This muffaletta recipe is the ultimate sandwich from New Orleans, piled high with Italian meats, cheese, and a homemade spicy olive salad. Feeds a crowd!
Muffaletta Sandwich Recipe
We're making a big Muffaletta Sandwich in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen today, my friends. Have you ever had a muffaletta? What a great sandwich!
I encountered my very first muffaletta on a foodie tour of New Orleans, where we were served a thick slice of the traditional version. Talk about delicious...and filling. New Orleans muffalettas have no equal. It is the ultimate classic New Orleans sandwich.
The muffaletta is layered with Italian cold cuts, including capicola, mortadalla and salami, lots of provolone cheese and a flavor powerhouse olive salad or spread that stands up to all that meat. It's all spread over round Italian bread, and meant to serve a small group.
I sometimes see it mistakenly spelled "muffuletta sandwich". The sandwich was reportedly invented by Sicilian immigrant Salvatore Lupo at the Central Grocery Co in New Orleans in 1906 and has clearly stood the test of time, a true tribute to its flavorful impact.
I like to make this advance for parties or for us for long hike days. Great lunch! I think you're going to love this one, my friends.
Let's talk about how to make a muffaletta sandwich, shall we?
Muffaletta Sandwich Ingredients
- FOR THE OLIVE SALAD MIXTURE (Olive Tapenade)
- Green Olives.
- Giardiniera. Or use pickled peppers.
- Roasted Red Peppers.
- Shallot.
- Capers.
- Garlic.
- Olive Oil.
- Red Wine Vinegar.
- Dried Basil.
- Dried Oregano.
- Salt and Pepper.
- FOR THE MUFFALETTA SANDWICH
- The Bread. 1 10-inch loaf of round Italian bread. Use Muffaletta bread if you can obtain it, though it is super rare outside of New Orleans. Italian bread is great.
- The Meats. I use thinly sliced capicola, mortadella and salami. Genoa salami is good. Deli ham is a common addition.
- Cheese. I use provolone cheese. Smoked mozzarella is a nice addition, too.
How to Make a Muffaletta - the Recipe Method
Make the Olive Salad (Tapenade or Spread). Mix together the olives, giardiniera, roasted red peppers, shallot, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil and oregano in large bowl. Season to taste with extra oil, salt and pepper.
ASSEMBLE THE MUFFALETTA
Prep the Bread. Slice the loaf of bread in half lengthwise and scoop out part of the interior to make room for the olive salad. Save the scooped out bread for another use if you’d like. Lay the bread slices down with the insides facing up.
Olive Spread. Spread the olive tapenade mixture evenly over the bread slices.
Layer it Up. Layer the bottom half of the bread with layers of meat - capicola, mortadella, salami and provolone cheese. Top with the other half of bread.
Let is Rest. Wrap the entire muffaletta sandwich with plastic wrap and set a cast iron pan or other weight over the top of the sandwich to lightly press it down.
This will let the tapenade juices soak into both sides of the bread and build a lot of flavor.
Set aside for at least 1 hour. Overnight to soak into the bread is even better for more developed flavor.
Unwrap and Serve. Unwrap the sandwich, slice it into 8 triangular pieces and serve it at room temperature, or into 4 large slices for very hungry people.
Boom! Done! Time to enjoy your awesome muffaletta sandwich! How are you slicing yours? Are you serving it to a small group? Appetizer platter? Maybe just for yourself!
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Muffaletta Bread. I can't find muffaletta bread sold anywhere outside of New Orleans, so I buy a large round loaf of Italian bread. It is traditionally made on round bread, though you an use others, such as focaccia or a sub roll. Any bread will do, but I suggest using thicker, denser bread to stand up to the olive spread.
- The Meats. Salami, mortadella and capicola are often used, though you can also use deli ham.
- The Cheeses. Provolone is very common, though Swiss and mozzarella are also used. Try smoked mozarella. Yum.
- Homemade Olive Salad. The olive tapenade is typically made with chopped olives mixed with chopped Italian style giardiniera ingredients (carrots, cauliflower, celery, peppers), though you can use other pickled vegetables and peppers with olive oil and Italian seasonings.
Storage and Leftovers
Leftover muffaletta will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic or in a sealed container. It's great enjoyed cold, or taken out and served again at room temperature.
I do not recommend freezing the leftovers.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy your muffaletta sandwich. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. I love this recipe.
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Muffaletta Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE OLIVE TAPENADE MIXTURE
- 1 cup green olives chopped
- 1 cup giardiniera chopped (or use pickled peppers)
- ½ cup roasted red peppers chopped
- 1 shallot minced
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
FOR THE MUFFALETTA SANDWICH
- 1 10- inch loaf of round Italian bread use Muffaletta bread if you can obtain it, but Italian is great
- ½ pound sliced capicola or use deli ham, or both!
- ½ pound sliced mortadella
- ½ pound sliced salami
- ½ pound sliced provolone cheese
Instructions
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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Denise says
Instead of green olives, can black olives be used in or would it ruin the sandwich? Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Mike Hultquist says
You can use them, Denise. No problem. You can really customize it to however you like it. Enjoy!
Adriana Gutierrez says
This expat is a long way from New Orleans where my brother lives. There’s nothing like Central Grocery’s muffalettas! This looks pretty darn close , thank you.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Adriana!
Michael Southon says
Hi Mike, enjoy the hell out of your site, making your spicy beef jerky tonight and asking why you cook in oven for 10 mins. all other recipes go right in dehydrator. let me know please, thanks buddy
Mike Hultquist says
Michael, you don't have to cook them, but the FDA recommends it.
George Hernandez says
I like the recipe I’m gonna cook it for a bee he is my friend yes sir no he gets back we OK I’m gonna cook that muffaletta
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy!
Kevin says
I too fell in love with this sandwich while visiting NOLA and the Central Grocery. What a sandwich!
I haven't made this recipe, but it's very similar to one I have made that's delish!! The main difference is that this recipe seems a bit stingy with the olive oil.
I also want to point out that the photo of the olive tapenade ingredients shows capers, but I don't see them listed or used anywhere. But I bet that they'd be tasty in the tapenade (I love capers!!).
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Kevin. Oh yes, don't forget the capers!! You can use more oil for sure, but just make sure the sandwich doesn't get too soggy. Enjoy!
John Deaux says
Central Grocery is definitely the place to get this sandwich. I'm not a fan of olives, this is the only way I'll eat them.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, John!
Hariet says
I will be making 4 more of these for our entire family reunion! I can't believe how delicious these sandwiches are. The muffaletta is now my very favorite.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great to hear, Hariet! Yes, definitely delicious!
Linda says
If you later BOTH sides of the bread, then invert the top onto the bottom (using one hand to hold the meats tight to the bread), you can avoid the mess the tapenade makes because it's loose.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Just don't spill the meats and cheeses! Or get olive spread all over your hand! LOL. Enjoy, Linda.
Damien C. says
Another WOW recipe here, Mike. Made it immediately. I wouldn't change this one bit. I have to disagree with the comment about more cheese. Perfects as it is. Another winner!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Damien!! Super happy you enjoyed it.
Hollis Ramsey says
(1) I love to use Boscoli Italian Olive Salad. (It’s sold by the jar (16 or 32 oz.) at Central Market and on Amazon, and probably at other places, but those are the ones that I know.) It’s got more oil than your recipe (which is very good but, me having lived in NOLA and frequented Central Market, I’m a traditionalist) and I love how the flavored oil soaks into that sturdy bread.
(2) Hard Genoa salami should be the salami of choice; it really holds its own among all those meats. Also, sharp provolone, and more than you added.
(3) I press my muffuletta, wrapped well, with a very heavy Dutch oven, for AT LEAST 1-2 hours on one side. Then I turn it over and press it for ANOTHER 1-2 hours. The longer the better. Face it, if you don’t seriously press and marinate it, the only folks who could take that sandwich would be Coneheads (and Ronnie’s mom)!
(4) Don’t toss the bread you dug out of the loaf; it makes great soft or toasted breadcrumbs!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thank you for your input, Hollis. And of course as much cheese to your own personal preference, along with your other changes.
Allen Tichenor says
Thank you for publishing your Muffaletta recipe. It's quite tasty. I'm the fourth generation of a family that's lived in New Orleans since the end of the Civil War. I am retired from a career in the hospitality/restaurant business and life long devote of New Orleans cuisine and its' history. The Muffaletta's is as follows: The first Muffaletta was produced and sold buy Joseph Anthony "Tony" Lavoi, an immigrant from Palermo, Sicily, in his grocery warehouse and bakery in 1901, from which he would sell it from a wooden wagon/push cart on the corner of Royal and Dumaine Streets, in the French Quarter, 1 1/2 blocks from the Progressive Grocery. Around 1903 Tony began suppling 6-8 Muffaletta sandwiches to Progressive Grocery for re-sale and later his Muffa Bread loaves, from which Progressive began making their Muffaletta, in-house. Frank Alfaon, Salvatore Lupo and Gaetano DeMajio, owners of the Progressive Grocery, not long after had a split in their business ownership and Salvatore Lupo opened the Central Grocery in 1906, where he also made and sold the Muffaletta. And, the popularity and selling of the Muffaletta continued to proliferate thereafter. As for the pickled Olives and Giardiniera topping, used on the Muffeletta, it's origins are Sicilian being traced as far back as the Roman Empire. The topping used is actually a Sicilian and Italian Olive Condite, not a Tapenade, which is primarily of French origin. Recipes for the Olive Condite have evolved over time and quite varied. Unfortunately, nothing remains the same, and even the Central Groceries' Olive Condite recipe, while still quite popular, has evolved, loosing some of its more costly original ingredients, richness and complex flavor. The same has occurred with the meats and cheeses they use. This said, I still enjoy their current tasty Muffaletta but definitely miss their original. Hope you enjoy this bit of history/back story. I really enjoy your site and keep up the great recipes!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks for your input, Allen! Greatly appreciated.
col says
wow
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Wow indeed! THIS is a sandwich!!
jimAND ROSE nashwinter says
in niagara falls where we grew up this was a sub.very italian there?Love the food?Miss it here in GA?Now we have shrimp and grits??Not the same?Keep them coming Mike
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Absolutely! Though I do love a good shrimp and grits!
BJK says
I'm not a big fan of this term 'food porn', but that's got to be the greatest sandwich photo every taken!
You just want to reach into your screen and GRAB it, along with a cold one!
I watched a recent 'video podcast' about the great Italian (specifically, Sicilian) gastronomic influence on food and dining in New Orleans - making it one of the top 'foodie' destinations in the US.
The vid features a stop at Central Grocery for one (I think it must be easily ~ $25 for one today) - and it didn't look anywhere near as 'hefty' as this, with much less of the salad, which gives it its unique character.
Muffaletta story begins at 2:00:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqsSu6C12yw&t=1s
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, BJK! I barely had to style anything, this sandwich is that awesome! I love it. Thanks for the link!