Cuban Sliders

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Layer.  Add ham slices, then pulled pork, then Swiss cheese, then pickles.
4. 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.
5. Make topping.  Combine the rest of the melted butter with garlic.
6. 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.

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.

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.