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Cuban bocaditos de jamón are little ham sandwiches made with a creamy ham spread. The filling is made with ham, cream cheese, mayo, pimentos, and olives, then blended until smooth. They almost remind me of a mini tuna slider, but a tad bit saltier from the ham and olives.
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Table of Contents
If you grew up in a Cuban family, chances are you’ve had bocaditos de jamón at a birthday party at some point. I grew up eating these at pretty much every birthday party in my family, and they’re one of those foods that instantly remind me of being a kid.
Traditionally, bocaditos are served on soft white sandwich bread with the crusts removed, then sliced diagonally into little triangles. That’s the classic way I remember them, but slider rolls work really well too. You can even skip the bread altogether and serve the ham spread with crackers.
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Ham – Use your favorite cooked ham. Since ham is already salty, I recommend tasting the finished spread before adding any extra salt.
- Cream cheese – This makes the filling thick, creamy, and easy to spread.
- Mayonnaise – A little mayo loosens everything up and gives the bocadito spread that creamy consistency.
- Pimentos – These add a little sweetness and are a classic addition to the filling.
- Olives – I like green olives here because that salty, briny flavor goes really well with the ham. You can also use a few pickles instead if that’s what you have on hand.
- Bread – Soft white sandwich bread is the classic choice. Remove the crusts, make the sandwiches, and slice them diagonally into triangles. Slider rolls are another easy option, especially if you’re serving these at a party.
Top Tips
- Don’t automatically add salt. Between the ham and olives, there’s already plenty of saltiness going on. Blend everything first, taste it, and then decide if it needs any.
- I also recommend refrigerating the filling for at least 1-2 hours before serving. It gives the flavors time to come together and helps the mixture firm up a bit.
- And if you’re making these for a party, you can make the ham spread the day before. Keep it covered in the fridge and assemble your bocaditos when you’re ready to serve.
Storage
Store the ham spread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you’re making these ahead of time, I recommend storing the spread separately and assembling the bocaditos shortly before serving so the bread doesn’t get soggy.
Once assembled, keep them covered and refrigerated until you’re ready to serve.
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Cuban Bocaditos de Jamon
Equipment
- Food Processor or Blender
Ingredients
- 1 lb ham, roughly chopped
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp pimentos, diced
- 1/4 cup green olives or a few pickles
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 12 slider rolls, for serving
Instructions
- Add the ham, cream cheese, mayonnaise, pimentos, and olives to a food processor or blender.
- Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Taste and season with salt and black pepper if needed. Keep in mind that the ham and olives are already salty, so you may not need much salt.
- Transfer the ham spread to an airtight container, cover, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. This allows it to chill and firm up before serving.
- Spread generously onto slider rolls or crustless white sandwich bread. If using sandwich bread, remove the crusts and slice each sandwich diagonally into triangles for the classic Cuban bocadito presentation.
- You can also serve the ham spread with crackers as an easy appetizer.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
