Muffaletta Sandwich Recipe
The Muffaletta Sandwich is a classic Italian-American deli sandwich known for its robust flavors, featuring a savory olive salad spread layered with a variety of cured meats and cheeses on a round loaf of muffuletta or focaccia bread. This recipe includes a homemade olive salad spread packed with giardiniera, olives, garlic, and herbs, balanced by mortadella, capicola, salami, ham, provolone, and mozzarella, making it a hearty and flavorful meal perfect for lunch or a picnic.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
Scale
For the Olive Salad Spread:
- 1 cup giardiniera, chopped
- ½ cup green olives, pitted and chopped
- ¼ cup kalamata olives, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons parsley leaves, chopped
- 3 tablespoons roasted red peppers, chopped
- 1 tablespoon capers
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the Sandwich:
- 1 loaf muffuletta bread or focaccia
- ½ pound mortadella, sliced
- ½ pound capicola, sliced
- ½ pound Genoa salami, sliced
- ½ pound ham, sliced
- ½ pound provolone cheese, sliced
- ½ pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the Olive Salad Spread: Combine giardiniera, green olives, kalamata olives, minced garlic, parsley, roasted red peppers, capers, extra virgin olive oil, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, and black pepper in a sealed container. Mix well and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to meld. For a finer texture, pulse all ingredients briefly in a food processor or blender before refrigerating.
- Prepare the Bread: Place the loaf of muffuletta bread or focaccia on a tray lined with parchment paper. Cut the bread in half horizontally. If the bread loaf is thick or dense, hollow out a small portion of the interior to make space for fillings.
- Assemble the Sandwich: Evenly spread the prepared olive salad over the cut surfaces of both halves of the bread. Layer the mortadella, capicola, Genoa salami, ham, provolone, and mozzarella evenly over the olive spread on both sides.
- Press and Chill: Close the sandwich by bringing the halves together. Cover the top with another sheet of parchment paper and weigh down with a heavy object like a cast iron pan to press the sandwich. Refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours or overnight. If refrigerating overnight, it is best to wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap after applying weight.
- Serve: Remove the weight and parchment paper, slice the sandwich into portions, and serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- The olive salad can be made ahead of time and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days for deeper flavor development.
- Using a cast iron pan or any heavy object helps compress the sandwich and allows the flavors to meld together well.
- Hollowing out bread is optional but recommended for thick loaves to avoid an overly bulky sandwich.
- This sandwich tastes great served cold or at room temperature, making it perfect for picnics or packed lunches.
- You can substitute muffuletta bread with focaccia for a slightly different texture and flavor.
Keywords: Muffaletta, Italian sandwich, deli sandwich, olive salad, cured meats, giardiniera, cold sandwich
Find it online: https://mixitwitjoe.com/muffaletta-sandwich-recipe/
