The Muffaletta Sandwhich

Name: The Muffaletta Sandwich Recipe | New Orleans Classic
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 - 10 in round italian bread or long italian bread loaf; 1/4 pound(s) mozzarella cheese; 1/4 pound(s) provolone cheese; 1/4 pound(s) pound ham; 1/4 pound(s) hard salami; 1/4 pound(s) mortadella; ## OLIVE SALAD RECIPE:; 1 1/2 cup(s) quality pimento-stuffed olives, crushed or coarsely chopped; 1/2 cup(s) pitted kalamata olives, crushed or coarsely chopped (standard black olives may be used); 1 cup(s) giardiniera (italian pickled salad including cauliflower , carrots, celery, and onion. this can be found in the pickle aisle at the grocery store.); 2 - pepperoncinis, chopped; 2 tablespoon(s) capers, chopped; 2 large stalks celery, finely chopped; 3-4 - fresh cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon(s) fresh oregano, chopped; 1 tablespoon(s) fresh italian parsley, chopped; 2 tablespoon(s) red wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon(s) fresh lemon juice; 1 teaspoon(s) crushed red pepper; 1 cup(s) quality extra-virgin olive oil; - freshly ground black pepper, to taste

The Muffaletta is a legendary Italian sandwich from New Orleans built on round Italian bread with layers of mortadella, ham, salami, mozzarella, provolone, and a zesty homemade olive salad that's the true star of the dish.

🌍Italian 🏷️Pork

Total

Servings

4

Difficulty

Medium

Est. Cost

$37–$61

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Justapinch · by Leah Stacey

Ingredients

1 - 10 in round italian bread or long italian bread loaf

1/4 pound(s) mozzarella cheese

1/4 pound(s) provolone cheese

1/4 pound(s) pound ham

1/4 pound(s) hard salami

1/4 pound(s) mortadella

## OLIVE SALAD RECIPE:

1 1/2 cup(s) quality pimento-stuffed olives, crushed or coarsely chopped

1/2 cup(s) pitted kalamata olives, crushed or coarsely chopped (standard black olives may be used)

1 cup(s) giardiniera (italian pickled salad including cauliflower , carrots, celery, and onion. this can be found in the pickle aisle at the grocery store.)

2 - pepperoncinis, chopped

2 tablespoon(s) capers, chopped

2 large stalks celery, finely chopped

3-4 - fresh cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon(s) fresh oregano, chopped

1 tablespoon(s) fresh italian parsley, chopped

2 tablespoon(s) red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon(s) fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon(s) crushed red pepper

1 cup(s) quality extra-virgin olive oil

- freshly ground black pepper, to taste

21 Ingredients

Delivery in as fast as one hour.^*

Powered by Instacart

Prices vary by store

^*Service fees apply. Instacart^® and the Instacart logo are registered trademarks of Maplebear Inc. d/b/a Instacart.

Instructions

1
Combine ingredients for the olive salad and place in a jar with lid. Refrigerate over night (24 hours is best) to allow flavors to marinate. DO NOT use your food processor because it will chop the ingredients too finely. A knife works just fine to crush the olives and chop the giardiniera.
2
Assembling the sandwich:On the bottom half of the sliced bread, layer deli meats and cheeses as desired.
3
Spread a generous portion of olive salad on top of the meat and cheese.
4
Brush oil from the olive salad on the inside of the top bread layer and place on top of sandwich.
5
Cut sandwich up and feed to hungry people!
6
TIP: This is also great warmed up so the cheese melts. When I warm mine I put it in the oven at 350 for 10 minutes. Also This olive salad can be used as a bruschetta spread on toasted bread, or as a tasty addition to pastas, salads, or dips.

Was this recipe helpful?

Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Don't skimp on the olive salad—it's the signature element that makes this sandwich special; use quality olives and don't underestimate the giardiniera.
Chop or crush the olives coarsely rather than finely so they retain texture and don't turn to mush when pressed.
Layer meats and cheeses evenly across the bread to ensure every bite has balanced flavors and toppings.

Substitutions

Kalamata olives → green Castelvetrano olives (milder, buttery flavor)
Mortadella → capicola or soppressata (if mortadella is unavailable)
Standard black olives → kalamata olives (use pitted kalamata for the full recipe)

Storage & make-ahead

Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for up to 4 hours before serving; flavors deepen as it sits overnight.

Common Questions

What makes a muffaletta different from other Italian sandwiches?

The olive salad—a mixture of pimento-stuffed olives, kalamata olives, and giardiniera—is what sets it apart. This briny, tangy topping is essential and shouldn't be skipped.