Spanish "Cuban" Sandwiches

Name: Spanish "Cuban" Sandwiches
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 4 Cuban rolls or 1 loaf Cuban bread, halved lengthwise; 8 ounces Manchego cheese, thinly sliced; 8 ounces Serrano ham, thinly sliced; 4 cups pulled Spanish Spice Rubbed Pork Butt; 2 cups fresh baby arugula; 1/4 cup Dijon mustard; 1/2 cup Piquillo Pepper Butter; 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened; 4 piquillo peppers, patted dry and chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped; 1 teaspoon Spanish paprika; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Recipe GLPR0ad76f8bf7144a

Spanish

Appetizer

25 min

1735 cal

Servings: 4

Grill

SNAP eligible

Pressed Cuban-style sandwiches featuring succulent pulled pork, crispy Manchego cheese, Serrano ham, and fresh arugula layered on Cuban bread and finished with a vibrant piquillo pepper butter. Griddled to golden perfection with crispy exteriors and melted cheese inside.

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Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise

4 Cuban rolls or 1 loaf Cuban bread, halved lengthwise

8 ounces Manchego cheese, thinly sliced

8 ounces Serrano ham, thinly sliced

4 cups pulled Spanish Spice Rubbed Pork Butt

2 cups fresh baby arugula

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 cup Piquillo Pepper Butter

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

4 piquillo peppers, patted dry and chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped

1 teaspoon Spanish paprika

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Prepare the Piquillo Pepper Butter: Combine the softened unsalted butter, chopped piquillo peppers, minced garlic, fresh thyme, Spanish paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours). Soften slightly before using.
Heat a grill or griddle to medium heat, or set up a grill for direct and indirect grilling and position a cast-iron griddle or plancha over the direct heat.
Assemble the sandwiches: Spread mayonnaise on the bottom half of each roll. Layer half of the sliced Manchego cheese and half of the Serrano ham on top. Add the pulled pork, then the fresh arugula. Top with the remaining Manchego and Serrano ham. Spread Dijon mustard on the top half of each roll. Press the two halves together gently to form complete sandwiches.
Brush the top of each sandwich generously with the softened Piquillo Pepper Butter.
Place the sandwiches butter-side down on the preheated griddle. If using sandwich press weights or cast-iron bricks, place them on top of the sandwiches. Cook for about 5 minutes until the bottom is crispy and golden brown. If the bread begins to brown too quickly, move the griddle to indirect heat and cover to allow the Manchego to melt through without burning.
Carefully flip each sandwich and replace the weights on top. Cook for another 3 minutes or until the second side is crispy and the Manchego cheese is fully melted inside.
Remove from heat, let cool for 1-2 minutes, then slice diagonally if desired and serve immediately while warm.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff3.75

Manchego cheese and serrano ham will require a second stop at Harris Teeter's specialty counter or a trip to a Spanish grocer; Cuban bread is hit-or-miss in Charlotte chains and may also demand a specialty bakery visit. The piquillo pepper butter is homemade but adds real time to the stated 25 minutes—roasting fresh piquillo peppers, making compound butter, and assembling sandwiches realistically takes 40-45 minutes. At roughly $5.50-6.50 per sandwich for imported cheese and cured ham, this is a special-occasion weeknight meal, not a budget-friendly rotation. The payoff is genuine Spanish deli flavors and a warm, griddled sandwich that does not reheat well, so plan for same-night eating only.