This New Orleans Muffuletta Sandwich is a legendary creation that brings together layers of Italian cold cuts, creamy cheeses, and the star of the show – a tangy olive salad that makes this sandwich unforgettable. Born in the French Quarter over a century ago, the Muffuletta is built on a round Sicilian sesame bread that soaks up all the delicious flavors from the olive mixture. What sets this sandwich apart is how all the ingredients meld together when pressed and chilled, creating a perfect harmony of salty, briny, and savory flavors in every bite. This isn’t just a sandwich – it’s a celebration of New Orleans’ rich culinary heritage that transforms simple ingredients into something truly spectacular.
Serves: 6-8 people
Total Time: 4-24 hours (including chilling time)
Active Prep Time: 20 minutes
What You’ll Need
For the Olive Salad:
- 1 cup green olives with pimientos, chopped
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
- 1/2 cup mixed pickled vegetables (cauliflower, carrots, celery), chopped
- 1/4 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the Sandwich:
- 1 round Italian or Sicilian bread loaf (about 10 inches across)
- 1/4 pound sliced salami
- 1/4 pound sliced ham
- 1/4 pound sliced mortadella
- 1/4 pound sliced provolone cheese
- 1/4 pound sliced mozzarella cheese
Making the Olive Salad
The olive salad is the heart and soul of a true Muffuletta, so take time to prepare it properly. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped green olives, kalamata olives, pickled vegetables, and roasted red peppers. The key is chopping everything into small, uniform pieces so each bite contains all the flavors.
Add the minced garlic and capers to the olive mixture. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Pour this dressing over the olive mixture and stir everything together thoroughly.
Let the olive salad sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. This resting time allows the flavors to blend and develop. For even better results, cover and refrigerate the olive salad overnight. The longer it sits, the more the flavors will come together.
Preparing the Bread
Using a sharp serrated knife, carefully slice the round bread loaf in half horizontally. You want two equal halves that will create a top and bottom for your sandwich. Remove some of the soft bread from the center of both halves, creating shallow wells. This prevents the sandwich from being too thick and helps the olive salad stay in place.
Save the bread you remove – it makes excellent breadcrumbs or can be toasted for snacking. The goal is to create space for all the fillings while maintaining the bread’s structural integrity.
Building Your Muffuletta
Start with the bottom half of the bread, cut side up. Spread about half of the olive salad evenly across the surface, making sure to include both the vegetables and the flavorful oil. The oil will soak into the bread, adding incredible flavor.
Layer the meats in this order: salami first, then ham, then mortadella. Overlap the slices slightly and distribute them evenly across the bread. The combination of these three meats provides the authentic Italian flavor profile that makes Muffuletta special.
Next, layer the cheeses, starting with provolone and finishing with mozzarella. Again, overlap slightly and cover the entire surface. The different cheeses add varying textures and complement the salty meats perfectly.
Spread the remaining olive salad over the cheese layer, making sure to get some of the oil and smaller pieces distributed evenly. Top with the other half of the bread, cut side down.
The Critical Pressing Step
Wrap the entire sandwich tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place it on a large plate or cutting board, then set another plate on top. Add weight to the top plate using canned goods, a cast iron skillet, or a heavy pot. This pressing is essential for a proper Muffuletta.
Refrigerate the pressed sandwich for at least 4 hours, but overnight is even better. The pressing and chilling time allows all the flavors to meld together and the olive oil to soak into the bread, creating the signature Muffuletta experience.
Serving Your Muffuletta
Remove the sandwich from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before unwrapping. This makes it easier to slice cleanly.
Using a sharp knife, cut the sandwich into wedges like a pizza. A 10-inch Muffuletta typically yields 6 to 8 generous servings. Clean your knife between cuts to prevent the olive salad from smearing.
Tips for the Perfect Muffuletta
The quality of your ingredients makes all the difference. Look for good Italian cold cuts from a deli rather than pre-packaged meats. The bread should be sturdy enough to hold all the fillings without falling apart.
Don’t skip the pressing step – it’s what transforms a pile of ingredients into a cohesive, flavorful sandwich. The longer you can let it sit pressed and chilled, the better the final result will be.
Leftover Muffuletta keeps well in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and actually improves in flavor as it continues to marinate. Just be sure to keep it wrapped tightly to prevent the bread from drying out.
