Ready to make incredible, soft Cuban bread at home? This simple recipe guides you through every step, from a flavorful overnight starter to a beautifully baked loaf. While it requires some planning with about 12 hours of total rising time, the process is easy, and the reward is two loaves of amazing bread, ready for the best Cuban sandwiches you’ve ever had.
Here’s How to Make the Cuban Bread!
What You Will Need:
- Starter
- ½ teaspoon of dry active yeast
- ½ cup of water
- ½ cup of unbleached all-purpose flour
- Dough
- 3 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour divided
- ¾ cup of warm water
- 1 package of dry active yeast
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 2 teaspoons of fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons of butter or lard
- 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil or other neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon or more of cornmeal
The Starter for the Bread
The starter is made up of just yeast, flour, and water. Remember this needs to be mixed and put in the fridge overnight. This mixture helps to get the dough going when mixed in! The mixture goes together very easily.
Mixing the Dough
After proving the packet of yeast, mix in the butter and one cup of flour until well incorporated. This post for measuring dough may be helpful. Next, mix in the starter that you had in the fridge overnight with 1-1/2 cups of flour. This will leave you with 1/2 cup of flour. The dough will be sticky and soft before you start putting any of the last 1/2 cup of flour. I have usually put in all of the 1/2 cup of flour at the end. Form the dough into a ball after adding the ingredients. Place dough in an oiled bowl and oil the top of the dough. Let the dough rise for two hours. The dough should double in size.
Forming the Dough
Forming the dough is not difficult. After the dough has risen, cut the dough in two. Form two roughly 5 x 14 inch rectangles. Then roll the dough into a 14 inch log. Crimp the edge of the roll is sealed. Then press the dough into another 5 x 14 inch rectangle. The rectangle should be about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Place the 2 rectangles on their own baking tray lined with parchment and sprinkled with corn meal. Cover with a dry tea towel and let rise for 2 hours in a warm place.
Baking the Bread
Hang in there! Almost done! After the rectangles have risen, use a sharp knife to cut a 1/4 inch deep slice down the top of the rectangle. Next spray the loaves with a bit of water to help form the crust.
Bake the bread at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes more. After baking let the loaves cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into them.
The Cuban bread recipe is a long one but so worth it! Enjoy!
Like the Cuban bread recipe? Try it with my pulled pork recipe!
It’s best to let the starter rest overnight for optimal flavor and texture, but in a pinch, a shorter rest (at least 4 hours) may work.
The starter helps improve the flavor, texture, and rise of the bread by jump-starting yeast activity.
No special equipment is needed—just basic tools like bowls, baking sheets, a sharp knife, and parchment paper.
Spraying with water helps create a crispy, golden crust on the bread.
Yes, once fully cooled, wrap the loaves well and freeze. Thaw and reheat for best results.
Cuban bread is great for toast, garlic bread, French toast, or served alongside soups and stews.
Easy Cuban Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon dry active yeast
- ½ cup of water
- ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour divided
- ¾ cup of warm water
- 1 package of dry active yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil or other neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon or more of cornmeal
Method
- Mix the starter ingredients together until combined.
- Store in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight.
- Combine the packet of yeast, warm water, and sugar in a bowl and let set for 7-10 minutes to prove yeast. The yeast should get foamy and bubbly.
- Next add the butter or lard, salt, and one cup of the flour. Mix until combined. The mixture should form a ball or something resembling one.
- Add the starter and 1 ½ cups of the remaining flour. (Reserving the last ½ cup of flour) and incorporate into the mixture.
- The dough should be sticky at this point. Add the remaining ½ cup of flour as needed.
- Coat the bottom of a bowl and the ball of dough with a teaspoon of oil. Place the ball of dough in the bowl and cover with a damp towel. Let rise in a warm spot for two hours. The dough should double in size.
- After the dough has risen, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide the dough in two.
- Form dough into roughly two 5 x 14 inch rectangles. Roll the two rectangles into roughly two 14 inch logs and pinch the edge of the roll to seal the dough.
- Sprinkle the cornflour onto two parchment covered baking trays.
- Next press the logs down to another 5 x 14 inch rectangle and place one on each baking tray. Sprinkle a light coating of flour on each rectangle of dough.
- Cover the baking trays with clean tea towels and let rise for two hours.
- With a sharp knife, slice the top of the risen dough ¼ inch deep down the center of the loaf. Spray each loaf with a bit of water.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. Rotate baking trays top to bottom and bake for 10-15 minutes more.
- Let the dough cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into them.
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