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 my Appetizer recipes 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
I like to use Kings Hawaiian rolls, but any slider-style bun will work. Potato rolls, or butter rolls are great substitutes.
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.
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!
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.
Anne Marie Pitts says
Made these for two different NYE parties last night and they were a HUGE hit at both!!
Cris says
Great slider recipe-tasty and loved by everyone!
Monica Buckley says
Fantastic recipe! I only had bbq pulled pork but I think that added to the overall deliciousness! Thank you….my friends totally enjoyed these and I agree the everything bagel seasoning is a must!
Erin says
Wow! These were terrific! I had some leftover pulled pork (no sauce, just plain) and needed a recipe. Though I found many other recipes online, I took the risk and chose yours for “Cuban Sliders”. Boy, was I glad I did. Did I say “WOW”!?!? I made them for a church function and they were the first dish to disappear. I have already shared this recipe with the ladies from my church group and I WILL make them again.