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–+ servings
2 cuban paninis sliced in half on a cutting board with potato chips around it.
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5 from 2 votes

Cuban Panini

Made with perfectly roasted tender pork, melty Swiss cheese, and homemade quick pickles all sandwiched between ciabatta bread this incredibly delicious Cuban Panini is something to remember! It’s an easy Cuban inspired recipe perfect for a crowd that can be made with or without a panini press! 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time26 minutes
Marinating Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 41 minutes
Course: Lunch, Sandwich
Cuisine: Cuban
Keyword: cuban panini, panini, panini recipe
Servings: 4
Calories: 601kcal
Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

Ingredients

Cuban Style Pork Roast

  • 1 pound pork tenderloin boneless
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce low sodium
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon oregano dried, crushed
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground

Cuban Panini with Quick Pickles

  • 1 English cucumber thinly sliced
  • 1 small red onion thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons oregano fresh
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 4 Ciabatta buns sliced in half horizontally
  • ¼ cup yellow mustard
  • 16 slices Swiss cheese
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cuban-Style Pork Tenderloin

  • Place the pork in a large ziploc bag along with the orange juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Seal the bag and and toss well until the meat is evenly coated in the marinade. Refrigerate for 3 to 24 hours.
    process shots showing how to make cuban panini.
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Place pork in a baking dish including all the leftover marinade. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C)
    process shots showing how to make cuban panini.
  • Transfer the pork from the baking dish to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing it thin.

Cuban Panini with Quick Pickles

  • Preheat your panini press, according to the manufacturer's instructions.
  • In a small bowl combine cucumber, onion, lime juice, oregano, and sugar; set aside.
    process shots showing how to make cuban panini.
  • Slice the ciabatta bread in half horizontally. Spread the mustard on both sides of the ciabatta buns. Top the bottom of the bun with 2 slices of Swiss cheese, slices of pork, quick pickles, another 2 slices of cheese and finally with the other top of the bun.
    process shots showing how to make cuban panini.
  • Transfer the sandwiches to the hot press and grill it for about 3 minutes. The sandwich is ready after the grill marks form and the cheese has melted. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
    process shots showing how to make cuban panini.

Notes

  1. Temp the pork. To be considered fully cooked, the pork should register at 145°F (63°C) at the thickest part when tested with an instant-read digital meat thermometer.
  2. Rest the pork. To keep the pork tenderloin as juicy as possible you must let it rest for the full 15 minutes before slicing into it. This step is not optional for the best results.
  3. Make and eat. Grill the Cuban sandwiches to order. You can make them beforehand, but they are best when they first come off the hot press.

Nutrition

Serving: 1panini | Calories: 601kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 1069mg | Potassium: 798mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 751IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 677mg | Iron: 2mg