Ready to experience a steak sandwich that’s unlike any you’ve ever had before? Imagine a sandwich that’s packed with tender, savory steak, bright, tangy onions, a creamy, spicy sauce, and an unbelievably crunchy, salty surprise in every single bite. This incredible recipe for Cuban Beef-and-Potato Sandwiches is a flavor and texture explosion that will completely reinvent your idea of a steak sandwich.
This isn’t just a sandwich; it’s an experience. Inspired by the classic Cuban “pan con bistec,” we take a perfectly seared, garlicky cube steak and load it into a warm, pressed hero roll. But here’s the secret weapon: layers of crispy, salty potato sticks. This genius addition provides an addictive crunch that perfectly complements the tender beef and creamy sauce. Get ready to meet your new favorite sandwich.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: A Steak Sandwich Like No Other
What makes this Cuban Beef-and-Potato Sandwich so uniquely delicious is its brilliant combination of textures. The tender, quick-cooking cube steak, the warm and crispy pressed roll, the juicy tomatoes, the tangy pickled onions, and the creamy, spicy mayo are all fantastic. But it’s the addictive, salty crunch of the potato sticks that truly sets this sandwich apart and makes it an unforgettable meal. It’s a fun, fast, and incredibly satisfying dish that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or a weekend lunch.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 25 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 4 sandwiches |
The Essential Ingredients for This Amazing Sandwich
This recipe uses a handful of simple, accessible ingredients to create a sandwich that is bursting with complex flavor and texture.
- Beef Cube Steaks: This is the perfect choice for a fast and tender steak sandwich. A cube steak is a cut of beef (usually top round or sirloin) that has been run through a mechanical tenderizer, leaving characteristic “cube-shaped” indentations. This process breaks down the muscle fibers, ensuring the steak cooks in a flash and stays wonderfully tender.
- Potato Sticks: This is the secret weapon and the undeniable star of the show! These are the thin, crispy, salty potato straws you can find in a can in the snack aisle. They add an incredibly satisfying and addictive crunch that is the signature element of this sandwich. Don’t skip them!
- The Toppings (Quick-Pickled Onions & Spicy Mayo): This is our one-two punch of flavor.
- Quick-Pickled Onions: We’re not doing a long pickle here. Simply tossing thinly sliced sweet onions with vinegar and salt for a few minutes creates a bright, tangy bite that perfectly cuts through the richness of the beef and mayo.
- Spicy Mayo: A simple mixture of mayonnaise, green hot sauce, and fresh garlic creates a creamy, zesty, and spicy spread that ties the entire sandwich together.
- Hero Rolls: A soft but sturdy hero roll (or a sub or hoagie roll) is the perfect vessel. We’ll show you how to toast and press them until the outside is golden and crisp and the inside is warm and slightly chewy, just like a classic pressed Cuban sandwich.
Step-by-Step to the Ultimate Steak Sandwich
This recipe comes together very quickly, so it’s a good idea to have all your components ready to go before you start cooking the steak.
Step 1: Marinate the Steak and Quick-Pickle the Onions
First, in a large bowl, toss the beef cube steaks with 1 tablespoon of the extra-virgin olive oil and all but 1/2 teaspoon of the minced garlic. Season the steaks generously with kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Set the bowl aside and let the steaks marinate at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a separate medium bowl, toss the very thinly sliced sweet onion with the tablespoon of white vinegar and a few good pinches of salt. Set this aside to allow the onions to soften and “quick-pickle.”
Step 2: Mix the Spicy Mayo and Press the Rolls
In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, the green hot sauce, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. This is your delicious, creamy spread.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place the split hero rolls, cut-side down, in the dry skillet. Place a second, heavy skillet (like a cast-iron pan) on top of the rolls to press them down. Cook until the rolls are toasted golden-brown and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the pressed rolls from the skillet.
Step 3: Cook the Cube Steaks
Carefully wipe out the skillet you used for the rolls and return it to the stove over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
Once the oil is hot, add 2 of the marinated steaks to the skillet. Cook until they are lightly browned and cooked through. Because they are so thin, this will happen very quickly—only about 1 minute per side. Remove the cooked steaks to a plate.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and repeat the process with the remaining 2 steaks.
Step 4: Assemble the Ultimate Sandwich
Now for the fun part—building your masterpiece!
Generously spread the spicy mayonnaise mixture on the cut sides of your warm, pressed rolls.
Place a generous layer of the crispy potato sticks on the bottom halves of the rolls. This creates a crunchy base.
Top the potato sticks with the warm steak, cutting the steaks as needed so they fit neatly on the rolls.
Next, add a layer of fresh tomato slices and season them with a tiny pinch of salt. Top the tomatoes with a pile of the tangy marinated onions.
Add one more layer of crunchy potato sticks on top of the onions. Place the top halves of the rolls on top and gently press down on the sandwiches to compact them slightly. Serve immediately.
The Ultimate Crunchy Cuban Beef-and-Potato Sandwich
A hearty, Cuban-inspired sandwich featuring thinly pounded and pan-fried cube steak. The recipe includes a quick-pickled onion and a zesty green hot sauce mayonnaise. The hero rolls are pressed and toasted in a skillet until crisp. The sandwich is layered with the spicy mayo, crunchy potato sticks, the cooked steak, fresh tomato slices, and the pickled onions, creating a flavorful and texturally interesting meal.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes (includes marinating time)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: Pan-Frying
- Cuisine: Cuban
Ingredients
- 4 beef cube steaks (about 1 pound), pounded to 1/8 inch thick
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 sweet onion, very thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon green hot sauce
- 4 small hero rolls (about 6 inches long), split
- 3 cups potato sticks
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- Coleslaw, for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss the pounded steaks with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and all but 1/2 teaspoon of the minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Let the steak sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the thinly sliced onion with the vinegar and a few pinches of salt to quickly pickle them.
- In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of garlic, the green hot sauce, and a pinch each of salt and pepper to create the sandwich spread.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place the split rolls in the skillet and press them down with a second heavy skillet on top. Cook for about 3 minutes per side until browned and crisp. Set the rolls aside.
- Wipe out the skillet and heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 2 steaks and cook for about 1 minute per side until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and repeat with the remaining 2 steaks.
- To assemble: Spread the prepared mayonnaise mixture on the toasted rolls.
- Place a layer of potato sticks on the bottom halves of the rolls. Top with the cooked steak, cutting it as needed to fit.
- Add the sliced tomatoes, a pinch of salt, the marinated onions, and more potato sticks.
- Place the roll tops on the sandwiches and gently press down. Serve with coleslaw on the side.
Notes
- Pounding the cube steaks very thin is a key step to ensure they are tender and cook quickly.
- Pressing the rolls with a heavy skillet while toasting them creates a crispy texture, similar to a traditional Cuban sandwich.
- The onions are quick-pickled in vinegar and salt, which adds a bright, tangy flavor to the sandwich.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 800-950
- Sugar: 8-12 g
- Sodium: 1200-1500 mg
- Fat: 45-55 g
- Saturated Fat: 10-14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60-70 g
- Fiber: 6-8 g
- Protein: 35-45 g
- Cholesterol: 90-110 mg
Serving Your Crunchy Masterpiece
These Cuban Beef-and-Potato Sandwiches are a hearty, complete meal all on their own. They are perfectly served with a side of creamy, crisp coleslaw, which complements the flavors of the sandwich beautifully. For an even heartier meal, you could serve them with a side of black beans and rice.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
This sandwich is truly at its best when assembled and eaten immediately. This preserves the amazing contrast between the warm, tender steak, the crisp, warm bread, and the cool, crunchy potato sticks.
- Make-Ahead: You can make some of the components ahead of time to make assembly even faster. The spicy mayo and the marinated onions can be made up to a day in advance and stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
- Storage: If you do have leftovers, it’s best to store the components separately. However, an assembled sandwich can be wrapped tightly and stored in the refrigerator for a day, but be aware that the potato sticks will lose their crunch.
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Creative Recipe Variations
This delicious and unique sandwich is a great starting point for other creative ideas.
- Add Some Melty Cheese: For a gooey, cheesy version, melt a slice of provolone, Swiss, or white American cheese on top of the hot steak in the skillet during the last 30 seconds of cooking, before adding it to the sandwich.
- Use a Different Protein: This sandwich build is fantastic with other thinly pounded meats. Try it with thin pork cutlets (scallopini) or thinly pounded chicken breasts for a delicious alternative.
- Spicy Cabbage Slaw: Instead of the tomato slices and pickled onions, you could top the steak with a simple, spicy cabbage slaw. Just toss some shredded cabbage and carrots with a bit of your spicy mayo and a squeeze of lime juice.
Enjoy Your New Favorite Sandwich!
You’ve just created a truly unique and incredibly delicious sandwich that is bursting with an amazing combination of flavors and textures. This Cuban Beef-and-Potato Sandwich is fun, fast, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. It’s the perfect, exciting meal for a quick weeknight dinner, a weekend lunch, or any time you’re craving a sandwich that is anything but boring.
We hope you love every last, crunchy bite!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves a great steak sandwich!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is beef cube steak?
Cube steak is a cut of beef, usually top round or top sirloin, that has been tenderized by being run through a machine with sharp blades that leaves small, cube-shaped indentations on the surface. This process breaks down the tough muscle fibers, making it very tender and incredibly quick to cook.
Q2: Can I make my own potato sticks?
While you can make your own by deep-frying very finely julienned potatoes, the canned potato sticks from the snack aisle are a key part of the charm and convenience of this specific recipe. They have the perfect, uniform, ultra-crispy texture that is hard to replicate at home.
Q3: What is the best kind of roll to use for this sandwich?
You want a roll that is soft on the inside but sturdy enough on the outside to hold up to the ingredients and the pressing. A classic hero, submarine, or hoagie roll is perfect. A soft, Cuban-style bread or a French baguette would also be fantastic choices.
Q4: How do I press the rolls if I don’t have a panini press or a second heavy skillet?
If you don’t have a second heavy skillet, you can use another heavy, flat-bottomed object. Place the rolls in the skillet, cover them with a piece of aluminum foil, and then place a heavy pot, a cast iron Dutch oven lid, or even a foil-wrapped brick on top of them.
Q5: What kind of green hot sauce works best?
A vinegar-based green hot sauce made with jalapeños is a great choice. Brands like Tabasco Green Pepper Sauce or Cholula Green Pepper Hot Sauce would work perfectly here, providing a nice, tangy heat.