Cuban Casserole takes the fillings of a Cuban sandwich (pork, ham, Swiss cheese, dill pickles and yellow mustard) and bakes them in one skillet in a creamy mustard sauce. It comes out hot and bubbly, with tender pork, salty ham, melted Swiss and pickles that keep a little crunch. It is a good weeknight dinner when you have cooked pork in the fridge, and it serves 6.
How to make it: Melt cream cheese into whipping cream and mustard in an oven-safe skillet, stir in the pork, ham and half the cheese and pickles, top with the rest, and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, until bubbly.
Why You’ll Love It
- One pan: the sauce, the filling and the bake all happen in the same skillet.
- Quick: 10 minutes of prep and a 20-minute bake.
- Good use of leftovers: it turns a container of cooked pork into a new dinner.
- Rich and tangy: sharp, crunchy pickles cut through the rich pork and cream.
Ingredient Notes
Pulled pork: Cooked pork with no sauce on it. The section below covers which kinds work and what to do if you have none.
Ham: Deli ham, diced small or cut into thin slices, is the easy choice, and leftover cooked ham is just as good. Choose one that isn’t too salty. Canadian bacon can take its place.
Swiss cheese: Shred it yourself from a block. Half goes into the filling and half goes on top.
Yellow mustard: Yellow is the usual pick. Dijon or whole grain mustard can stand in if that is what is in your fridge.
Dill pickles: Sliced dill pickles or hamburger chips both work. With whole pickles, cut a strong dill pickle into 1/4-inch cubes. Don’t use relish: it is wet and soft, and this dish needs real pieces of pickle that still crunch.
Ingredients
- 4 cups pulled pork, cooked, no sauce (carnitas work too)
- 8 ounces ham, deli slices diced into small pieces
- 2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded, divided
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup yellow mustard
- 1 cup dill pickles, sliced, divided
- Extra dill pickle slices, for garnish (optional)
How to Make Cuban Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Make the mustard cream sauce. In a large oven-safe skillet (a 12-inch cast iron skillet works) over medium heat, combine the whipping cream, cream cheese and mustard. Stir and heat until the cream cheese melts and a smooth sauce forms.
3. Stir in the pork. Add the pulled pork, diced ham, half the pickles and half the Swiss cheese. Stir to combine and spread it in an even layer.
4. Top it. Top with the remaining Swiss cheese and pickles.
5. Bake. Bake for 20 minutes, until bubbly, the cheese is melted and the center reaches 165°F.
6. Rest and serve. Let it cool for 5 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly. Garnish with more pickles if you like and serve.
Which Pork to Use in Cuban Casserole
Any cooked pork you can shred or chop will do, as long as it is plain, with no sauce. Leftover pulled pork, carnitas or smoked pork loin are all good choices, and so is store-bought pulled pork if you skip its sauce.
Leftover roast pork is a good stand-in too. Slice it thin, then chop it into small pieces before it goes into the sauce.
The sandwich itself uses sliced roast pork. Pulled pork is the easy swap, and smoked pulled pork brings a smoky, tender bite.
Pork that dried out a little in the fridge is fine here, since the mustard cream sauce softens it again.
No leftovers? Cook enough pork shoulder steaks to give you 4 cups once shredded. Put them in an electric pressure cooker with 4 cups of chicken broth and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and pressure cook for 20 minutes. Let the pot sit for 10 minutes, then release the pressure. The pork should read at least 145°F before you shred or chop it. Measure out 4 cups for the casserole.
If you are saving pork from a roast for this dish, cut it into chunks, refrigerate it in a shallow covered container within 2 hours, and shred it when you make the casserole.
Tips for Success
Why is my sauce lumpy?
Lumps mean the cream cheese went in cold. Let it come to room temperature and cut it into cubes first, and it melts smoothly into the cream.
How do I get a thicker sauce?
Simmer the pork in the cream sauce on the stove until the sauce thickens, before the ham and cheese go in. Then stir in the ham, half the pickles and half the Swiss, add the topping and bake.
Will the pickles taste too sharp once baked?
No. Baking tames them: even very sour dill pickles turn mild, with a hint of sweetness, and they hold on to some of their crunch. For more pickle bite, add fresh slices on top when you serve it.
Variations
- Different cheese: Use provolone, mozzarella, gouda or pepper jack instead of Swiss, or Monterey Jack for a milder flavor.
- Spicy: Add sliced jalapeños, use spicy mustard, or swap in spicy pickles.
- Mustard mayo drizzle: Mix 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and 1 tablespoon yellow mustard. Spoon a little on each serving, or pipe it across the top in a zig-zag from a zipper-top bag with one corner snipped off.
- With Cuban bread: Scatter cubes of Cuban bread over the bottom of the pan and spoon the pork mixture over them; it bakes up like a savory bread pudding.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. If you baked it in cast iron, move it to another dish first. FSIS also lists cream sauce among the foods that don’t freeze well. Thawing overnight in the fridge draws liquid out of the pork, ham and pickles too, and the casserole can turn a bit soupy, so drain off the extra and add a tablespoon of water or broth if it seems dry. Keep the mayo drizzle out of the freezer, since mayonnaise freezes poorly too.
Reheat leftovers covered, in a 350°F oven or in the microwave, until they reach 165°F. Don’t reheat them in a slow cooker. The baked pickle slices dry out, so swap them for fresh ones.
What to Serve With It
Yellow rice and black beans are natural partners, along with fried plantains or tostones, or toasted Cuban bread to mop up the sauce. Coleslaw, cornbread or a crisp salad with a sharp, tangy dressing also go well with it. If you like sandwiches turned into casseroles, try the Reuben crescent bake, Philly cheese steak casserole or Big Mac casserole. For another pork dinner, make the slow cooker Amish onion gravy pork roast. For more cheesy bakes, there’s ham and potato au gratin and Swiss chicken casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a Cuban and a Cubano?
There is no difference: Cubano is just another name for the Cuban sandwich. It is built from ham, roast or smoked pork, Swiss, dill pickles and yellow mustard on Cuban bread, then grilled under a press until the bread is flat and the cheese melts.
Where does the Cuban sandwich come from?
It traces back to Cuban cigar factory workers in Florida in the late 1800s, who took it to work as an easy lunch to carry.
Can I make Cuban casserole ahead?
Yes, up to 4 hours ahead. Put it together and keep it in the fridge unbaked. It starts cold, so plan on about 5 to 10 more minutes in the oven, and bake until the center reaches 165°F.
Can I use a baking dish instead of a skillet?
Yes. Stir the sauce together in a sauté pan, mix in the pork, ham, half the cheese and half the pickles, and spread it in an 8 x 8 or similar oven-safe dish or a Dutch oven. Add the rest of the cheese and pickles on top and bake until the center reaches 165°F.
Can I make it without pickles?
Yes. Leave them out, or use crispy onions or sautéed mushrooms in their place.
Final Notes
Got soft hoagie rolls? Turn it back into a sandwich: heat the pork in the mustard cream, fill the rolls, add ham and Swiss, and press them on the grill. If you make the casserole, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Cuban Casserole
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Ingredients
- 4 cups pulled pork cooked, no sauce; carnitas work too
- 8 ounces ham deli slices, diced into small pieces
- 2 cups Swiss cheese shredded, divided
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup yellow mustard
- 1 cup dill pickles sliced, divided
- extra dill pickle slices for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F.
- In a large oven-safe skillet (a 12-inch cast iron skillet works) over medium heat, combine the whipping cream, cream cheese and mustard. Stir and heat until the cream cheese melts and a smooth sauce forms.
- Add the pulled pork, diced ham, half the pickles and half the Swiss cheese. Stir to combine and spread it in an even layer.
- Top with the remaining Swiss cheese and pickles.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until bubbly, the cheese is melted and the center reaches 165°F.
- Let it cool for 5 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly. Garnish with more pickles if you like and serve.
