sandwich on. It looks delicious!
Wow – that roasted pork sounds amazing!!! Your sandwich looks super delicious. We will have to try a Cubano sandwich when we travel to Florida this year (I’ve never had one)!
The pork is pulled and the Cuban Bread is baked …. can’t wait to dig into this sandwich tonight!!!
This is the bread recipe I used …https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr2FlrUBs4E
You made Cuban bread? I cannot wait to hear about it. Hope you enjoyed your sandwiches!!! xo
I haven’t made these in years! But I sure love a good Cuban and I love the Columbia restaurant too. We’ve eaten at the one in Clearwater a few times. Good mojitos too. I couldn’t find the ‘correct’ bread either and settled for an Italian loaf with the crust cut off the top. I bet your’s tastes divine!
Yep, wish this was in front of me right now:@)
This sounds great, Liz! I first had a Cuban sandwich in Key West many years ago and thought it was out of this world delicious. I’ve tried to duplicate it, but haven’t yet. Maybe this is the recipe that will do it. Thanks for sharing
I love ciabatta Lizzy and this looks wonderful, Im humgry (lunch time here)
hugs!
I love Cubans and think it’s just fine to meld cultures a bit. I’m certain ciabatta would make a wonderful Cuban!
This is totally irresistible! WOW love everything in it and that cheese mama mia!
Your text has made me change my shopping list dear ! Thank you ; Cubano it is !
wow look at that oozing out cheese..I am drooling terribly here.