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35 minutes minutes
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By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 04/14/2021
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These Cuban Sliders are a fun appetizer version of the classic Cuban sandwich! Loaded with ham, pulled pork, mustard sauce, cheese and pickles, you’ll love every bite of these delicious crowd-pleasing sliders.
This is one of myAppetizerrecipes I know you’ll want to keep on hand!
Ham and cheese sliders are a classic appetizer for a reason; they’re completely delicious! I’m sure you’ve had them, or at least heard of them.
Hawaiian rolls, honey ham, provolone cheese, all smothered in a sweet butter sauce with poppy seeds in it. Sound familiar?
I mean, they’re pretty hard to top, but it’s nice to switch things up and go savory instead of sweet. You guys have really enjoyed my Baked Italian Beef Sliders, so I thought I’d bring another classic sandwich into the slider family.
Cuban sandwiches! If you’ve never had one, you absolutely need to try one. There’s plenty of ham, pulled pork, cheese, pickles, mustard, and it’s all pressed into a crispy sandwich.
These sliders hit all those flavor notes, with the addition of the optional everything seasoning. I put that stuff on… well, everything.
Plus they perfect for a party, since they’re a fun 2-3 bite appetizer!
How to make cuban sliders?
This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
- Slice rolls.More than likely, your package of Hawaiian rolls won’t come sliced. Slice the rolls in half horizontally, keeping them connected to each other if possible. Transfer to baking pan.
- Make mustard sauce.Mix mustard, Worcestershire, and part of the melted butter together in a small bowl. Then spread half of the mixture on the bottom half of the rolls.
- Layer.Add ham slices, then pulled pork, then Swiss cheese, then pickles.
- More mustard sauce.Spread remaining half of the mustard sauce on the cut side of the top half of the rolls. Add the top half of the rolls on top of the pickles.
- Make topping.Combine the rest of the melted butter with garlic.
- Top and bake.Pour or brush butter mixture on top of the rolls, sprinkle with everything seasoning (if using), then bake at 400°F for 20 minutes covered with foil, then uncover and bake 5 minutes.
Helpful Tip!
If you have to substitute the baking pan, just make sure you use one that has sides. This is pretty buttery and you don’t want melted butter all over your oven!
Variations of this recipe
- Yellow mustard – if you’re not a fan of Dijon, you can use regular yellow mustard, or try grainy mustard if you’d like.
- Leftover ham – we normally use deli ham for this because it’s something we usually have at home anyway, but this recipe is perfect for leftover Christmas or Easter ham!
- Type of pulled pork – my favorite pork to use for this recipe is leftover smoked pulled pork, but any pulled pork will do. My grocery store sells plain pulled pork in a package, or even pulled pork bbq (although this will change the flavor somewhat).
- Homemade pickles – to kick these sliders up a notch, try using homemade refrigerator pickles!
- Seasoning – the everything seasoning is optional, but oh so delicious. But feel free to omit it or swap it for something else if you prefer.
FAQ’s
What type of slider buns do you use for ham and cheese sliders?
I like to use Kings Hawaiian rolls, but any slider-style bun will work. Potato rolls, or butter rolls are great substitutes.
What type of ham is best to use for cuban sliders?
I personally like to use black forest ham, or plain smoked ham from the deli. But feel free to use any sliced ham you like best.
Making cuban sliders ahead of time
The great thing about ham and cheese sliders like this cuban sandwich variety, is that you can make them completely ahead of time!
Just make the recipe right up until the baking part, and cover tightly with foil.
Refrigerate for up to 1 day, then bake as directed.
Freezing
To freeze, make the recipe right up until baking, then cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed.
Storage
Any leftovers should be refrigerated in an airtight container and eaten within 3-4 days.
Related Recipes:
My Favorite 9×13″ Pan!
You can use any 9×13″ pan, but I like that this one comes with a tight fitting lid.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Cuban Sliders
5 from 12 votesAuthor: The Chunky Chef
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Calories: 354
Servings: 12 sliders
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These Cuban Sliders are a fun appetizer version of the classic Cuban sandwich!
Ingredients
- 12 count package Hawaiian rolls
- 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 – 1 lb sliced deli ham depending on how much ham you want to use
- 1 lb pulled pork
- 12 slices Swiss cheese
- 1 small jar dill pickle slices or dill pickle chips
- 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter divided
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp everything bagel seasoning
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F and lightly grease a 9×13" baking pan. Set aside.
Add package of rolls to your cutting board and using a serrated knife (like a bread knife), carefully slice across the rolls, horizontally, keeping one hand on top of the rolls to steady them.
Once sliced, keep the rolls connected to each other and lift the entire top section off of the bottom section. Add the bottom section of the rolls to the prepared baking pan.
In a small mixing bowl, combine mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and 3 Tbsp of the melted butter. Spread half of the mustard mixture over the bottom half of the rolls in the baking pan.
Add ham slices on top of the mustard, then add the pulled pork on top of the ham. Top that with the cheese slices and pickles.
Spread remaining mustard mixture over the cut side of the top half of the rolls, then add top half of rolls, cut side down, on top of the pickles.
In another small mixing bowl, add remaining 5 Tbsp melted butter and minced garlic. Brush mixture over the top of the rolls. Sprinkle with everything seasoning.
Cover loosely with foil and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake another 5 minutes, or until hot and golden.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
- Recipe makes 12 sliders, but can easily be doubled.
- For doubling, use a rimmed baking sheet that’s big enough to hold two 12 count packages of rolls. Bake time would remain the same.
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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Meet The Chunky Chef
Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!
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Judy says
Can I make these in the morning and pop them in the oven in the evening?
Reply
The Chunky Chef says
Yes, please follow the tips listed under the heading “making cuban sliders ahead of time” (it’s in the post above the recipe).
Reply
Marlene Hendrickson says
If I use pulled pork in bbq sauce, would you recommend I still use the mustard and Worcestershire sauce?
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The Chunky Chef says
The mustard is pretty classic in Cuban sandwiches, so I’ve never made this recipe without it… but I think it would still taste delicious if you omit the mustard/worcestershire sauce.
Reply
Michael S McGlashan says
400° for 20 min = Burned to black on the bottom and sides. Recipe is good but temp and time is way off. 325° for 10 to 15 min, then brown is more like it.
Reply
The Chunky Chef says
That’s unfortunate that yours burned; I’ve never had that happen, nor have any of the people who reviewed this recipe or my recipe testers. All ovens do cook differently, but there shouldn’t be that much of a discrepancy. Have you checked to see that your oven is calibrated properly? I only ask because years ago I was having a lot of trouble withe recipes not baking right, and my oven was off by 50 degrees!
Reply
DeeDee says
I love your recipe and have made it quite often. The only thing I do different is separate the meat, cheese, etc. onto individual sandwich squares and slice all the sandwiches just prior to baking. This is due to all my knives being too dull to cut thru the layers at the end (maybe I’ll get new knives for Xmas, lol!) Thx for the recipe!
Reply
Nilha Pearce says
These sliders were delicious! They were so much better than any Cuban sandwich I have ever had. The mustard sauce was terrific. We used pepper jack cheese for an added kick.
Thanks for sharing a delicious recipe.Reply
Becky says
So delicious! They were a huge hit at our gathering and many asked for the recipe 🙂
Reply
Leesa says
I made them last night for our dinner party and everyone loved them!
Reply
Patty says
My husband turns 80. He loves Cuban sandwiches. I am going retro for his party
But plan to double and serve. Along with pigs in a blanket
Meatballs in crockpot. And deviled eggs
.along with the veggie and fruit plateReply
Jeanne says
What brand and type of pickles do you use? How thick do you have the ham sliced at the deli? Thanks for your help!
Reply
The Chunky Chef says
We prefer Vlassic stackers, or locally made pickles, and you can have them slice the ham however thick you want 🙂 We normally just tell them a medium sized slice.
Reply
Karen says
These are always a hit with everyone! Delicious!!!
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Sandra says
I love how tasty this is! Everyone loved it.
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Kevin says
I have been on the hunt for a new slider to try! I have to give these a try!
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Kevin says
These look so good! I love anything cuban!
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Amanda Livesay says
We can’t get enough of these sliders! Love all the flavors, especially that sauce on top!
Reply
Catalina says
Yum! How inviting and mouthwatering these sliders look! My family will go crazy over them!
Reply
Beth says
These are so amazing and addicting! So delicious and very tasty! Definitely making these sliders again! Perfect for little get togethers!
Reply
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says
These Cuban Sliders are look so fun and tasty!
Reply
