Muffuletta sandwich is the classic New Orleans sandwich made with Italian cold cuts and a delicious olive salad mix. Make this ahead and serve the next day to allow the flavors to meld and make the most delicious Italian sandwich ever!
One bite of this Muffuletta Sandwich and you’ll be hooked. It’s the classic flavors of an Italian charcuterie board all sandwiched in a soft Italian loaf bread.
If you love Italian meats and cheeses, give this Antipasto Pasta Salad or the Italian Antipasto Pinwheels a try! For a delicious side dish to serve with your sandwich, try Italian Arugula Salad or Eggplant Caponata.
Muffuletta Sandwich Recipe
A muffuletta is a hearty Italian-American sandwich that originated in New Orleans. It features a thick, round Italian bread loaf filled with layers of salami and ham along with provolone and Swiss cheese.
A flavorful olive salad, made from chopped green and black olives, garlic, celery, and pickled vegetables marinated in olive oil, gives the sandwich its signature taste.
The briny, tangy mixture soaks into the bread, enhancing the rich flavors of the meats and cheeses. Ideally, the sandwich should me made ahead and refrigerated until ready to eat.
People usually serve the muffuletta at room temperature or warm it slightly for extra flavor. This iconic sandwich remains a must-try for anyone who loves bold, savory combinations.
So, if you love Italian meats and cheese, give this muffuletta sandwich a try. You’re going to love it!
History of the Muffuletta
The muffuletta sandwich originated in New Orleans in the early 1900s, created by Italian immigrants who settled in the city.
It is said that Sicilian farmers and laborers would visit Central Grocery, an Italian market in the French Quarter, for lunch, often purchasing bread, deli meats, cheeses, and olives separately.
Seeing a need for a more convenient way to eat these ingredients, the grocery’s Sicilian owner, assembled them into a single sandwich using a large, round sesame loaf known as muffuletta bread.
The sandwich quickly became popular due to its hearty size, bold flavors, and the way the olive salad’s briny oil soaked into the bread, enhancing its taste.
Over time, the muffuletta recipe became a staple of New Orleans cuisine, enjoyed both as a fresh sandwich and pressed slightly for a warm, melty variation. It also popular during mardi gras celebrations.
Key Ingredients
- Salami: thin sliced Genoa salami is a classic Muffuletta ingredient.
- Provolone: provolone cheese, thinly sliced.
- Ham: use a good quality deli ham like a smoked ham for best flavor.
- Olives: chopped olives make the sandwich. Use a variety such as green olives or kalamata olives.
- Giardiniera: this tangy pickled vegetable mix adds a briny flavor to the spread. You can use spicy or mild variety depending on preferences.
- Celery: diced celery adds great crunch. Use both the stalks and celery leaves.
- Parsley: finely diced Italian parsley is best.
- Garlic: use a clove of finely minced garlic to flavor the spread.
- Olive Oil: extra virgin olive oil tastes best.
- Bread: if you are fortunate enough to find a round loaf of sesame bread, or muffaletta bread, use that. Otherwise any round bread like French or Italian works.
How to Make a Muffuletta Sandwich
Muffuletta is best made ahead to allow the flavors to develop. You can make and serve this immediately, but I recommend giving it at least 4 hours to chill in the fridge so that the juices from the homemade olive salad have time to flavor the bread.
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Step 1: make the olive mixture
Start by finely dicing the olives, giardiniera, celery, and parsley. It’s important to get the ingredients finely diced and uniform in size. You can also make this in a food processor.
In a medium bowl, mix together the diced celery, giardiniera, diced olives, parsley, garlic, and oil. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, or use immediately.
Step 2: assemble the sandwich
Cut the bread in half horizontally. Remove enough of the soft center from each of the bread halves to make a 1-inch shell of bread. (Discard the unused bread or save for another use).
On the bottom half of the bread, spoon half of the olive mixture; layer the ham, then cheese, then salami on top. Spoon on the remaining olive mixture and add on the top half of the bread.
Step 3: cover and refrigerate
Wrap the sandwich in plastic wrap then aluminum foil and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours to allow the flavor to develop and the juices to soften the bread. When ready to serve, let the sandwich sit at room temperature for 30 minutes then cut into wedges.
Recipe Variations
There are lots of different variations of this sandwich depending on your taste buds. You can change up the flavors by adding:
- chopped capers
- diced red peppers
- red wine vinegar
- different meats like mortadella
- different cheeses like Swiss cheese
- a sprinkling of sesame seeds on the bread
How to Store Leftover Muffuletta
To store leftover muffuletta properly, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep the bread from drying out and to help the flavors continue to meld. Place the wrapped sandwich in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If you prefer a warmer sandwich, reheat it slightly in the oven at 300 degrees for a few minutes, but avoid microwaving, as it can make the bread soggy.
For the best texture and flavor, let the refrigerated muffuletta sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before eating. Avoid freezing, as the olive salad and bread may become too mushy when thawed.
More Italian-Inspired Food Recipes…
Muffuletta Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups celery stems with leaves (finely chopped)
- 1 cup giardiniera, drained and diced (mild or hot)
- ¾ cup olives, pitted and chopped (use a Mediterranean olive*)
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 round bread loaf (8-10 inch round, soft French bread)
- 4 ounces thinly sliced ham
- 4 ounces thinly sliced provolone cheese
- 4 ounces thinly sliced Genoa salami
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together the diced celery, giardiniera, diced olives, parsley, garlic, and oil. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, or use immediately.
- Cut the bread in half horizontally. Remove enough of the soft center from each of the bread halves to make a 1-inch shell of bread. (Discard the unused bread or save for another use). On the bottom half of the bread, spoon half of the celery-giardiniera mixture; layer the ham, then cheese, then salami on top. Spoon on the remaining celery-giardiniera mixture and add on the top half of the bread.
- Wrap the sandwich in plastic wrap then foil and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours to allow the flavors to develop and the juices to soften the bread. When ready to serve, let the sandwich sit at room temperature for 30 minutes then cut into wedges.
