How many ways can you spell muffeletta? I’m not sure that I know all of the variations, even with the research that I did on this sandwich. I found out that a muffeletta is a workman’s sandwich. It is a sturdy sandwich that incorporates the individual parts of an Italian workman’s lunch into a handy, hearty sandwich. The muffeletta sandwich is a New Orleans staple that is simple to assemble.

A traditional muffeletta sandwich is a thick sandwich filled with meat and cheese which is enhanced by a chopped olive salad. This sandwich was meant to feed a hungry laborer. I prefer a smaller sandwich, so I use less meat in mine. Included, after the basic recipe, will be a couple of variations on this stout fully-flavored sandwich. However you make it, enjoy the rich taste of a muffeletta!

There are many recipes for muffeletta (olive salad) on the internet. If you want to make a homemade version, choose the one that has ingredients that you prefer. I wanted something that is quickly made and easy. What is easier than opening a jar? For my muffeletta, I chose a product by That Pickle Guy. It is called Classic Olive Muffalata. The list of ingredients from the jar include: “Raw Ingredients: Select Ripe Green and Black Olives, Cauliflower, Peppers, Celery, Carrots and Spices which are encased in Pure Soybean Oil.” I would have preferred that the ingredients be packed in the more traditional olive oil, but this product is curiously addictive. You can order it online or find your local distributors on That Pickle Guy’s website.

Other than the olive salad, cured Italian meats are important in this sandwich. I used four different meats. The ham was a good quality deli ham. The Italian meats were from a variety pack by Volpi Foods. If you have an Italian grocer, ask them about the meats. The Volpi Trio, which I bought at Costco, includes Genova salami, mortadella, and coppa. They are thin-sliced artisan meats that are intensely flavored. Volpi says about its Trio pack, “It’s a sandwich waiting to happen!” That’s the truth! Again, you can visit the Volpi Foods website for more information about this excellent product.

Add cheese to the olive salad and meat, then serve it on an 8-inch round of Italian bread. That’s the traditional muffeletta sandwich. If you cannot find the bread, you may use ciabatta or focaccia, instead. The bread should be sturdy, but not hard to chew through. I chose to make a recipe for individual sandwiches, rather than one 8-10 inch sandwich that is divided into serving sized pieces.

Muffeletta Sandwich Recipe
For 2 individual sandwiches

Ingredients:

½ cup muffeletta (I used The Pickle Guy’s Muffalata Olive Salad.)
1 tablespoon olive oil (I used Kirkland Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil.)
1 large or 2 small focaccia rolls, or you may use the classic muffeletta bread.
2 slices provolone
4 thin slices Genoa (Genova) salami
4 thin slices mortadella
4 thin slices coppa
4 thin slices Black Forest ham

Method:

Slice the bread (muffeletta or focaccia) horizontally and open it with the cut side up. Measure the olive salad, and then stir in the olive oil. Next, divide the olive salad and spread ¼ cup of the salad on each roll, or all of it on the bread, covering both sides of the roll or bread.

To the bottom of each sandwich, add a slice of provolone Then, to each sandwich add on top of the provolone, 2 slices of salami, 2 slices of mortadella, 2 slices of coppa, and 2 slices of ham. Cover the ham with top of the sandwich. Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and let it stand for 30 minutes to one hour. You may serve the sandwich immediately, but this sandwich benefits from a resting time to let the olive salad soak into the bread and cheese. If you are using the larger size of bread, cut the sandwiches into serving sized pieces.


The recipe above is for the more traditional sandwich. If you want to add a layer of mozzarella, that’s a good touch, too. Many of the classic versions have the two types of cheese. I have made two other variations of this sandwich that suit me better. Even when I am doing hard, physical labor, the amount of meat in the sandwich is a bit much for me.

In the first version, just use half the amount of each type of meat. Keep everything else the same. This is just perfect for my appetite.

My second variation is a hot sandwich. Use two pieces of Ezekiel Sesame sprouted grain bread. Spray each piece with non-stick cooking spray. Put the bottom piece into an iron skillet. Layer on one slice of each of the fillings, mozzarella, salami, mortadella, and coppa. Place the second piece of bread on top and grill the sandwich. Spread olive salad on the piece of bread that is next to the coppa. Eat and be happy!

Which version did you prefer? What ideas do you have for using That Pickle Guy’s Mufalatta Olive Salad? Let us know in the Sandwiches Forum on the BellaOnline Sandwich Site.

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