Muffuletta Sandwich

This Classic New Orleans Muffuletta Sandwich will leave your tummy satisfied and there is no need to take a trip to the French Quarter to have this great sandwich! It’s made simply in your kitchen with muffuletta bread, homemade olive spread, and Italian meats and cheese. Celebrate Mardi Gras wherever you are!

Have you ever been to New Orleans? I know so many people that have, and someday I will be one of them. Everyone says if you go, you simply have to try a Muffuletta. It’s classic New Orleans fare. I adore olives, in any way shape, or form, and the meats and cheeses plus the bread that makes up this sandwich are all my favorites. Put them all together and Wowee!! 

Traditional Muffuletta

Thick crunchy bread slathered with an olive salad and topped with dry coppa, salami, prosciutto and provolone cheese makes for a hearty and uber-satisfying eating experience. Left to marinate, the bread soaks up all the flavors in this amazing and unique sandwich.

Easy Muffuletta Recipe

Originating in the Italian immigrant community in New Orleans, the muffuletta is thought to have been created by Sicilian immigrants who owned a deli. The traditional sandwich was served on muffuletta bread with olive salad, cured meats, and cheese. 

If you love this recipe for muffulettas, you are sure to love these too: Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich, Garden Club Hoagie With Veggie Bacon Sandwich Spread, or these Toasted Italian Sub Sandwiches. 

Muffuletta Sandwich Recipe

​Again, I’ve never eaten a muffuletta in New Orleans but I can tell you they are truly unique in flavor and a classic New Orleans sandwich. The word muffuletta is derived from the name of the type of bread used to make the sandwiches which is called Sicilian muffoletto, a round, flat bread.

Serve for muffulettas for lunch, or dinner, or cut into bite-sized pieces for an appetizer at your next family get-together or celebration. 

Muffuletta Sandwich Ingredients 

For complete ingredients and instructions scroll to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe.

To Make the Fresh Olive Salad Spread:

• Mezzetta Spanish Queen Olives – Pimento Stuffed, Mezzetta Sliced Greek Kalamata Olives,  Mezzetta Giardiniera Italian Mix- Coarsely chopped along with some of the liquid
• Capers – Chopped with some liquid.
• Garlic – Fresh minced garlic cloves are best but jarred garlic will also work.
• Shallots – Freshly chopped or diced shallots add to the taste of the olive spread.
• Parsley -Freshly chopped parsley enhances the flavor and adds some color. 
• Spices – Dried oregano, a dusting of paprika, and salt.
• Olive Oil – Extra virgin olive oil is best but any kind is fine. 

For the Sandwich:

• Italian Bread – Use one round loaf of bread.
• Italian Cold Cuts: Dry Coppa, Italian Dry Salami, and Prosciutto, sliced thin (I was fortunate to find an Antipasto pack with all 3 types of meat in my grocer’s deli)
• Provolone cheese – Use provolone cheese thinly sliced or use Swiss cheese if you don’t have provolone. 

How to make this muffuletta recipe

This muffuletta recipe is easy to prepare but needs some marinating time so plan accordingly. 

First: Prepare the olive dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl.

Cover and set aside for 1 hour.

Second: Slice the bread in half lengthwise, and spread olive mixture on both sides.

Top with meat and cheese. Put both sides back together, and wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Chill for 1 hour. Slice and serve cold or at room temperature. 

**TIP: Place toothpicks before slicing to help keep it all together!**

Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze uneaten muffuletta for up to 3 months. 

Love it? Pin it!

If you love this recipe for muffulettas make sure that you don’t lose it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

FAQs about this New Orleans muffuletta

• What is a muffaletta? A muffuletta is a sandwich that originated from the Italian immigrants living in New Orleans. It typically contains a homemade olive salad spread along with deli meats and cheese. 

• What does Muffuletta mean? The word muffuletta is derived from the name of the name of the bread used to make the sandwiches. 

• What is muffuletta spread made of? Muffuletta spread is made using a combination of olives, capers, and pickled Italian vegetables. 

• Do you eat muffuletta hot or cold? Typically a muffuletta is eaten cold. 

• What is the original muffuletta sandwich? The original muffuletta sandwich has its roots in the Italian-American community of New Orleans, Louisiana. The classic components of the muffuletta sandwich include a round loaf of muffuletta bread, a variety of cured meats, provolone cheese, and an olive salad.

• Is Schlotzsky’s a muffuletta sandwich? No, Schlotzsky’s sandwich, known as The Original, typically includes ham, salami, cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses, black olives, red onion, lettuce, tomato, and mustard, with a signature dressing on the company’s round bun.

Substitutions

Remember that when it comes to making substitutions in recipes, you don’t need to be afraid to get creative and use ingredients that suit your personal taste and dietary preferences. Make it your own!

• Change up the meat and use genoa salami, Italian ham, or any assortment of Italian meats. 

• Any kind of olives will work for the olive salad whether it be black olives, Kalamata olives, Greek olives, or green olives. 

• Switch up the bread with other types of Italian bread whether it be ciabatta or focaccia. Just make sure to use a sturdy bread to hold the marinated olive salad as you don’t want the muffuletta sandwiches to fall apart

Tips & Tricks

• Make things easy and buy two packs of sliced provolone and two packs of tri-Italian deli meats for these sandwiches.

• Good quality ingredients will make all the difference, especially when it comes to the muffuletta loaf so choose accordingly. 

• Add more substance and flavor to the olive salad and throw in red bell peppers or artichoke hearts. 

• Stir a touch of red wine vinegar or Dijon mustard into the olive mixture for a deeper flavor. 

More Recipes to Love

• Turkey Reuben Sandwich (pictured above)

• Traditional Reuben Sandwich

• Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches

• Reuben Breakfast Sandwiches – Two Ways

• Grilled Turkey and Havarti Sandwiches

• Dr. Pepper Pork BBQ Sandwiches

This muffuletta recipe makes up the quintessential New Orleans muffulettas, hearty and satisfying, the taste will blow you away! 

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Print Recipe

Muffuletta Sandwich Recipe (A New Orleans Classic!)

This Classic New Orleans Muffuletta Sandwich will leave your tummy satisfied and there is no need to take a trip to the French Quarter to have this great sandwich! It’s made simply in your kitchen with muffuletta bread, homemade olive spread, and Italian meats and cheese. Celebrate Mardi Gras wherever you are!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Additional Time2 hours hrs

Total Time2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course: Sandwiches

Cuisine: American/Italian

Keyword: Muffuletta --with an Antipasto Twist

Servings: 7 Servings

Calories: 1614kcal

Author: Michaela Kenkel

Equipment

• KitchenAid Renewed 3.5-Cup Food Chopper
• Mueller Pro-Series 10-in-1, 8 Blade Vegetable Chopper, Onion Mincer, Mandoline, Cutter, Dicer, Egg Slicer with Container
• 12-Piece Black Sharp Knife Set with Covers, Cutting Board and Sharpener

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• For the Olive Spread:
• 1/2 cup Mezzetta Spanish Queen Olives - Pimento Stuffed coarsely chopped + 1 Tablespoon liquid
• 1/3 cup Mezzetta Sliced Greek Kalamata Olives coarsely chopped + 1 Tablespoon liquid
• 1 Tablespoon capers chopped + 1 Tablespoon liquid
• 1/2 cup Mezzetta Giardiniera Italian Mix chopped + 1 Tablespoon liquid
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 Tablespoon shallots chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh parsley chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• dusting of paprika and salt
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• For the Sandwich:
• 1 medium sized round loaf of Italian Bread
• Meat: Dry Coppa Italian Dry Salami and Prosciutto, sliced thin (I was fortunate to find an Antipasto pack with all 3 meats in my grocer's deli)
• Provolone cheese sliced thin

Instructions

• Prepare Olive spread by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and set aside for 1 hour.
• Slice the bread in half lengthwise, and spread olive mixture on both sides. Top with meat and cheese. Put both sides back together, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 1 hour. Slice and serve.
• **TIP: Place toothpicks before slicing to help keep it all together!**

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 1614kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 59g | Fat: 140g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 103g | Cholesterol: 180mg | Sodium: 4825mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 4g

This recipe was originally posted in partnership with Mezzetta on December 5, 2014. It has been updated to improve user experience and reshared on February 1, 2024.