Baked on a sheet pan, Pull-Apart Cubano Sliders are filled with melty cheese, tangy pickles, and your favorite deli meat. These are great for feeding a crowd, and feel like something special thanks to the buttery poppy seed topping.
A couple of years ago, I rediscovered Cubano Sandwiches and fell completely in love. I love the tartness of mustard and pickles contrasted with melty Swiss cheese and savory ham. If those tart, rich flavors speak to you, these fun, melty pull-apart sliders are for you!
The idea for baked pull-apart sliders shows up all over the internet. I first encountered them on Pinterest, and probably found myself here, here, or here as a start. Since then I’ve played around with these sandwiches, made them for family gatherings, and even came up with a version that we featured over at Cook Smarts.
But when I decided to fill these melty sandwiches with my favorite Cubano ingredients for this year’s Superbowl, I found my new go-to version.
Here’s all you need to know.
Ingredients for Cubano Sliders
- Small Sandwich Rolls / Slider Rolls - Any type will work, but King’s Hawaiian Rolls are great here and have a slightly sweet flavor that balances the tanginess of the mustard and pickles.
- Swiss Cheese - Use thin slices of Swiss cheese because you’ll add a double layer to the sandwiches (one on top of the meat and one on the bottom) and want them to get really melty in the oven. Kraft makes a “Slim Cut” Swiss that is great here or the deli can slice it thin for you.
- Dill Pickles - Tart dill pickles are a key ingredient in the flavor of a Cubano sandwich. Since these sliders are fairly small and packed with fillings, look for a thinner sliced dill pickle if possible.
- Deli Meat - You can use a combination of salami, ham, and turkey or pick one or two of these. Ask for them to slice the deli meat fairly thin.
- Mayonnaise and Mustard - Brush the sandwiches with a classic topping of mayonnaise and mustard.
- Topping - Brushed over the top of these sandwiches is a sweet, savory, buttery mixture made with melted butter, poppy seeds, honey, and garlic powder. Don’t skip it - the topping really makes the sandwiches!
Make Ahead Baked Sandwiches
If you’re planning ahead, you can assemble the sandwiches and place them on a sheet pan. Refrigerate for up to 8 hours before letting them come back to room temperature and then baking according to recipe instructions.
More Dinners for a Crowd
- Crispy Baked Spring Rolls
- Slow Cooker Green Salsa Chicken
- Baked Blueberry Oatmeal
- Slow-Cooker Brown Sugar Baked Beans
- Creamy Corn Casserole
- Slow Cooker Classic Beef Chili
- Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas
- Slow Cooker Taco Meat
- BBQ Pulled Chicken
- Pretzel Wrapped Pigs in a Blanket
- Panzanella Salad Skewers
Favorite Tools
Pull-Apart Cubano Sliders
Equipment
- Half Sheet Pan
- Mixing Bowls
- Sharp Knife
- Cutting Board
- aluminum foil
Ingredients
For Sliders:
- 2 tablespoon Mustard (any type will work - use yellow mustard or Dijon)
- 3 tablespoon Mayonnaise
- 12 small Sandwich Rolls / Slider Rolls (see note)
- 12 oz thinly sliced Swiss Cheese (look for “slim cut” Swiss or ask the deli to thinly slice it)
- 1 cup thinly sliced Dill Pickles
- ¾ lb thinly sliced Deli Meat (use a combination of salami, ham, and turkey or just pick your favorite)
For Topping:
- 3 tablespoon Butter, melted
- 2 teaspoon Poppy Seeds
- ½ teaspoon Honey
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C. Lightly grease a small sheet pan.
- In a small bowl, whisk together mustard and mayonnaise. Set aside.
- Set rolls on a cutting board. With your knife parallel to the counter top, slice the rolls open and remove the top half.
- Spread the mustard-mayo mixture over the bottom and top halves of the rolls.
- Layer the rolls with half of the cheese, then all of the pickle slices, then all of the meat, and finish with remaining half of the cheese. Add top half of rolls.
- Use a bread knife to slice through the rolls and fillings so that each roll can be easily pulled away from the others.
- Line the rolls up on prepared sheet pan so that they are just touching.
- Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake covered, until the cheese is melted and the rolls are heated all the way through, 18 to 22 minutes (depending on the size and thickness of the rolls).
- While rolls bake, whisk together melted butter, poppy seeds, honey, and garlic powder.
- Take the pan out of the oven and remove foil. Brush the melted butter mixture over the top of all of the rolls, letting any extra drip down between the rolls and over the sides.
- Continue baking, uncovered, until the tops of the rolls are golden brown and crisp, 5 to 8 minutes more.
- Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
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