How to Make a Torta Cubana: Torta Cubana Recipe
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Jul 26, 2023 • 1 min read
Somewhere between the realms of street food and the taqueria, there’s the world of tortas Cubanas: A crave-worthy entry from 1950s-era Mexico that deserves a slot in the halls of all-time sandwich glory.
Learn From the Best
What Is a Torta Cubana?
The torta Cubana is a Mexican sandwich filled with various meats, cheeses, and sauces. This flavorful sandwich gets its name from Calle Republica de Cuba, the street where it was invented in Mexico City, Mexico.
Depending on where it’s made and the preferences of the chef, Cubanas can feature a range of different meats, from simple slices of jamón and roasted pork like carnitas to chorizo or carne asada, served between halves of crusty bread, pan-fried with butter until crispy.
Like the equally popular torta Milanesa, a similar sandwich stuffed with breaded steak, tortas Cubanas combines a meat filling with various condiments including refried beans, avocado, American-style cheese, and occasionally, a chipotle-spiced crema. Tortas Cubanas are sometimes confused with the Cubano—the Cuban sandwich with a near-identical name that combines roasted pork with cheese, mustard, and pickles.
Classic Torta Cubana Recipe
makes
1 Torta Cubanaprep time
5 mintotal time
20 mincook time
15 minIngredients
- 1
Lightly grease a large nonstick skillet and set over medium-high heat.
- 2
Spread the butter on both slices of bread, and place face-down on the skillet. Cook until golden brown and crisp, then flip and repeat. Remove and set aside on a clean work surface.
- 3
Lower the heat to medium, and add the carnitas and ham to the skillet to warm. Flip ham after a few minutes. Lay the cheese slices on top of the ham.
- 4
To make the optional crema/mayonnaise, add ½ teaspoon chipotle powder to your spread of choice and season with salt to taste.
- 5
Spread the crema, if using, followed by the refried beans, onto the slices of bread. Arrange the avocado on the bottom slice of bread.
- 6
Once the cheese has melted onto the ham, transfer the carnitas to the base slice of bread, on top of the avocado slices, followed by the ham and cheese. Top with the second slice of bread. Serve with pickled jalapeño peppers on the side.
Become a better chef with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by culinary masters, including Gabriela Cámara, Chef Thomas Keller, Massimo Bottura, Dominique Ansel, Gordon Ramsay, Alice Waters, and more.