Muffuletta Sandwich
Updated
Updated
This classic New Orleans Muffuletta sandwich features sturdy bread, zesty olive salad, and layers of Italian cold cuts and cheese. I love its impressive size, appearance, and unique flavor that make it a force in the sandwich world.
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Easy Muffuletta Recipe
A Muffuletta (pronounced moof-fuh-LEHT-tuh) is a classic sandwich that originated at a Sicilian deli in New Orleans, dating back to the 1900s. Today, they’re found in joints all over New Orleans, from grocery stores, delis, bowling alleys…you name it.
The sandwich starts with a round loaf of muffuletta sesame bread, topped with tangy olive salad, and layer upon layer of Italian cold-cuts and cheese. It’s gigantic! They’re somewhat labor-intensive to make, but I find the payoff is worth it. Believe me, there’s nothing quite like a muffuletta sandwich!
My version of a muffuletta sandwich has all of those same components, except for the bread, which isn’t a true muffuletta roll, as they are difficult to find outside of New Orleans. I also chose to hollow out a bit of the bread, which isn’t typically done. But it’s just too much bread for me. Your choice!
Helpful Tips
- Let the sandwich rest before slicing. This allows the bread to absorb the juices from the olive salad. It is optional, but the flavor is elevated.
- Serve at room temperature or warm. My understanding is that a true Muffuletta Sandwich is served at room temperature, but I’ve heard some people love it warm. If you want it warm, wrap it in foil and heat it in a 300°F oven for about 15 minutes, then unwrap for about 5 minutes to get it a little crispy.
- Muffuletta bread. The authentic Sicilian sandwich is made on a 10″ round Italian loaf with sesame seeds, but any dense, soft-crusted bread like ciabatta or focaccia works well. Avoid soft French loaves, as they can’t support the filling.
- Hollow out the bread or not. I choose to hollow out the bread a little to make room for the olive salad and make it easier to eat! But this is not done with a real Muffuletta. Just personal preference.
- Make extra olive salad. The olive salad takes the most effort, but believe me, it’s worth it! Make a double batch so you’ll have extra for more sandwiches—it keeps for weeks and is great in salads or pasta too.
Muffuletta Sandwich
Ingredients
For the Olive Salad
- 16 oz. jar Giardiniera, drained and diced
- ¼ cup kalamata olives, drained and diced
- 1 tbsp capers, drained
- ¼ cup pepperoncini peppers, drained and diced
- 2 tbsp diced marinated cocktail onions
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp canola oil
For the Sandwich
- 1 lb. round loaf Italian bread, (10")
- 4 oz. thinly sliced Genoa salami
- 4 oz. thinly sliced cooked ham
- 4 oz. thinly sliced mortadella
- 4 oz. thinly sliced mozzarella cheese
- 4 oz. thinly sliced provolone cheese
Instructions
To Make Olive Salad:
- In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the olive salad. Mix together and transfer to an airtight container. (If needed, pour in a touch more oil to cover.) Cover container and refrigerate overnight.
To Make Sandwiches:
- Slice the loaf of bread in half to make a top and bottom for the sandwich; hollow out a touch of the excess bread from the top half to make room for filling.
- Brush some of the olive salad juice on both the top and bottom halves of the loaf (go a little heavier on the bottom.) Layer with the salami, ham, mortadella, mozzarella, and Provolone. Top the meats and cheeses with a generous portion of olive salad and add the loaf top.
- Serve immediately, or wrap tightly and refrigerate for a few hours. Let it come to room temperature.
- Using a serrated bread knife, cut the sandwich into wedges/quarters. Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!How to Make Muffuletta Sandwich Step by Step
Make the olive salad: Combine a 16 oz. jar of Giardiniera, ¼ cup kalamata olives, 1 tbsp capers, ¼ cup pepperoncini peppers, 2 tbsp cocktail onions, ¼ tsp ground black pepper, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, ¼ cup olive oil, and 2 tbsp canola oil in a bowl. Mix well, transfer to an airtight container, and store in the fridge overnight. Make sure the salad is completely covered in oil; if it isn’t, add more to cover.
Make the sandwiches: Cut the loaf in half and remove some of the bread from the top half so you can easily fit in the filling.
Brush both the top and bottom with some of the olive salad juice, brushing slightly more on the bottom. Layer the bread with 4 oz of each of the following: salami, ham, mortadella, mozzarella, and Provolone. Finally, layer with a generous portion of the olive salad, and then place the top layer of bread over it.
Feel free to eat immediately, or as I mentioned, wrap it tightly and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop. Bring the sandwich to room temperature before you want to eat it.
Cut and serve: Using a serrated bread knife, cut the sandwich into wedges/quarters. Enjoy!
How to Store
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 1-2 days in an airtight container. Note the bread may start to get a touch soggy.
I do not recommend freezing leftovers of this muffuletta sandwich.
What to Serve With Muffuletta Sandwich
I like to serve these sandwiches with a side of colorful baked beet chips, but when I’m short on time, I’ll prepare a batch of easy-to-prepare dill pickle cheddar cheese chips. If I’m in the mood for salad, I’ll whip up a creamy cucumber salad.
