Description
Hearty New Orleans Muffaletta sandwich blends Italian deli meats, cheeses, and zesty olive salad between crusty bread. Layers of robust flavors celebrate Louisiana’s culinary heritage with each satisfying bite you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Olive Salad:
Olives and Vegetables:
- 1 cup green olives (pitted and chopped)
- 1 cup black olives (pitted and chopped)
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers (chopped)
- 1/4 cup pickled vegetables (chopped (like giardiniera))
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
Oils and Seasonings:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Sandwich Components:
Bread:
- 1 large round loaf of Italian or French bread
Meats:
- 1/4 pound (113 grams) sliced Genoa salami
- 1/4 pound (113 grams) sliced ham
- 1/4 pound (113 grams) sliced mortadella
Cheeses:
- 1/4 pound (113 grams) sliced provolone cheese
- 1/4 pound (113 grams) sliced mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Craft a robust olive salad by combining green and black olives with roasted red peppers, pickled vegetables, minced garlic, chopped parsley, olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Thoroughly blend ingredients and let marinate for minimum 30 minutes, ideally preparing a day ahead for enhanced flavor complexity.
- Select a round bread loaf and carefully slice horizontally, gently removing interior soft bread from both top and bottom halves to create optimal filling space.
- Generously distribute half the prepared olive salad across bottom bread layer, creating a vibrant foundation for subsequent ingredients.
- Meticulously layer cured meats – salami, ham, and mortadella – followed by provolone and mozzarella cheeses, ensuring even coverage across the olive salad base.
- Spread remaining olive salad across top bread half, creating a harmonious flavor profile.
- Carefully position top bread section over layered ingredients, ensuring balanced composition.
- Tightly encase entire sandwich in plastic wrap, applying significant pressure using a heavy skillet or pan for 1-4 hours to compress and marry flavors.
- Remove wrapping, slice into wedges or quarters, and serve at ambient temperature for optimal taste experience.
Notes
- Prepare olive salad ahead of time to develop deeper, richer flavor profiles that enhance the overall sandwich experience.
- Adjust olive mixture by adding capers or chopped artichokes for extra tangy complexity and texture variation.
- Select high-quality cured meats from specialty delis to elevate the sandwich’s authentic New Orleans taste and texture.
- Customize sandwich for vegetarian diets by replacing meats with grilled portobello mushrooms, roasted eggplant, and additional cheese varieties.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: None
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 1200 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg