Okay, okay, okay. Raise your hand if you’ve watched the movie Chef? Now, raise your hand if you had a vicious craving for a Cubano as soon as the end credits started rolling? Yep, that’s what I thought.
We were no different. As soon as we finished the movie, Cody and I both grabbed our phones and started googling for restaurants that served these bomb-looking sandwiches.
We found a few, tried them all over the course of a few weeks and let me tell you, we weren’t disappointed.
Of course, our new-found love for Cubano sandwiches isn’t very realistic health-wise – so we needed to Chirpy-fy it ASAP. What we ended up coming up with is this completely wonderful Low-Carb Keto Bunless Cubano aka Cuban Stuffed Pork.
Aaaahhh, I’m drooling about the deliciousness just typing it out.
How to make Keto Low-Carb Cubano:
What makes this healthy Keto Cubano recipe so incredibly yummy is, of course, the marinated pork. It’s ALL in the Cubano marinade. Ahhh…that magnificent, magnificent marinade though…
We did a lot of research and tried a bunch of different Cubanos in the process until we had the perfect concoction.
Once your pork is deliciously marinaded, you add all the other typical goodies like:
- mustard,
- pickles,
- sliced ham,
- ooey-gooey melted Swiss cheese,
Close everything up nice and highly with toothpicks, give it all a good sear…and finally, finish it up in the oven. Then you’ll experience a party in your mouth like no other. Trust me.
This Low-Carb Keto Bunless Cubano / Stuffed Pork is my new fave. I just can’t get enough of it! Definitely a new staple on our dinner and lunch menu (and leftovers for breakfast because I’m crazy like that).
If stuffed things are appealing to you, check out these other yummy recipes in our repertoire:
- Honey Mustard Stuffed Chicken
- Mexican Stuffed Skirt Steak
- Spicy Stuffed Chicken with Roasted Banana Peppers and Queso Blanco
Pin it! Keto Bunless Cubano (Cuban Stuffed Pork)
Low-Carb Keto Bunless Cubano (Cuban Stuffed Pork) Recipe:
Cubano Pork
Ingredients
- 2 lb pork loin steaks (butterflied, approximately 900g, or 4 small steaks)
For The Marinade:
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1 orange (juice and zest)
- 2 limes (juice and zest)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 cup fresh mint
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
(Optional) Serving Suggestion: [Low-Carb Keto Bun-less Cubano]
- to taste pickle slices
- to taste swiss cheese
- to taste sliced ham
- to taste mustard
Instructions
- Blend all the ingredients for the marinade together and pour into a large ziplock bag. Add the pork and marinade overnight in the fridge (or at the very least, 2-3 hours before cooking).
- Remove pork from marinade and sear hot pan for approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145F/62C.
If you’re making Keto Bunless Cubano, follow these steps:
- Pre-heat oven to 350ºF/180ºC
- Remove the butterflied steaks from the marinade and lay them open and flat. And add the regular toppings for a Cubano sandwich of the inside (mustard, pickles, cheese, sliced ham). Fold it over and secure with a toothpick.
- Sear the steaks in a hot pan for a approximately 2 minutes per side.
- Then transfer to a baking dish and slide into the oven for about 25-35 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
What kind of pickles do I use? Garlic? Half sour? No indication the recipe…
Hi Sheila! We used regular Dill Pickles, but you can probably use whatever your favorite pickles are! 🙂
Is there a nutritional breakdown for these?
Hi John! Not yet, but we are actively in the process of adding nutritional labels to all our recipes.
Hi Shay,
I am very anxious to try this recipe. However, I can’t until I have the macronutrients listed.
I would like to add my endorsement to have these values soon.
Thank you,
Tonya
Hi Tonya! I’ve added a nutrition label, but please keep in mind that this is an approximation. It’s hard to judge just how much of the marinade you actually eat vs what gets thrown away. In this case, it’s better to overestimate than underestimate. Hope it helps.
I made these last night and they were E-X-C-E-L-L-E-N-T!!! Even my fussy eater loved them, in fact she told me they are one of the best things I’ve made and to add them to our rotation!
I used Serrano ham and in half of them I used Daiya Swiss Cheese (because I’m allergic to dairy) unfortunately I had to prepare the mojo without mint but it was still delicious.
I’m so happy to hear you loved it! Thanks for the feedback! 🙂 It’s a favorite in our household too!