New Orleans Muffaletta Sandwich
New Orleans Muffaletta Sandwich – A monster of a sandwich piled high with multiple types of meat and cheese, and a perky olive salad.
Why We Love This New Orleans Muffaletta Sandwich Recipe
There are times in life when one craves a sandwich.
Sometimes it’s more than just a craving or even a hankering… It’s a deeply-rooted guttural urge for a sloppy, meaty, two-handed, got-to-SQUEEZE-to-fit-in-your-mouth kind of sandwich.
A man’s sandwich. The likes of which we girls shy away from in fear of judging eyes. I had that kind of hunger this week. I say that without any shame.
Luckily, I have the cure for such a ravenous appetite. It’s called a New Orleans Muffuletta.
What Is A Muffaletta?
Muffalettas (also Muffuletta) are a true New Orleans sandwich creation.
A muffuletta sandwich is a large double meat, double cheese sandwich with the mother of all sauces on top.
Actually, it’s not a sauce at all. The topping is an olive salad that is dumped over generously piled deli favorites, then covered with bread in hopes it will stay on.
The name “muffuletta” comes from the style of Italian bread loaf used, and there is quite a discrepancy in how it is pronounced.
Some say Moo-full-otta or Moof-oo-letta… I say Muff-all-etta… You be the judge.
How Do You Make A Muffaletta Sandwich?
First mix the Olive Salad, made with…
- 7 ounces small green olives(1 jar)
- 16 ounces giardiniera mix, roughly chopped (1 jar)
- 3 ounces cocktail onions, roughly chopped (1 jar)
- 2 ounces capers
- 1/4 cup chopped banana peppers, or pepperoncinis
- 1/2 cup diced carrots
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Drain the brined ingredients. Roughly chop the cocktail onions, giardiniera mix, and banana peppers. Add all the ingredients to a medium/large bowl and mix well. Set aside while preparing the rest of the sandwich. The longer it sits, the better!
For the New Orleans Muffuletta Sandwich:
Ingredients…
- Italian bread, round (with or without sesame seeds on top)
- Deli sliced ham
- Deli sliced salami
- Sliced provolone cheese
- Sliced swiss cheese
Slice the loaf of bread in half to make a top and bottom for the sandwich. Hollow out some of the bread on the top half, so it won’t be too tall to fit in your mouth. If you want to take it to an extra level you can toast the bread in the oven for a few minutes to add some crunch.
Drizzle some of the olive salad juice on the bottom half of the loaf. Layer the ham, provolone, salami, and Swiss cheese on the sandwich.
Top the meats and cheeses with a generous portion of olive salad and add the bread top. Or live adventurously… Fill the hollowed-out bread top with salad, place the bottom half over it, and FLIP! Cut into pieces and serve.
My Take On A Muffuletta Recipe
I have seen New Orleans Muffaletta recipes with a tidy tapenade, minced until almost obliterated, as to spread it across the bread.
I have no intention of offending these sandwich makers, but I think they are missing the point.
This sandwich is meant to be a BIG sandwich, and big sandwiches are meant to be messy.
In fact, part of the fun of eating a New Orleans Muffaletta Sandwich is using your fingers to eat all the runaways that fall onto your plate!
Therefore, I say make a chunky olive salad, with pieces large enough for a half-blind granny to identify.
As we ate our New Orleans Muffuletta sandwich this week, my non-olive eating son said, “What’s in this that makes it soooo good?”
You could see the olives hanging out of his sandwich and all over his plate, but he didn’t care.
Something about a muffuletta makes you throw caution to the wind, and open wide for an enormous bite!
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this sandwich last?
You can store the extra olive salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5-7 days. If you have leftover sandwiches, you can wrap them in plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
Can the capers be omitted, or can you suggest a substitute?
Absolutely! You can omit the capers, or swap them for extra olives. Whichever you prefer.
What is a good Muffuletta bread?
Traditional Muffaletta bread is an Italian loaf covered with sesame seeds. If you can’t find this, look for an Italian bread, a common loaf you would find in a central grocery in Italy. Other types of bread that you can use are ciabatta, or even focaccia for some added flavor.
Why did you choose Italian bread for a New Orleans dish?
This sandwich was originated by the Sicilian immigrants by Salvatore Lupo who noticed that most of his customers came into his store for a quick lunch and struggled with eating the meat, bread, and olives separately. He decided to put them all together into this sandwich to make it easier for the farmers and workers who showed up.
What other meat substitutions can I use for this dish?
You can add or substitute mortadella bologna, genoa salami, pepperoni, or prosciutto.
See The Recipe Card Below For How To Make New Orleans Muffuletta Sandwich. Enjoy!
Other Sandwich Recipes You Might Like:
- Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwich
- Greek Chicken Salad Sandwiches
- Panini Sandwich with Creamy Pesto Sauce
- Almond Sandwich Cookies
- Sous Vide French Dip Sandwiches from Simply Recipes
New Orleans Muffuletta Sandwich
Ingredients
For the Olive Salad:
- 7 ounces small green olives (1 jar)
- 16 ounces giardiniera mix, roughly chopped (1 jar)
- 3 ounces cocktail onions, roughly chopped (1 jar)
- 2 ounces capers
- 1/4 cup chopped banana peppers, or pepperoncinis
- 1/2 cup diced carrots
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
For the New Orleans Muffuletta Sandwich:
- 1 loaf Italian bread, round
- 1/2 pound deli sliced ham
- 1/2 pound deli sliced salami
- 1/2 pound sliced provolone cheese
- 1/2 pound sliced swiss cheese
Instructions
For the Olive Salad:
- Drain the brined ingredients. Roughly chop the cocktail onions, giardiniera mix, and banana peppers. Add all the ingredients to a medium bowl and mix well. Set aside while preparing the rest of the sandwich. The longer it sits, the better!
For the New Orleans Muffuletta Sandwich:
- Slice the loaf of bread in half to make a top and bottom for the sandwich. Hollow out some of the bread on the top half, so it won’t be too tall to fit in your mouth.
- Drizzle some of the olive salad juice on the bottom half of the loaf. Layer the ham, provolone, salami, and swiss cheese on the sandwich.
- Top the meats and cheeses with a generous portion of olive salad and add the bread top. Or live adventurously… Fill the hollowed-out bread top with salad, place the bottom half over it, and FLIP! Cut into pieces and serve.
It was really delicious! My kids can’t wait for me to make it again!
Question…not really fond of capers. Can they be omitted, or can you suggest a substitute?
Thanks!
Hi Gina,
Absolutely! You can omit the capers, or swap them for extra olives. Whichever you prefer. :)
Love this unique sandwich!
Made this for Fat Tuesday and loved it!
Just like I remember eating in New Orleans! Delicious!
These are one of our very favorite sandwiches. I think we have made them three times in the last month!
No, I did not make it yet, but it looks great, and will…
If I hadn’t just devoured a bowl of gumbo for lunch, I would be making this right now! Definitely going to be making this!