olive salad

The classic New Orleans sandwich combines a homemade olive salad with layers of thin-sliced Italian cold cuts. The secret is to let it rest before eating so the olive juices get absorbed into the bread.

Classic New Orleans Muffuletta Sandwich Recipe

olives

capers

red peppers

parsley leaves

giardiniera (Italian-style pickled vegetable salad, see note)

garlic clove, minced (about 1 teaspoon)

red wine vinegar

olive oil

muffuletta-style roll (see note)

sweet soppressata

mortadella

capicola

provolone cheese

Combine olives, capers, peppers, parsley, giardiniera, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to chop until no pieces larger than 1/2-inch remain. Transfer to a bowl. Add vinegar and olive oil and stir to combine. For best results, let olive salad rest overnight before continuing to step 2.

Split muffuletta roll in half and spread each cut surface generously with olive salad, making sure to include the juices when spreading. Layer half of soppressata on bottom half of bun, followed by half of mortadella, half of capicola, and half of provolone. Repeat layers with remaining meat and cheese. Close sandwiches and press down gently to compress. For best flavor, wrap tightly in paper or plastic and let rest for 1 hour before serving. Cut into triangular wedges to serve.

Classic New Orleans muffuletta recipe scaled down to serve one person. Layers of meats, melted cheese, and olive salad piled high onto sturdy Italian bread.

Mini Muffuletta

green olives

black olives

carrot (, peeled and rough chopped)

olive oil ((extra virgin olive oil

Parmesan cheese

(4x4-inch) ciabatta roll ((or use 2 rolls if your roll is small))

ham ((2-ounces 48 grams))

pastrami ((2-ounces 48 grams))

pepperoni ((.5-ounce 15 grams))

provolone cheese ((1.5-ounce 40 grams))

butter (, melted)

Gather the ingredients together and read through the recipe and the ingredient notes. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).

Place the green olives, black olives, and a chopped carrot in a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Set aside.

Make the olive salad

Slice the bread horizontally and on one half, layer the meats, then the cheese, and then top with the olive salad. Place the other half of the bread on top.

Place the muffuletta on top of a sheet of foil. Brush the top of the bread with melted butter.

Wrap the muffuletta in aluminum foil and place it on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any possible spills.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Remove the sandwich from the oven and before unwrapping, gently push down on the top of the sandwich.

Unwrap and enjoy hot.

Assemble the muffuletta

Olive Salad 

kalamata olives, pitted

Italian Giardiniera

pepperoncini

pickled onion

garlic

oregano

black pepper

lemon juice

Drain all jarred ingredients and add to a large food processor or blender.

Add all remaining ingredients and pulse until mixture is finely chopped.

Store in airtight container and refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours before serving (best served the following day).

Often used in the classic New Orleans sandwich, a good Muffaletta Olive Salad is delicious in its own right.  Spread it on top of grilled chicken or serve with pita chips as a dip!

Muffaletta Olive Salad

10-oz. jar pitted green olives, drained

6-oz. can pitted black olives, drained

giardiniera mix (celery, carrots, cauliflower, peppers, etc., drained (see note))

pepperoncini (sliced)

Tbsp minced garlic

basil

½ tsp kosher salt

½ tsp black pepper

Tbsp red wine vinegar

Finely chop green olives, black olives and giardiniera and pepperoncino; place mixture in a medium mixing bowl.

Add remaining ingredients (garlic, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar and olive oil); stir until well combined.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Serve on crusty bread, sandwiches or on top of grilled chicken.

A classic New Orleans sandwich featuring a flavorful olive salad layered with Italian meats and cheese on a round loaf.

Muffaletta Sandwich Recipe for a Classic New Orleans Lunch

green olives (chopped)

giardiniera (chopped (or use pickled peppers))

red peppers (chopped)

shallot (minced)

garlic (minced)

bread bread

½ pound sliced capicola (or use deli ham, or both!)

salami

FOR THE OLIVE SALAD / TAPENADE: Mix together the olives, giardiniera, roasted red peppers, shallot, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil and oregano in large bowl.

ASSEMBLE THE MUFFALETTA: Slice the loaf of bread in half lengthwise and scoop out part of the interior to make room for the olive-pepper salad. Save the scooped out bread for another use if you’d like.

Lay the bread slices down with the insides facing up. Spread the olive tapenade mixture evenly over the bread slices.

Layer the bottom slice with capicola, mortadella, salami and provolone cheese. Top with the other half of bread.

Wrap the entire muffaletta sandwich with plastic wrap and set a pan or other weight over the top of the sandwich to lightly press it down. This will let the bread soak up some of the tapenade juices and build a lot of flavor. Set aside for 1 hour.

Unwrap the sandwich, slice it into 8 triangular pieces and serve.

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