Muffaletta with Olive Tapenade

Name: Muffaletta with Olive Tapenade
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: One 10-inch round loaf Italian bread; 1 cup mixed pitted olives, roughly chopped; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1/2 cup pickled vegetables, such as giardiniera, chopped; 1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers; 2 tablespoons chopped parsley; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1/2 pound salami, deli sliced; 1/2 pound provolone, deli sliced; 1/2 pound capicola, deli sliced; 1/2 pound smoked mozzarella, deli sliced; 1/2 pound mortadella, deli sliced

Muffaletta with olive tapenade is a bold, briny New Orleans-style sandwich built on round Italian bread with a zesty olive and pickled vegetable spread, cured meats, and roasted peppers. The tapenade is the star—complex, garlicky, and vinegar-forward.

🌍American 🏷️Southern recipes 🏷️Olive recipes 🏷️Main dish

Total

Servings

6

Difficulty

Medium

Est. Cost

$26–$43

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Food Network

Ingredients

One 10-inch round loaf Italian bread
1 cup mixed pitted olives, roughly chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pickled vegetables, such as giardiniera, chopped
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 pound salami, deli sliced
1/2 pound provolone, deli sliced
1/2 pound capicola, deli sliced
1/2 pound smoked mozzarella, deli sliced
1/2 pound mortadella, deli sliced

14 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Divide the bread lengthwise. Scoop out some of the dough-y interior and reserve for another use.
2
Combine the olives, oil, pickled vegetables, red peppers, parsley, vinegar, garlic and Italian seasoning in a bowl. Spread half of the olive tapenade on the bottom half of the bread. Layer the salami, provolone, capicola, mozzarella, mortadella and the rest of the olive tapenade. Top with the other half of the bread and wrap the entire loaf in plastic wrap. Top the wrapped sandwich with a cast iron pan and set aside to rest for 1 hour. To facilitate easy cutting, skewer the muffaletta with 4 skewers and cut into 8 even triangles.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Pulse or roughly chop the olives and pickled vegetables by hand rather than blending—you want texture and visible pieces, not a smooth paste.
Taste the tapenade before assembling and adjust vinegar and garlic to your preference; the spread should be bold and briny.
Toast the bread lightly if you prefer it to stay firm when wet from the tapenade; skip toasting for a softer bite.
Let the assembled sandwich rest for 15–30 minutes before slicing to allow the flavors to meld and the bread to absorb the tapenade.

Substitutions

Mixed pitted olives → all green or all black olives (adjust for personal taste; black olives are milder, greens are more briny)
Giardiniera → marinated artichoke hearts, pickled onions, or roasted red peppers in vinegar (maintain the pickled/briny element)
Salami → capicola, mortadella, or a mix of Italian cold cuts (traditional muffalettas use multiple cured meats)

Storage & make-ahead

Wrap assembled sandwich in foil and refrigerate up to 2 days; serve cold or bring to room temperature. Store leftover tapenade separately in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Common Questions

What is a muffaletta sandwich?

A muffaletta is a New Orleans deli sandwich served on a round Italian loaf, traditionally filled with cured meats and a signature olive tapenade made from brined olives, pickled vegetables, garlic, and oil.

Can I make the tapenade ahead of time?

Yes. Make the tapenade up to 3 days ahead and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The flavors actually improve as it sits.

What kind of olives work best?

Use a mix of green and black pitted olives for balance. Castelvetrano, Kalamata, and green Sicilian olives are all good choices.

Can I substitute the salami?

Yes. Capicola, mortadella, prosciutto, or a combination of Italian cured meats work well. Muffaletta traditionally uses multiple cured meats.

Should I press or toast the assembled sandwich?

Not required, but you can wrap the assembled sandwich and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld, or press it lightly before serving.