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Best New Orleans Muffuletta Sandwich Recipe (Easy & Authentic)

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This authentic New Orleans muffuletta sandwich recipe features a tangy homemade olive salad, layers of Genoa salami, capicola, mortadella, and melted provolone and mozzarella cheese on a round Italian loaf. The secret is letting the sandwich rest so the flavors meld perfectly.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup pitted green olives, chopped
  • 1 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
  • 1/2 cup pepperoncini peppers, chopped
  • 1/4 cup capers, drained
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 large round loaf Italian bread (10–12 inches wide, about 2 pounds)
  • 1/2 pound thinly sliced Genoa salami
  • 1/2 pound thinly sliced capicola (hot or sweet)
  • 1/2 pound thinly sliced mortadella
  • 1/2 pound provolone cheese, sliced
  • 1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced

Instructions

  1. Make the olive salad: In a medium mixing bowl, combine chopped green olives, kalamata olives, pepperoncini, capers, minced garlic, parsley, oregano, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and black pepper. Stir until well mixed. Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour (or refrigerate overnight, then bring to room temperature before assembling).
  2. Prepare the bread: Using a serrated knife, slice the round loaf horizontally through the middle to create two even halves. Hollow out a small amount of the soft interior from both halves to create a shallow well for the olive salad. Save the removed bread for breadcrumbs or croutons.
  3. Layer the olive salad: Spoon about half of the olive salad onto the bottom half of the bread, spreading evenly to the edges. Let it sit for a minute so the bread absorbs the oil and vinegar.
  4. Build the meat and cheese layers: Layer provolone cheese on top of the olive salad. Add Genoa salami, overlapping slightly. Add capicola, then mortadella. Top with mozzarella slices. Spread the remaining olive salad on the cut side of the top half of the bread. Press the top half onto the sandwich gently but firmly.
  5. Wrap and rest: Wrap the entire sandwich tightly in plastic wrap, then wrap again in aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet and put something heavy on top (like a cast iron skillet or cans). Let rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or refrigerate overnight with the weight on top for best results.
  6. Warm and serve: Preheat oven to 350°F. Unwrap the sandwich and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and bread is warm. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing into wedges with a serrated knife. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Let the olive salad sit overnight for deeper flavor. Don’t oversalt—olives, capers, and cured meats are already salty. Use room temperature cheese for better melting. Slice meats thin but not paper-thin. Press the sandwich evenly. For a crowd, make two smaller muffulettas instead of one giant one.

Nutrition

Keywords: muffuletta, New Orleans sandwich, olive salad, Italian cold cuts, muffuletta recipe, authentic muffuletta, New Orleans muffuletta sandwich

Find it online: https://larameals.com/best-new-orleans-muffuletta-sandwich-recipe-easy-and-authentic/