Cuban Sandwich
© estefaniavizcaino via Canva.com
Quick Bite
A pressed, toasted sandwich originating from Florida’s early Cuban immigrant communities, featuring ham, marinated roast pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard on crusty Cuban bread. It is famously buttered on the outside and pressed until hot and crispy.
History
The Cuban sandwich, known as the sandwich cubano or cubano, is one of Florida’s most famous foods, with roots in both Cuba and immigrant communities in the United States.
Its origins trace back to late 19th-century Cuban workers who traveled between Cuba and Key West and later Tampa, where cigar factories employed thousands of Cuban, Spanish, and Italian immigrants. These workers needed a filling, portable lunch, and pressed sandwiches made with roast pork, ham, cheese, mustard, and pickles on Cuban bread became a practical favorite.
By the early 1900s, the sandwich was especially popular in Tampa’s Ybor City, where local influences shaped its identity. Tampa versions traditionally include Genoa salami, reflecting the city’s strong Italian immigrant presence. As Cuban communities later grew in Miami, the sandwich spread across South Florida, often without salami.
The sandwich is assembled on Cuban bread, then pressed until warm and crisp outside while the cheese melts inside. Over time, it became a symbol of Florida’s multicultural history, blending Cuban, Spanish, and Italian influences into one iconic meal.
Today, the Cuban sandwich is celebrated statewide and nationally, with friendly debates continuing over whether Tampa or Miami serves the “true” version.
Fun Facts
- The tang of dill pickles balances the richness of pork, ham, and cheese.
- The Tampa City Council declared the Cuban sandwich the city’s signature sandwich in 2012.
- A traditional Cuban sandwich does not include lettuce, tomato, or mayo.
- Tampa-style versions often include Genoa salami.
- Miami-style versions usually leave the salami out.
Where to Try
Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Slice the bread: Cut the loaf into two sandwich portions.
- Slice each portion lengthwise.
- Build the sandwich: Spread yellow mustard on the inside of both halves.
- Layer Swiss cheese, ham, roast pork, pickles, optional salami, and more Swiss cheese.
- Top with the other half of the bread.
- Butter the outside: Lightly spread butter on the top and bottom crusts.
- Press and toast: Use a sandwich press, panini press, or heavy skillet.
- Cook over medium heat for 4–6 minutes, pressing firmly.
- The bread should be crisp and golden, the cheese melted, and the filling hot.
- Flip once if using a skillet.
- Slice and serve: Cut diagonally and serve hot.
