A Taste of the Big Easy: Classic Muffaletta Sandwich
This beloved staple of New Orleans cuisine is the perfect on-the-go sandwich. Meant to marinate overnight, it can be easily packed in a cooler and makes the perfect pairing for a beach day, or camping trip.
or read on for step-by-step instructions with photos
The greatest gift of all comes in sandwich form
I started making this sandwich many years ago and my husband loves it so much that I make at least one or two per year.
One year I even surprised him with a muffaletta on Christmas day and it was probably his favorite gift that year 😂. I also gave one as a gift to the chef-owner of the restaurant where I worked for many years, and he talked about it for days!
That’s when I realized that this sandwich could be an amazing gift. Classic food gifts tend to be sweets, pastries, and preserves but never giant sandwiches!
Take my word for it, this will be one of the most unexpected and memorable gifts you will ever give.
So what is a muffaletta sandwich exactly?
A muffaletta typically consists of layers of Italian cold cuts, cheese, and olive salad sandwiched in a large round loaf, then served in wedges.
It originated in New Orleans when an Italian immigrant created the sandwich as a convenient and quick lunch for the Italian workers who frequented his grocery store. Over time, it gained popularity and is now one of the iconic symbols of New Orleans cuisine.
Not only does this sandwich taste delicious, but it also travels extremely well. The whole thing can be assembled ahead of time and gets better as it marinates for a few days.
It can be frozen, eaten cold or hot, and never gets soggy. It’s super versatile!
So whether you want to gift it to someone, take it with you camping, have a picnic, or simply eat it at home, this sandwich will bring so much joy. The kind that only comes in sandwich form.
What you’ll need
Ingredients
For the sandwich
1-6” rustic round loaf of bread
5 ounces (150 g) half mild, half hot genoa salami, sliced
7 ounces (200 g) mortadella, sliced
3 ½ ounces (100 g) coppa, sliced
4 ounces (120 g) provolone, sliced
For the olive salad
1 cup (250 ml) black olives, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) green olives, chopped
1 stalk celery
½ shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced
10 pepperoncini peppers, chopped with seeds in
½ cup giardiniera pickles, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons pepperoncini pickling liquid
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Equipment
Knife & cutting board
Mixing bowl & spoon
Makes: 8 portions
Prep: 20 min + overnight rest
How to make it
Step 1
Make the olive salad.
Mix the chopped black & green olives, celery, shallot, garlic, pepperoncini peppers, giardiniera pickles, and parsley with the olive oil, red wine vinegar, pepperoncini pickling liquid, and black pepper. Taste to adjust the seasoning with additional vinegar, pickling liquid, and black pepper to your liking.
Step 2
Slice the loaf in half and remove the crumb.
Slice the loaf horizontally in half and rip out a good amount of the crumb from both sides to make space for the filling. Don’t throw away the crumb as it can be used to make croutons!
Tip: Use a rustic loaf of bread with a sturdy crust to ensure your sandwich does not get soggy. If you live in Canada, Ace Bakery makes the perfect round miche loaf. You don’t have to buy this brand specifically, but it’s the style you are looking for.
Step 3
Spread on the olive salad.
Evenly spread the olive salad on both sides as close to the edge as possible.
Step 4
Layer on the meats and cheese.
Layer the meats starting with the mortadella, placing half of it on the bottom and the other half on the top side of the loaf. Then repeat with the coppa, and salami, placing the mild salami on one side and the hot salami on the other. Lastly, layer the cheese on one side.
Step 5
Wrap the sandwich and rest overnight.
Then carefully close the sandwich and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or in a bag, and place it in the fridge to rest overnight. It can also be enjoyed immediately if you’re really excited to dig into it, but I assure you it gets better once the ingredients have had time to integrate.
If you have something to weigh it down with such as a cast iron skillet or a flat tray with some heavy cans on top, do this to allow the ingredients to sink into the bread and integrate better. If you don’t, that’s okay, the sandwich will turn out amazing regardless.
Step 6
Slice and serve.
To serve, unwrap the sandwich and slice it into ⅛ portions.
I like to slice it in half first, then quarters, and then each quarter in half again to ensure even pieces.
You can eat it cold, at room temperature, or heat it wrapped in foil in a 350F oven for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is melty.
My tips
Portion size - this sandwich is filling! A ⅛ portion doesn’t look like much but it’s enough for one person to eat as a meal.
Take it camping - if you take this sandwich camping, you can pre-wrap ⅛ portions in foil, then simply reheat them by the campfire. Or eat it straight out of the cooler for a quick snack.
Griddle it - this sandwich can also be griddled like a grilled cheese. Place in a cast-iron pan on medium heat with a weight on top, flipping halfway through until hot and melty.
Feed a crowd - serve this sandwich at a party by slicing it into smaller portions and plating it on a nice platter.
Process the olive salad ingredients - use a food processor to easily and quickly chop the ingredients for the olive salad rather than chopping by hand.
Substitutions
Meat - I strongly recommend the classic original but you can substitute the Italian meats for turkey, roast beef, or pastrami. Or to make it vegetarian, use marinated grilled vegetables like eggplant, zucchini, red onions & peppers.
Cheese - other cheeses that work well include mozzarella, Swiss, or cheddar.
Olive Salad - if you don’t want to make a homemade olive salad there are plenty of pre-made jarred options in grocery stores.
Bread - to make smaller personal-sized sandwiches use ciabatta, focaccia, or even a sturdy French baguette.
Vegetables - try adding roasted red peppers, arugula, marinated artichokes, Calabrian chili peppers, or pickled red onions for some crunch.
Spices and Herbs - experiment with different spices such as chili flakes, dried basil, or oregano; or substitute the fresh parsley for basil, chives, thyme, or rosemary.
Storage
Store tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Freeze for up to 3 months.
To defrost, place in the fridge overnight. Defrosted muffaletta tends to taste better when heated.
Dietary Notes: Egg-free
That’s it, enjoy!
I love eating this sandwich on its own, but it also happens to go well with Caesar salad. This is perfect because I like to turn the extra crumb we saved earlier into croutons for the salad.
Gently coat the pieces of crumb with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then bake in a 350F oven for 10-15 min, tossing occasionally, until crispy and golden brown. Then serve with a Caesar salad or any other salad you like to add croutons to.
If you don’t want to make croutons, you can always turn them into breadcrumbs as well!
Summary
Authentic New Orleans Muffaletta Sandwich Recipe
Taste the iconic flavors of the Big Easy in this classic sandwich. Marinate overnight for a flavorful treat perfect for beach days or camping trips.
Makes: 8 portions
Prep: 20 min + overnight rest
Ingredients
For the sandwich
1-6” rustic round loaf of bread
5 ounces (150 g) half mild, half hot genoa salami, sliced
7 ounces (200 g) mortadella, sliced
3 ½ ounces (100 g) coppa, sliced
4 ounces (120 g) provolone, sliced
For the olive salad
1 cup (250 ml) black olives, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) green olives, chopped
1 stalk celery
½ shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced
10 pepperoncini peppers, chopped with seeds in
½ cup giardiniera pickles, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons pepperoncini pickling liquid
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Make olive salad. Chop and mix the olive salad ingredients. Adjust seasoning with more vinegar or pickling liquid to taste.
Prep bread. Cut the loaf in half, and remove crumb from both sides to make space for filling.
Spread olive salad. Evenly spread olive salad on both bread halves.
Layer meats and cheese. Begin with mortadella, layer half on the bottom and the other on the top side of the bread. Repeat with coppa, and salami, alternating mild and hot salami on each side. Finish by layering all the cheese on one side.
Wrap and rest. Wrap sandwich tightly and refrigerate overnight. Optionally, weigh it down to integrate ingredients.
Slice and serve. Unwrap, slice, and enjoy cold, at room temperature, or heat in foil in a 350F oven until cheese is melty.
Top Tips
Choose the right loaf - use a sturdy loaf of bread with a good crust to prevent the sandwich from becoming soggy.
Process the olive salad ingredients in a food processor for quick & easy chopping instead of doing it by hand. Or for a bigger shortcut, look for pre-made options in jars at grocery stores.
Take it camping - pre-wrap portions in foil for easy reheating over the campfire or enjoy straight from the cooler.
For a vegetarian option, swap Italian meats with marinated grilled vegetables like eggplant, zucchini, and peppers.
What's your muffaletta style? Comment below: cold & classic or hot & melty?
Enjoy!
