the classic cuban sandwich meets a cheese quesadilla. The best of both worlds, worthy of any football party with friends.
With football season just around the corner, I’ve linked up with 63 other foodies to share 64 tailgating-worthy recipes today!
Fact: I love football season, but don’t know that I still truly get the sport of football. What I love most: We tend to see our friends more often, the weather only slightly cools (we’re in Florida, people), and the FOOD.
For today’s link-up, each major city with a football team has two food bloggers per team. Since I am in Tampa, we obviously know what team/city I’m reppin’. Raymond James Stadium, where both USF (Jason’s alma mater), and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play. Raymond James is close to several very popular Cuban restaurants in Tampa Bay. So I knew that today, I’d have to pay homage to the Cuban Sandwich!
I had never attended a live football game until I met Jason. In our early days, Jason lived within walking distance of the stadium, which was ah-mazing. We’d pack a cooler, and walk to meet friends. Afterwards, we’d generally end up stopping at a local Cuban restaurant to grab a sandwich to split, when we got home.
I could never make a homemade Cuban Sandwich as good as the pros, so instead I made it into a quesadilla, and kicked it up a notch with a Mustard Aioli – perfect football food! Once you make the mojo pork, assembling this quesadilla is stupid easy. I’ve made this pork before in the oven (to get tasty charred pieces – yummm), but for today’s recipe, I used the slow-cooker. It was just as good, and let me kind of forget about it for a few hours, which was nice. Make the pork however you like.
This quesadilla is crunchy, and soooo flavorful – it tastes like my fave Tampa sammie, but it’s in a quesadilla. Plus, aioli. This mustard aioli is life, you guys.
cuban sandwich quesadillas
Ingredients
Cuban Pork
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup orange juice - fresh-squeezed or I like this brand
- ¼ cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
- ¼ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 10 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoons= Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 3 pound pork butt
Mustard Aioli
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons stone ground mustard
Quesadilla
- 4 to rtillas
- 4 slices Swiss cheese
- 4 slices baked deli ham
- 4 tablespoons mustard aioli - recipe above
- pickle slices
Instructions
Cuban Pork
- Place all ingredients except pork into a blender and blend on high to make a marinade.
- Pour marinade in a large plastic ziploc, or container.
- Pierce the pork on all sides with a pairing knife. Add pork to the container and seal.
- Marinate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours, in refrigerator.
- To a slow-cooker, add pork and cook on low 6-8 hours (check around 6 hours)
- Shred Cuban Pork with fork.
Mustard Aioli
- Add the Dijon mustard, egg yolk, and lemon juice to a mixing bowl and whisk together until smooth.
- Slowly pour the olive oil into the mixture, whisking small amounts of it in at a time until it is completely incorporated. Whisk vigorously until mixture is thick and creamy.
Quesadilla
- To a nonstick skillet, lay tortilla flat. Layer one side of tortilla, in the following order: 1 tbsp aioli, ham, swiss cheese, 1-2 tbsp pork.
- Cook 4-5 minutes, until cheese melts.
- Fold empty side of tortilla to meet toppings side. Flatten with spatula.
- Flip, and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
- Remove from heat, and cut into slices.
- Dip in extra aioli, if desired.
Snag all 64 tailgate-worthy recipes, below!
Spicy Mexican Cheese Dip by 2 Cookin Mamas
Salsa Verde by A Dish of Daily Life
Slow Cooker Sausage Corn Dip by A Joyfully Mad Kitchen
Sausage, Peppers + Onions Pigs in a Blanket by A Little Gathering
Grilled Jalapeno Poppers by A Mind Full Mom
Beer & Brats Bake by A Simpler Grace
Black Bottom Maple Pecan Pie Bars by An Oregon Cottage
Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings by And She Cooks
Blackberry BBQ Sticky Wings by Around My Family Table
Cheesy Pull Apart Garlic Bread by Beer Girl Cooks
Black Bean & Corn Salsa by Body Rebooted
Roasted Garlic BBQ Chicken Wings Recipe by Bread Booze Bacon
Smoky Jalapeno Poppers by Brunch-n-Bites
Loaded Sweet Potato Nachos by Bucket List Tummy
Deconstructed Smoked Chicken Chile Relleno by Cafe Terra
Chicken Spinach & Artichoke Dip French Bread by Cake ‘n Knife
Cuban Sandwich Quesadillas by Casa de Crews
Grilled Asparagus Spears by Celebrating Family
Sweet and Salty Blueberry Popcorn by Club Narwhal
Buffalo Chicken Poppers by Coffee Love Travel
Sea Bass Skewers + Blackbeard Cocktails by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Buffalo Chicken Poppers by Dash of Herbs
Easy Chicken Roll Ups with Cream Cheese and Veggies by Family Food on the Table
Bottled Tailgate Cocktails by Feast + West
Smoked Brisket Texas Style by Foodal
Loaded Guacamole by foodbyjonister
Cincinnati Nachos by Foodtastic Mom
Cajun Red Beans and Andouille Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms by For the Love of Food
Grilled Shrimp Pizza by Glisten and Grace
Mini Bell Pepper Nachos by Hello Little Home
Slow Cooker Sweet Spicy Meatballs by Honey & Birch
BBQ Chicken Wontons by Lauren’s Kitchen
Loaded Tailgate Tots by Life’s Ambrosia
Ricotta & Fig Bites by Living Well Kitchen
Tailgate Tacos by Lizzy is Dizzy
Nashville Hot Chicken Wings by Loaves & Dishes
Cincinnati Chili Dip by Love & Flour
{Slow Cooker} BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches by Love Bakes Good Cakes
Tailgate Bloody Marys by Loves Food, Loves to Eat
Sweet Korean Chicken Wings by Macheesmo
Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots by Me and My Pink Mixer
Beer Sangria by Mixplorology
Crab Pretzels by Mom’s Messy Miracles
Hot Bacon Dip by Nik Snacks
Build Your Own Bloody Mary Bar by Off the Eaten Path
Chowder Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers by Order in the Kitchen
Old Fashioned Sweet by Peanut Blossom
Baked Mac and Cheese Cups by Polka Dotted Blue Jay
Texas Toothpicks with Buttermilk Ranch by See Aimee Cook
Pretzel Turkey Meatballs (GF, DF, SF) by Shaws Simple Swaps
Hearty Vegetable Chili by Simple and Savory
Focaccia Pizza by Simplify, Live, Love
Sweet Potato Skins Stuffed with BBQ Ranch Pulled Pork by Sustaining the Powers
Bacon-Wrapped Cheeseburger Bites by The BakerMama
Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad by The Creative Bite
German Potato Skins by The Crumby Cupcake
Old Bay Trail Mix by The Culinary Compass
Meat Lover’s Pizza Bites by The Life Jolie
Raspberry Chipotle Black Bean Dip by The Mexitalian
Grilled Asian Chicken Wings & Shishito Peppers by The Secret Ingredient Is
Blackened Shrimp Tacos by The Speckled Palate
Honeydew Melon Refresher by Two Places at Once
Grilled Sauerkraut Stuffed Brats by West via Midwest
Sausage Apple and Sage Hand Pies by What A Girl Eats
Note: This post is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by the National Football League (NFL) or any of its teams. All opinions and views expressed on our blogs are our own, not that of the NFL and/or any of its 32 teams. Any team names, logos or other symbols referenced are properties of their respective organizations. We are just big fans — and we want to share our love for our teams, the game and the food that brings us all together on game day.
Yes, a new quesadilla idea! What a fun idea and so perfect for tailgating.
Glad you agree, Terra!
YUM!!!!! All amazing things packed into one quesadilla – especially the pickles and mustard 😀
Green Fashionista
Heck yes! That mustard aioli makes this quesadilla!
Oh this looks so good. I have never made quesadilla at home but I really need too. I love them.
Quesadillas at home, are so easy!
I love this flavor profile! Can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing with #FoodieFootballFans
Hope you enjoy, Camilla!
One of my favorite sandwiches in quesadilla form!? YES, PLEASE!
It’s pretty much the perfect football food, right?!
Well, this looks delicious! Such a great recipe for game day. xx
Audrey Adair-Keene | http://www.happilyaudrey.com