Cubano Sandwich Meatballs (Gluten-Free)
These aren't like Cuban-style meatballs in a sandwich... they are Cubano Sandwich Meatballs.
Yes, my friends. Yes.
These meatballs are packed with all the fillings and fixings you'd normally find in a perfectly pressed Cubano, just without the perfectly pressed bread. We've got pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles all mashed up together, baked and then dipped into a creamy, tangy sauce made with straight-up mayo and yellow mustard (no fancy mustards allowed).
I've had this recipe drafted up in a notebook for almost six months along with about two dozen other meatball riffs to add to my meatball collection. I finally decided it was time to debut this one at a family BBQ this weekend.
My 1-year-old niece was obsessed with them and we all pretty much went H.A.M. along with her... so I can confidently say they were a hit.
Not only did these make a really easy appetizer, but they would be excellent alongside rice and beans and/or some fried yucca if you wanted to make them a meal.
Cubano Sandwich Meatballs
gluten-free recipe | makes ~24 meatballs
Meatball Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground pork
- 3/4 cup ham, minced
- 1/3 cup dill pickles, minced
- 3/4 cup swiss cheese, shredded
- 1 T yellow mustard
- pinch of salt
- a sprinkle of black pepper
- thinly sliced pickles for garnish (I used a veggie peeler)
Sauce Ingredients
- 1-2 T yellow mustard (like French's)
- 1/4 cup mayo (I use avocado oil mayo)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.
- Mix up all the meatball ingredients and form into approximately 24 small meatballs (about 1-inch in diameter).
- Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the pork is cooked through.
- While the meatballs are cooking whip up the sauce. It's just two things—you know what to do.
- Garnish with thinly sliced pickles and serve with the dipping sauce.
Tips
- Because the mustard, pickles, cheese and ham have so much salt going on among them, you don't need to add much to the meatball mixture.
- As I mentioned, these make a great party appetizer but would be really versatile in a salad or a rice/bean bowl or any kind of dinner application.
- These would also make great burgers!
