Buy Now → Authentic Muffuletta Sandwich
This classic New Orleans Muffuletta Sandwich layers Italian meats and cheeses with tangy homemade olive salad for an easy, flavorful make-ahead meal.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Cajun / Creole, Italian
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Olive Salad
- 1 cup pimento-stuffed green olives (crushed)
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives (drained and crushed)
- 1/2 cup pepperoncini (drained)
- 1 cup giardiniera
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers (drained and chopped)
- 2 tablespoons capers (drained)
- 1/4 cup marinated cocktail onions (drained and coarsely chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/4 cup celery (chopped)
- 1/4 cup carrot (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil (plus additional if needed to cover the olive salad)
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Sandwiches
- 2 round loaves Italian bread (1 pound each)
- 8 ounces Genoa salami (thinly sliced)
- 8 ounces cooked ham (thinly sliced)
- 8 ounces mortadella (sliced)
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese (sliced)
- 8 ounces provolone cheese (sliced)
Instructions
Prepare the Olive Salad
- Roughly chop the green olives, Kalamata olives, pepperoncini, giardiniera, roasted red peppers, capers, cocktail onions, garlic, celery, and carrot until coarsely combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a medium nonreactive bowl.
- Add oregano, basil, and black pepper.
- Pour in olive oil, canola oil, and red wine vinegar.
- Stir until evenly combined.
- Transfer to a glass jar or nonreactive container. If needed, add additional olive oil to ensure the mixture is fully submerged.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight to allow flavors to develop.
Assemble the Sandwiches
- Slice each loaf of bread horizontally.
- Remove some of the interior crumb from each half to create space for the filling.
- Spoon olive salad evenly over the cut sides of the bread, including some of the oil.
- Layer the bottom halves evenly with salami, ham, mortadella, mozzarella, and provolone.
- Place the top halves of the bread over the layered meats and cheeses.
- Press gently to compact.
- Cut each loaf into quarters.
Serve
- Serve immediately, or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to several hours before serving to allow flavors to meld.
Notes
Substitutions
- Substitute Swiss cheese or mozzarella for provolone if preferred.
- Substitute turkey for ham if desired.
- Use all olive oil in place of canola oil.
- Substitute prepared chopped olive salad if homemade is not available.
Serving Suggestions and Pairings
- Serve with kettle-cooked potato chips or pasta salad.
- Pair with pickled vegetables or marinated artichokes.
- Serve alongside iced tea, sparkling water, or light-bodied red wine.
Storage
- Store assembled sandwiches wrapped tightly in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Store olive salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep refrigerated; an oil covering does not establish safe long-term preservation.
Freezing
- Olive salad may be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and stir before using.
••Freezing assembled sandwiches is not recommended due to texture changes in the bread and cheese.
Find it online: https://jennifercooks.com/muffuletta-sandwich/