• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Peanut Blossom
  • Start Here
  • Recipes
  • Book Club
  • Cookbooks
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • ABOUT
  • RECIPES
  • HOLIDAYS
  • BOOK CLUB
  • COOKBOOKS
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • ABOUT
    • RECIPES
    • HOLIDAYS
    • BOOK CLUB
    • COOKBOOKS
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Sandwiches

    Cuban Sliders {Easy Recipe for Kids}

    Published: May 22, 2023 by Tiffany Dahle · This post may contain affiliate links.

    • Share
    • Email Friend!
    Jump to Recipe - Pin Recipe

    Easy Cuban sliders are a delicious way to use up cooked pork and deli ham. This party sized recipe makes a tasty pan of slider appetizers but could be scaled down for a yummy family dinner as seen in The Totally Awesome Ultimate Kids' Cookbook.

    A white platter of mini slider sandwiches.

    Pop quiz: Your kid announces they want to cook something for you, which would you rather eat??

    A) A sandwich that looks like a turtle

    B) An ooey-gooey Cuban slider made with savory pork, sweet deli ham, and melted cheese with a rich mustard sauce and poppy seeds

    In my house, the choice is simple.

    I believe it is one of my most important jobs as a parent to teach my kids to cook real food for real family meals. Things everyone at the table is going to be excited to eat.

    So as I was choosing the recipes to include in the update to my best selling cookbook for kids, The Totally Awesome Ultimate Kids' Cookbook, these Cuban sliders were top of the list.

    Today I'm sharing this sample recipe that has been doubled in size for a party but you can get the family-sized version for your kids to make for you right in the kids' cookbook.

    Jump to:
    • Why This is the Best Recipe
    • As Seen in the Best Cookbook for Kids
    • Ingredients
    • Assemble the Sliders
    • Prep the Mustard Sauce
    • Brush the Tops and Bake
    • Variations
    • Serving Suggestions
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why This is the Best Recipe

    My kids love to make easy dinners for the family but this is the best Cuban slider recipe because:

    1. Uses Leftover Pork: The recipe is very easy because it uses pre-cooked pork and deli ham.
    2. Bite Sized: Who doesn't love a tiny slider sandwich? My kids get so excited to make these with sweet Hawaiian rolls.
    3. Totally Delicious: The kids get to decide--pickle or no pickle? Swiss or Provolone? More mustard or less? When they are in control, they can make these as delicious as they want!
    4. Quick To Bake: Just 12 minutes in the oven and you're ready to eat. Perfect for hungry kiddos who are low on patience. Ha!

    As Seen in the Best Cookbook for Kids

    We love this recipe so much, it was one of the first recipes we added to the all new edition of The Totally Awesome Ultimate Kids' Cookbook.

    95 of my very best, most popular family-friendly recipes have been carefully re-written so that they are easy for kids to make on their own.

    Whether you want to cook with your kids or hand over the reins to your little chef completely, this updated version of my best selling cookbook for kids now features FULL PAGE photos for each and every recipe and an all-new streamlined recipe format that makes cooking real family meals even easier.

    I'm confident you and your kids will LOVE this stunning new version of the cookbook and I wanted to share this sample recipe with you so you could give it a whirl before your copy arrives!

    • A copy of a kids' cookbook sits on a polka dot pot holder next to a wooden spoon.
      The Totally Awesome Ultimate Kids' Cookbook

    Ingredients

    The ingredients to make cuban slider sandwiches are on the counter.

    This delicious sliders recipe is surprisingly easy to make because it uses a few very simple ingredients:

    • Leftover Pork: You can use either leftover cooked pork tenderloin or leftover pulled pork. No leftovers? You can actually buy cooked shredded pork in the refrigerated section of your grocery store.
    • Deli Ham: Thin slices of honey ham are my favorite, but any deli ham will do.
    • Hawaiian Sweet Rolls: These make the best slider sandwiches because they are the perfect size and add just a little sweetness to each bite. You can use any kind of small slider bun you prefer.
    • Sliced Cheese: Swiss cheese is a classic for a Cuban sandwich but we love to use sliced provolone sometimes because it melts so wonderfully.
    • Pickle Chips: These are an essential Cuban sandwich ingredient, but when you're cooking for yourself it is totally ok to leave them out if you're not a fan of pickles.
    • Dijon Mustard
    • Salted Butter
    • Poppy Seeds

    Assemble the Sliders

    Set out a large baking pan and line it with aluminum foil.

    Slice each Hawaiian bun in half to form a "burger bun" and arrange them in 4 rows of 6 sandwiches.

    Place 1 slice of ham on each bun, you may have to fold it to make it fit. Top each ham slice with a slice of pork tenderloin or pulled pork.

    A tray of slider buns have been split and then filled with ham and a slice of pork tenderloin.

    On tiny slider sandwiches, we like the perfect amount of cheese. I've learned that if you break a single cheese slice into quarters, it is just the right quantity for those tiny buns.

    Add the sliced cheese on top of the pork and then follow up with one or two pickle chips like this:

    Slices of cheese and pickle slices have been added to the sandwiches.

    Prep the Mustard Sauce

    The delicious savory mustard sauce is so easy to make.

    Simply melt the butter in the microwave and stir in the Dijon mustard.

    The melted butter and Dijon mustard are being mixed together in a liquid measuring cup with a fork.

    Brush the Tops and Bake

    Preheat the oven to 350°F.

    Use a pastry brush to "paint" the tops of the slider sandwiches with the prepared mustard sauce.

    Sprinkle poppy seeds over the top.

    Loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes.

    Remove the foil and bake for 2 more minutes so the tops get crispy brown.

    The slider sandwiches have been baked with poppy seeds on top.

    Variations

    Once you know how to make sliders, there are so many delicious ways you can play with this recipe.

    • BBQ Chicken Sliders: The same method works for making tasty BBQ chicken sliders to use up leftover barbecue chicken thighs.
    • Ham and Cheese Sliders: Hawaiian buns taste delicious with my ham and cheese sliders recipe. This is a great choice if you don't have the leftover pork to use.
    • Cuban Mojo Pork: You can grill pork tenderloins that have been marinated in my Cuban mojo marinade for dinner one night and plan for leftovers for these sliders.
    • Cuban Chicken Sliders: If you don't enjoy pork or ham, you could make a chicken version using leftover baked chicken breasts. Just slice the meat thinly. It would be even tastier if you marinated it in the Cuban mojo marinade, too!
    • A metal baking pan has 3 rows of baked bbq chicken sliders showing the melted cheese oozing out.
      BBQ Chicken Sliders
    • A filled baking pan of mini ham sliders with butter dripping off the top and a sprinkle of poppyseeds on each one.
      Gooey Hawaiian Roll Ham and Cheese Sliders
    • A girl holds a mason jar and is shaking up a batch of Cuban mojo marinade.
      Cuban Mojo Marinade
    • A baking pan lined with foil has finished baked chicken breasts on top.
      12 Easy Baked Chicken Breast Recipes

    Serving Suggestions

    The sliders are being served with a spatula.

    We love to serve Cuban sliders as a party appetizer, hearty weekend lunch, or tasty family dinner.

    If you're making a full meal out of them, you could serve them alongside:

    • Potato Chips: Salt & Vinegar would be my choice, but your favorite flavor works great. Sweet potato chips would be amazing.
    • Baked French Fries
    • Baked Sweet Potato Fries
    • Roasted Mini Potatoes
    • Fresh Fruit with Creamy Piña Colada Fruit Dip
    • A ruffled bowl of pina colada dip has shredded coconut on top and is surrounded by fresh strawberries, pineapple, and gingersnap cookies.
      Creamy Piña Colada Fruit Dip
    • A metal baking sheet has chopped and roasted sweet potatoes scattered on it.
      Crispy Roasted Sweet Potatoes
    • A white bowl of roasted potatoes.
      Oven Roasted Mini Potatoes and Onions

    📖 Recipe

    A white platter of mini slider sandwiches.

    Cuban Sliders

    5 from 1 vote
    Use up leftover pork to make these easy Cuban pork slider sandwiches with ooey gooey cheese and a crispy pickle. They make a delicious family dinner or easy appetizer for friends. This is the party size version of the smaller kid-friendly recipe featured in The Totally Awesome Ultimate Kids' Cookbook.
    TOTAL TIME 27 minutes minutes
    PREP TIME 15 minutes minutes
    COOK TIME 12 minutes minutes
    YIELD 24 sandwiches
    PIN RECIPE FOR LATER PRINT RECIPE NOW

    Ingredients
      

    • 8 tablespoon (1 stick) salted butter
    • ¼ cup Dijon mustard
    • 24 Hawaiian sweet rolls
    • 24 thin slices deli ham
    • 24 thin slices cooked pork tenderloin or 2 cups shredded pork
    • 6 slices of Swiss cheese
    • 24 dill pickle chips
    • Sprinkle of poppy seeds optional

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
    • Place the butter in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat it for 30 seconds or until melted.
    • Measure and add the Dijon mustard to the butter, and stir to combine.
    • Slice each slider bun in half like mini hamburger buns, and line them up on the prepared baking sheet.
    • Place 1 slice of ham on each bottom bun, folding the ham up to make it fit the bun if you need. Then add 1 slice of pork tenderloin or 1 to 2 tablespoons of shredded pork on top of the ham.
    • Working with 1 slice of cheese at a time, break each slice into flour quarters by folding it in half and then folding the halves in half again. Place one quarter of cheese on top of each piece of pork, and then repeat breaking up and placing the remaining cheese slices.
    • Add 1 pickle to each bun, and then close the buns with the tops to form sandwiches.
    • Use a pastry brush to paint the tops of the sandwiches with the melted butter mixture. Then sprinkle the poppy seeds over the top if you want to use them.
    • Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil, and bake for 2 minutes more or until the cheese has melted and the tops of the buns are slightly toasted.

    HELPFUL TOOLS

    A copy of a kids' cookbook sits on a polka dot pot holder next to a wooden spoon.
    The Totally Awesome Ultimate Kids' Cookbook
    COURSESandwiches
    CUISINECuban
    AUTHORTiffany Dahle

    Save This Recipe to Your Recipe Box

    Find this delicious recipe next time you visit by saving it to your very own recipe box on my site. All your favorites stored in one easy place!

    SAVE THIS RECIPESaved!
    A photo collage shows a serving platter of slider sandwiches next to a photo of the sliders being prepped on a baking sheet.

    More Sandwich Recipes

    • The broiled sandwich has been assembled with fresh tomato slices.
      Creamy Chicken Pesto Sandwich {Oven or Air Fryer}
    • A tiered sandwich tray has several finger sandwiches on display.
      30 Delicious Finger Sandwich Recipes
    • A piece of sourdough bread has chunks of turkey meat and gravy on top.
      Open Face Turkey Sandwich with Gravy
    • A slowcooker sits on a wooden cutting board. There's a ladle and a plate full of sandwich buns sitting next to it.
      17 Crock Pot Sandwiches

    Reader Interactions

    Share Your Thoughts Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Tiffany!
    I believe a great family recipe is one that makes everyone at the table happy, not just the kids. I'm the author of two bestselling cookbooks for kids that are chock full of recipes everyone in your family will love. I'm also the hostess of the best online book club for moms.

    More about me →

    What's Trending Now

    • Colorful mint juleps with fresh mint sit on a platter next to a bowl of cheese straws.
      10 Easy Kentucky Derby Party Ideas
    • A young girl chops onions in a food processor.
      The BEST DIY Kids Cooking Classes
    • A photo collage shows a brunch table with fresh flowers and candles and a few sample recipes below.
      26 Best Mother's Day Brunch Recipes
    • 20 Great Gift Ideas for Moms

    Popular

    • A freezer-friendly metal pan holds an 8x8-inch apple crisp with crumble topping.
      Freezer Friendly Apple Crisp
    • A stack of the best books for book club in 2023
      Best Book Club Picks 2023
    • A taco salad made with mini frozen tacos.
      10-minute Trader Joe's Meals
    • A photo collage shows a table set with ground beef taco fillings and tortilla shells on a pan next to alternative taco tuesday recipes ideas.
      30 Taco Tuesday Recipes for a Family Fiesta
    • A collage of easy dinners for busy nights.
      30 Quick Dinners for Busy Nights
    • A photo collages shows several easy dinner ideas kids could make.
      Easy Dinner Ideas for Yo-Yo Nights {You're On Your Own!}
    • A meal train dinner kit featuring supplies for tacos sits in an aluminum tray for delivery.
      30 Clever Meal Train Ideas with Recipes
    • Harry Potter themed snacks are in a platter with a witch hat sitting next to an open copy of a Harry Potter book.
      21 Harry Potter Snacks for Movie Night

    Footer

    As Seen On

    The Taste of Home Logo
    The Pioneer Woman Logo
    The Country Living Logo
    The Buzzfeed logo
    The Good Housekeeping Logo

    About

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Contact
    Privacy Policy
    Disclaimer
    Terms of Service

    Favorites

    Bread Recipes
    Soup Recipes
    Quick Dinner Recipes
    Harry Potter Fan Club
    Reading with Kids

    Holidays

    Easter Recipes
    Catholic Celebrations
    Thanksgiving Recipes
    Christmas Recipes

    Recipes

    Appetizers
    Dinners
    Main Dishes
    Salads
    Side Dishes
    Desserts
    Brunch
    Homemade Pantry

    ↑ back to top

    Copyright © 2023