The Classic Italian Muffuletta Sandwich Recipe
The Classic Italian Muffuletta Sandwich is a hearty and flavorful Italian-American deli staple from New Orleans. Featuring a round sesame seed loaf packed with a tangy olive salad, a variety of Italian meats, and cheeses, this sandwich offers a perfect balance of savory, spicy, and tangy flavors. Ideal for picnics or casual gatherings, it’s pressed to meld all the ingredients into a deliciously compact sandwich.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes (including chilling time)
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
Scale
Olive Salad
- 1 cup green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
- 1 cup black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup giardiniera (Italian pickled vegetables), drained and coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
- 1/4 cup capers, drained
- 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Sandwich
- 1 large round Italian sesame seed bread (about 10 inches in diameter)
- 4 oz. thinly sliced mortadella
- 4 oz. thinly sliced salami
- 4 oz. thinly sliced capicola
- 4 oz. thinly sliced provolone cheese
- 4 oz. thinly sliced mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the Olive Salad: In a large bowl, combine the green olives, black olives, giardiniera, roasted red peppers, capers, celery, and garlic. Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Mix well to combine, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld.
- Assemble the Sandwich: Slice the round bread loaf in half horizontally. If the bread is very thick, gently hollow out some of the interior crumb to create room for fillings. Evenly spread half of the prepared olive salad over the bottom half of the bread. Layer the mortadella, salami, capicola, provolone, and mozzarella cheese on top of the olive salad. Spread the remaining half of the olive salad over the layered meats and cheeses.
- Press and Serve: Place the top half of the bread loaf over the fillings and press down gently but firmly to compact the sandwich. Wrap the entire sandwich tightly in plastic wrap, then place it under a heavy skillet or pan to press for at least 30 minutes. Unwrap, slice into wedges or slices, and serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 24 hours.
Notes
- Allowing the olive salad to marinate overnight enhances the flavor and softens the textures, creating a more harmonious sandwich.
- Removing some of the bread crumb helps prevent the sandwich from becoming overly thick and makes it easier to bite into.
- Pressing the sandwich helps the ingredients meld and makes it easier to handle.
- This sandwich can be made a day ahead and wrapped tightly in plastic to allow flavors to develop further.
- Use fresh, high-quality Italian deli meats and cheeses for the best flavor.
Keywords: Muffuletta, Italian sandwich, olive salad, New Orleans sandwich, Italian deli sandwich
