This recipe for Cuban Sandwich Quesadillas is perfect for a quick lunch! The flavorful Cuban shredded pork, smoky ham, dill pickles, mustard, and melted Swiss cheese are all wrapped in a crispy tortilla.
Quick and easy lunch recipes are my go-to solution for feeding everyone with minimal hassle. Some of our favorites include Greek rice salad, dill pickle tuna salad lettuce wraps, and Instant Pot Mac and Cheese with chickpea pasta.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Use up leftover Cuban Pork
- Great combination of flavors
- Build it the way you want it!
Featured Ingredients
- Shredded Cuban Pork - Leftover pulled pork from Cuban sandwiches. It is a great way to repurpose leftovers into a new meal.
- Ham - Use deli ham that isn’t sweet, like Virginia ham, tavern ham, or smoked ham.
- Swiss Cheese - Melty cheese with a funky flavor.
- Sliced Dill Pickles - Pickles are a signature flavor of the Cuban quesadillas.
- Yellow Mustard and Mayonnaise - Combined to create a delicious dipping sauce.
- Tortillas - Use flour tortillas or gluten free, grain free or corn - whatever works for you!
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Before starting, heat the cuban pork in the microwave.
Step 1: In a small bowl, mix the mustard and mayonnaise. Stir until combined. Set aside.
Step 2: On a plate, pat dry the sliced pickles with a paper towel. Keeping any extra moisture out of the quesadillas will prevent them from becoming soggy.
Step 3: In a large skillet over medium-low heat, place a single tortilla. Next, add a slice of swiss cheese, shredded Cuban pork, one slice of deli ham, one or two pickle slices - depending on size. Sprinkle a bit of shredded Swiss cheese over it all.
Step 4: Flip one side of the tortilla, covering the fillings. Press down with a spatula. Once it's golden brown, it's time to flip it.
Step 5: Gently flip the quesadilla to the other side. Cook until the tortilla is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Step 6: Slice a quesadilla in half and add a drizzle of the mustard mayonnaise sauce.
Tips
Don’t like mustard? Skip it and use a slather of mayonnaise.
Use leftover oven baked ham steaks. Dice it up and add it to the shredded pork.
Did you know a pizza cutter is great for cutting quesadillas? It also works great for cutting up pancakes and pizza crust made out of cottage cheese!
Ingredient Swaps
- Smoked Turkey - Keep the smoky flavor by using a deli-smoked turkey instead of ham.
- Mustard Options: Try Dijon mustard for a spicy twist.
- Cheese Options: Not a fan of swiss cheese? Try a slice of pepper jack, havarti or smoked gouda.
FAQs
It is from too much liquid in the ingredients. Make sure to let the shredded pork drain off any cooking liquid and pat the pickles dry too.
It is a pork roast flavored with orange and lime juice, along with spices, that is slow-cooked in a crockpot all day.
Storing and Reheating
Store: Keep the ingredients stored in separate containers until it's time to make a quesadilla. If you have leftovers, skip the mustard sauce and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use as soon as possible for best results.
Reheat: Place a quesadilla in a skillet and cook over low to medium heat until warmed through.
Freeze: I do not recommend freezing quesadillas.
What To Serve With Cuban Quesadillas
To make these quesadillas a complete meal, add a side of oven roasted baby potatoes with garlic oil, or Instant Pot cilantro lime rice. Both are a great way to add more to this simple recipe.
Loveable Cuban-Inspired Recipes
Love This Recipe?
Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating + comment. It helps so much, and we love hearing from everyone! Thank You -Venessa
Recipe
Cuban Sandwich Quesadillas
Ingredients
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- 2 cups shredded cuban pork (Note 1)
- 8 sliced dill pickles
- 4 tortillas (Note 2)
- 4 slices swiss cheese
- ½ pound sliced deli ham (Note 3)
- ½ cup shredded swiss cheese (Note 4)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and yellow mustard. Set aside.
- Heat the shredded cuban pork in the microwave or a small saucepan on the stovetop until warm.
- Pat dry the sliced dill pickles with a paper towel. This will prevent soggy quesadillas.
- In a large skillet, over medium-low heat, add a tortilla.
- On one half of the tortilla, add a slice of swiss cheese, ½ cup shredded cuban pork, 2-3 slices of deli ham, 2 sliced pickles, and 2 tablespoons of shredded swiss cheese. This will help hold the quesadilla together.
- Once the tortilla has warmed, using a spatula, fold the empty side of the tortilla over the filled side. Gently press down on the tortilla.
- After the cheese has melted and the tortilla has turned golden brown, carefully flip the tortilla and toast the other side.
- Once the quesadilla is golden brown and the cheese is melted, remove from the pan and cut into slices.
- Drizzle a bit of the mayonnaise mustard sauce over the quesadilla.
Venessa Mandelkow says
We love using leftover cuban pork that we froze from a previous meal for a quick and easy lunch or late dinner! Everyone loves them.