Delicious Cuban Sliders, Mini Cuban Sandwiches

One of My Best Leftover Pork Roast Recipes

Cuban sliders are scrumptious mini Cuban sandwiches. They hit every salty, sweet, savory and sour flavor note with superb perfection! And, they’re easy to make.

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Think thin slices of spicy, citrus and cinnamon spiked pork roast, stacked with ham, Swiss cheese, mustard and dill pickle on a sweet Hawaiian roll. Homemade herb and garlic butter adds another layer of savory flavors. Your taste buds will be firing on all cylinders when you taste these delectable mini Cuban sandwiches.

My Cuban Sliders recipe developed as a use for leftover roast pork; specifically, my Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas. You could make them from any pork roast leftovers, but the braising liquid for my carnitas pork roast is so flavorful that it makes these delicious Cuban sandwiches sing! I can’t wait for you to taste them!

What Is a Slider?

There are lots of theories about where the term sliders originated. Back in the 1940s, it definitely referred only to small hamburgers or cheeseburgers.

Today, sliders are more loosely defined. The defining characteristic, in modern thinking, seems to be size rather than ingredients. In most cases, sliders are small versions of a common full-size sandwich, like these Cuban sliders.

It’s not unusual to find sliders stuffed with all varieties of meats, now. Some are served hot, while others are cold. You can even find veggie sliders, today.

Sliders have become popular for parties, as pub food and even just for quick and easy lunch and dinner options.

Why You’ll Love Cuban Sliders

What we love most about Cuban sliders:

1. Can be served hot or cold. I love the gooey, melty cheese when they’re hot, but they’re equally delicious and pack well for picnics and lunchboxes, when cold.
2. Both kids and adults love them!
3. They still include all the bold flavor of a full-size Cuban sandwich.
4. They’re easy to make. A full pan of Cuban sliders can be assembled in just minutes.
5. They only need to be baked about 20 minutes, (or not at all) so dinner can be on the table quickly.
6. They have bold flavor without adding tons of extra ingredients, if you use Pork Carnitas leftovers.
7. The small size makes it easy to portion for both kid and adult appetites.
8. It’s a creative way to use leftover pork roast without feeling like you are eating the same meal, again.

Recipe Ingredients

• Leftover Pork Carnitas Roast (or other pork roast) Keep in mind that the carnitas roast is highly seasoned and boldly flavorful. How your roast is cooked WILL affect the final flavor of your sandwich. I highly recommend trying the Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas for this recipe.
• Thinly Sliced Ham You only need a small amount. The pork roast is the star of Cuban Sliders and the ham should not overpower it. Use leftover ham or deli ham.
• Baby Swiss Cheese Baby Swiss has a milder flavor and smaller holes than regular Swiss cheese. I just prefer the flavor and it’s available, here. If you can’t find it, regular Swiss works just as well.
• Sweet Hawaiian Rolls I used Sweet Hawaiian Slider Buns. I prefer the slider rolls because they are more like mini hamburger buns. If the slider buns are not available in your area, use sweet Hawaiian dinner rolls, instead. They don’t need to be the name brand, but sweet Hawaiian part most closely mimics classic Cuban bread.
• Dill Pickle Chips
• Yellow or Dijon Mustard
• Garlic Butter When I make Cuban Sliders, I use a homemade garlic herb butter that is absolutely scrumptious. The recipe is in the notes on the recipe card.

What is On a Cuban Sandwich?

A classic Cuban sandwich is made with pulled pork, sliced ham, Swiss cheese and dill pickle. These are all stacked inside a special lightly sweet Cuban bread that has been spread with a homemade garlic butter mixture and yellow or Dijon mustard.

The sandwich is then pressed as it is grilled creating a crisp, toasted exterior. This can be done in a panini press, but can also be done by grilling the Cuban sandwich in a hot cast iron skillet while using another hot skillet to press down on the top of the sandwich.

That’s the traditional way to make a Cuban Sandwich. Our method is different, but you’re definitely not going to miss a thing when you taste these delicious little Cuban sliders!

FAQs About Leftover Roast Pork

How to Make the Cuban Slider Recipe

(Step-by-step video in recipe card.)

1. Place the dill pickle chips on a paper towel to drain.  Blot them with another paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
2. Make garlic herb butter.  (recipe in notes on recipe card)
3. Cut the cheese slices into quarters.
4. Cut the ham into roughly 2 1/2″ squares.  (Use about 1/2 ounce per slider)
5. Cut the pork roast into roughly 2 1/2 squares.  (Use a little less than 2 ounces per slider.)
6. Use the garlic butter to butter the top and bottom bun for each slider.
7. Spread 1/4 teaspoon of mustard on the top and bottom bun of each slider
8. Arrange the bottom buns in a 9×9 pan. (3 rows of 3)
9. Place one 1/4 Swiss cheese slice on each of the bottom buns.
10. After cheese, pickles are next.  One chip per slider.
11. Add one ham slice on each slider.  (The pork roast is the star in this sandwich.  Don’t overdo the ham.)
12. After ham, Swiss cheese slice, again.
13. Now arrange just under 2 ounces of the pork roast slices you prepared, to each slider.
14. Top the pork roast with the final 1/4 Swiss cheese slice.
15. Place the buttered top buns with mustard onto each slider.
16. Serve the sliders hot or cold.
17. To heat the sliders, cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

What to Serve with Cuban Sliders

The Recipe

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Cuban Sliders

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5 from 5 reviews

• Author: Glenda Embree
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 9 sliders 1x

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Description

Cuban sliders are scrumptious mini Cuban sandwiches. They hit every salty, sweet, savory and sour flavor note with superb perfection! And, they’re easy to make. 

Think thin slices of spicy, citrus and cinnamon spiked pork roast, stacked with ham, Swiss cheese, mustard and dill pickle on a sweet Hawaiian roll. Homemade herb and garlic butter adds another layer of savory flavors. Your taste buds will be firing on all cylinders when you taste these delectable mini Cuban sandwiches.

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Ingredients

Scale 1/2x1x2x

• 1 pound Leftover Pork Carnitas Roast (or other pork roast)
• 1/4 pound Thinly Sliced Ham
• 7 slices Baby Swiss Cheese
• 9 Sweet Hawaiian Rolls I used Sweet Hawaiian Slider Buns.
• 9 Dill Pickle Chips
• 3 Tablespoons Garlic Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Yellow or Dijon Mustard

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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Instructions

1. Place the dill pickle chips on a paper towel to drain.  Blot them with another paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
2. Make garlic herb butter.  (recipe in notes)
3. Cut the cheese slices into quarters.
4. Cut the ham into roughly 2 1/2″ squares.  (Use about 1/2 ounce per slider)
5. Cut the pork roast into roughly 2 1/2 squares.  (Use a little less than 2 ounces per slider.)
6. Use the garlic butter to butter the top and bottom bun for each slider.
7. Spread 1/4 teaspoon of mustard on the top and bottom bun of each slider
8. Arrange the bottom buns in a 9×9 pan. (3 rows of 3)
9. Place one 1/4 Swiss cheese slice on each of the bottom buns.
10. After cheese, pickles are next.  One chip per slider.
11. Add one ham slice on each slider.  (The pork roast is the star in this sandwich.  Don’t overdo the ham.)
12. After ham, Swiss cheese slice again.
13. Now arrange just under 2 ounces of the pork roast slices you prepared, onto each slider.
14. Top the pork roast with the final 1/4 Swiss cheese slice.
15. Place the buttered top buns with mustard onto each slider.
16. Serve the Cuban sliders hot or cold.
17. To heat the sliders, cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

Notes

Garlic Herb Butter Recipe

• 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon Best All Purpose Seasoning

Mix all ingredients until fully incorporated.  Use for garlic rolls, sliders, sandwiches or any place garlic butter is called for in a recipe.

NOTE 1:  If you don’t use the Carnitas Pork Roast recommended in the recipe, be sure to choose one with bold flavor.  Maple Mustard Pork Loin is another good option, but I would add at least 1/2 teaspoon of Southwestern Seasoning to the garlic butter if you make Cuban Sandwiches with it.

NOTE 2:  If you don’t have ham on hand when you have pork roast, you can easily leave it off the sliders without dramatically impacting the taste.  Traditional Cuban sandwiches include it, but we often use just the pork roast.

Note 3: Blotting the pickles is important if you’re serving the sliders hot.  It will keep the sliders from becoming soggy on the bottom.  Both the top and the bottom of the sliders should crisp up, slightly, while baking.

Note 4:  Try some variations if you are out of an ingredient or don’t really care for it.  If the ham, Swiss cheese combo doesn’t work for you, I hear they use salami, instead, in some parts of South Florida.  You could also try subbing in Provolone or Gouda.  Just remember that the pork roast is the star, so additional ingredients shouldn’t cover the fantastic flavor.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Main Dish, Appetizer, Pork, Sandwiches
• Method: Cold or Baked
• Cuisine: Cuban American