In brief
- The Cuban sandwich: roast pork, ham and Swiss cheese pressed between two slices of Cuban bread.
- Origin: Cuban communities of Key West, then Tampa, Florida, in the late 19th century.
- Essential ingredients: marinated pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, Cuban bread.
- A sandwich born in the cafés of the cigar factories, now a classic of Florida cuisine.
Origins and cultural history of the Cuban sandwich
The Cuban sandwich appeared in the late 19th century in the cafés that served Cuban workers from the cigar factories of Key West, then of Tampa, Florida. It was first called mixto, a mix of meats sold as a worker's meal.
When a fire at a cigar factory pushed part of production toward Tampa in 1886, Cuban immigrants settled alongside Italian immigrants in the Ybor City neighborhood, who added Genoa salami to the sandwich: a variation specific to Tampa, absent from versions further south in Florida. After 1959, when Fidel Castro's rise to power caused a Cuban exodus to Florida, Miami in turn popularized its own version, without salami, now the most widespread.
What are the essential ingredients of the Cuban sandwich
The Cuban sandwich combines several meats and a melted cheese, pressed between two slices of bread, for a complete and portable meal, inherited from the cigar factory workers.
- marinated roast pork
- ham
- Swiss cheese
- pickles
- mustard
- Cuban bread
What to know about the Cuban sandwich
The Cuban sandwich brings together marinated roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard, pressed between two slices of Cuban bread. It was born at the end of the 19th century in the cafés serving the Cuban workers of the cigar factories of Key West, then Tampa, in Florida, and was first called a mixto. In Tampa, the recipe also includes Genoa salami, added by the Italian immigrants of the Ybor City district, while the Miami version has none. The melted cheese and the pressed bread make it an easy meal to carry.
Frequently asked questions about the Cuban sandwich
Does the Cuban sandwich come from Cuba or Florida?
Both: the recipe was born in the Cuban communities settled in Florida, in Key West then Tampa, in the late 19th century, before spreading to Miami after 1959. The sandwich as we know it today is therefore a creation of the Cuban American diaspora, more than a dish from Cuba itself.
Should salami be added to a Cuban sandwich?
It depends on the version: in Tampa, Genoa salami has been part of the recipe since Italian immigrants arrived in the same neighborhood as the Cubans, whereas in Miami and southern Florida, the most widespread version does without it.
Where to find the ingredients for the Cuban sandwich in France?
NKOSI sells the lime juice, garlic powder, cumin and other dry products for the marinade and ships them from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
