These Cuban Sliders with Hawaiian Rolls are quick and easy to make, ready in only 30 minutes! They’re perfect for family dinner or a fun appetizer for large gatherings and potlucks. And they are packed with tender pulled pork, slices of ham, tangy and crunchy pickles, with melty Swiss cheese all smothered in a buttery mustard glaze.
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Why You’ll Love These Mini Cuban Sandwiches
- Quick & Easy: Thanks to store-bought pulled pork, you can have these cuban sliders with Hawaiian rolls on the table in 30 minutes. No need to slow cook pork or individually press sandwiches for the whole family. If you do happen to have some homemade pulled pork on hand, though, it’s also a great way to use up leftovers!
- Make Ahead: These are the perfect make-ahead meal or a great appetizer. Assemble them up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake.
- Everyone LOVES them! Cubans are one of my favorite sandwiches ever, and it turns out I’m not alone. These will disappear almost as fast as you can cut them. Definitely a must at your next party.
Here’s What You’ll Need for This Cuban Slider Recipe
- King’s Hawaiian rolls or other slider bun
- Whole grain Dijon mustard
- Prepared pulled pork: A traditional Cuban sandwich uses mojo pork, and if you have time to make some, go ahead. Otherwise, any old pulled pork will work just fine for these easy cuban sliders. (You can probably even buy it from your local grocery store!)
- Yellow mustard
- Deli ham slices
- Swiss cheese slices
- Dill pickles: I used sandwich slices because it ensures you get pickle in virtually every bite, but you can also use pickle chips as well.
- Butter: I used unsalted butter for this recipe (and usually do) because I like that I can control seasoning. For this recipe I used ¼ teaspoon salt in the glaze and then sprinkled a tiny bit of salt evenly over the tops of the rolls.
- Garlic: Using fresh, minced garlic AND garlic powder give these sandwiches some serious garlic power!
- Dried parsley
- Brown sugar
- Worcestershire sauce
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- 9×13 baking pan or baking sheet
How to Make These Cuban Sliders With Hawaiian Rolls
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper into a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
- Then, using a serrated knife, slice the Hawaiian rolls in half. Place the bottom half of the bread into the baking dish.
- On the bottom of the rolls, layer 6 slices of cheese onto the bottom half. Top with 6 slices of ham. Then, spread pulled pork over everything. Top with pickle slices. Repeat with remaining ham and cheese.
- Spread yellow mustard onto the inside of the top half of the buns. Close.
- To make the glaze, melt the butter and then stir in all of the glaze ingredients. Brush the melted garlic butter glaze over the tops of the sliders
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake, covered for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 7-10 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from oven and slice along the grooves of the rolls. Serve and enjoy!
Substitutions for Your Cuban Sliders
- Use shredded chicken instead of pulled pork. Although it won’t be an ‘authentic’ Cuban slider, I’m going to say, if this is a weeknight dinner and chicken is what you got… then make it work. (After all, we’re already replaced the bread with Hawaiian rolls, and most Cuban sandwich puritans would say the soul of the sandwich is dead anyway so let practicality and creativity reign supreme!)
- Use Dijon mustard in the sandwich instead of yellow mustard. I like it better with yellow mustard and it is traditional, but again, use what you have on hand or what you prefer. It’s your sandwich!!
- Use provolone cheese instead of Swiss.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Freeze some pulled pork whenever you make it. I don’t know about you, but when I make sandwiches, I usually want the least amount of work (for maximum output, of course). And of course, you can always buy pulled pork to make this recipe, but I always set aside a small tupperware of pulled pork when I take the time to make it. It’s great to use for Cuban sliders with pork, burrito bowls, on top of sopes or impromptu taco nights.
What to Serve With Cuban Sandwich
When Cuban Sliders Are an Easy Dinner:
- Air Fryer Potatoes and Onions
- Lemon Parmesan Swiss Chard Salad
- Black beans
- Coleslaw
- Green beans
- Classic potato chips or french fries
When Cuban Sliders Are a Party Food:
- Caprese empanadas
- Roasted Tomato Baked Brie
- Coctel de Camarones (Mexican Shrimp Cocktail)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many does this serve?
If you use a package of 12 slider rolls, and you are serving this at a party with lots of other food and side dishes, you’ll want 1 to 2 sliders per person. You can find 24-count Hawaiian roll packages, and you can easily double this recipe for a crowd. If this is a dinner for your family, you might want to count 3 sliders per person.
How do you keep sliders from getting soggy?
Covering with foil for part of the baking time keeps them from burning, but removing the foil for the last portion of baking is what keeps them from getting soggy. These are also best served warm.
📖 Recipe
Easy Cuban Sliders with Hawaiian Rolls
Ingredients
Cuban Sliders
- 2 cups pulled pork
- 8 oz ham slices 8-10 slices
- 8 oz swiss cheese slices one package
- 6-8 dill pickle sandwich slices
- 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 12 slider buns
Garlicky Glaze
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard a l'ancienne (with seeds)
- 2 cloves fresh garlic minced
- ½ tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste + a spinkle for the tops of the rolls
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper into a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
- Then, slice the Hawaiian rolls in half. Place the bottom half of the bread into the baking dish.
- Layer 6 slices of cheese onto the bottom half. Top with 6 slices of ham. Then, spread pulled pork over everything. Top with pickle slices. Repeat with remaining ham and cheese.
- Spread yellow mustard onto the inside of the top half of the buns. Close.
- To make the glaze, melt the butter and then stir in all of the glaze ingredients. Brush glaze over the top of the sliders. Optionally, you can sprinkle a wee bit of salt evenly over the tops of the rolls.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake, covered for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 7-10 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from oven and slice along the grooves of the rolls. Serve and enjoy!
