Faux Cubano Grilled Cheese Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated March 21, 2019
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Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

It's a Cubano sandwich but without the roasted pork and with the addition of a buttery, grilled crust.

Recipe Details

Faux Cubano Grilled Cheese Recipe

Active 12 mins
Total 12 mins
Makes 1 sandwich
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter, cut into three even pieces
  • 2 slices French or Italian bread
  • 2 slices Swiss cheese
  • 3 slices ham
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 6 to 8 dill pickle chips
  • Kosher salt

Directions

  1. Melt one third of butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until foaming subsides. Add both bread slices and cook, swirling occasionally, until pale golden brown on bottom side, about 2 minutes.

  2. Transfer to a cutting board toasted-side-up. Place one cheese slice on top of one slice of bread. Top with ham, spread mustard on ham, then top qith pickle chips and second cheese slice. Close sandwich, with both toasted sides facing inwards.

  3. Melt one more piece of butter in the skillet and reduce heat to medium low. Add sandwich and cook, swirling occasionally, until deep, even golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove sandwich using a flexible metal spatula. Add the remaining butter. Return sandwich to skillet cooked-side up. Season with salt. Cook, swirling occasionally, until second side is deep, even golden brown and cheese is thoroughly melted, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Special equipment

10-inch nonstick skillet

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