This muffuletta sandwich is loaded to the nines with deli meats, provolone cheese, and homemade olive tapenade. It’s rich, full of flavor, and made to share (or keep for yourself for several days-worth of lunch!).
Table of Contents
This recipe is…
The muffuletta sandwich: a New Orleans staple that’s loaded with deli meats galore (seriously, so many delicious deli meats in one sandwich), provolone cheese, and briny, salty, tangy olive tapenade. This sandwich was made to share (seriously, one sandwich serves FOUR people) or make ahead for a satisfying meal prep lunch situation.
Looking for more classic lunch recipes? We’ve got you. This chicken caesar wrap is easy and delicious, this buffalo chicken wrap comes with a kick, and this curried chicken salad recipe is easy and SO satisfying.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s so satisfying – if you’re a sandwich fan, this recipe is for you. Toasted flatbread is piled HIGH with a bunch of really tasty deli meats, cheese, and the tastiest darn olive tapenade that you’ll ever have – it’s sandwich satisfying on a whole new level.
- It’s homemade – no more dreaming about being in New Orleans just so you can pick up this loaded sandwich! Make it from home and save money on both the sandwich itself and the plane ticket!
Muffuletta Sandwich Recipe Ingredients
This list is loaded with deli meats, cheese, and the makings for olive tapenade! Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and swaps) below.
- Deli meats – pictured in our muffuletta sandwich are genoa salami, capicola, soppressata, thinly sliced ham, and mortadella. If you can’t find one of these, feel free to swap for more of another.
- Flatbread rounds – because our studio kitchen is gluten free, we went with gluten free flatbread rounds for this recipe. That said, you can absolutely use any large (look for 9-inch diameter), round loaf of bread that you love. Ciabatta would be a great pick. If you do use the MYBREAD gluten free flatbread, though, be sure to check below for tips on how to make it come to life!
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations and Modifications
- Use a store-bought olive tapenade – no shame in grabbing pre-made olive tapenade here if making your own feels like more work than you want to take on (it’s easy, but buying store-bought is almost always the easiest option)!
- Make it gluten free – as mentioned above, you can absolutely make this sandwich gluten free by using a gluten free bread (we used MYBREAD’s gluten free flatbread).
How to Make a Muffuletta Sandwich
This recipe is incredibly easy to make. You’ll start by making the homemade olive tapenade, and once that’s done, it’ll be time to assemble! Follow along below.
Step 1: Add the olives, pepperoncinis, capers, garlic, pickled cauliflower florets, roasted red peppers, coarsely chopped shallot, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, red wine vinegar, and red pepper flakes to a food processor.
Step 2: Pulse the ingredients together until a chunky spread forms. Note: you’ll only use about a third of the olive tapenade for the sandwich. The rest can be stored and enjoyed on crostini (this makes a great snack or appetizer) or as a spread with a charcuterie board.
Step 3: If you’re using the same My Bread gluten-free flatbread rounds that we did here, place two of them on a baking sheet. Either spray with a spray oil or brush with olive oil or melted butter. Sprinkle one of the rounds with a little sea salt and white sesame seeds, if you like. Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes, or until they become slightly golden. If you’re using a loaf of bread, cut your loaf in half as evenly as possible (break out that extra large serrated knife!) to make a large top and bottom.
Step 4: To assemble your muffuletta, spread about half cup’s-worth of the olive tapenade on the bottom piece of your bread. Then, working in layers, layer with half of the meats and half of the cheese, then repeat with the other half of the meats and the other half of the cheese. Top with another half cup of the olive tapenade and then place the top piece of bread on. Using a large knife (its job isn’t done yet!), cut the one giant sandwich into 4 smaller wedges. Pin each sandwich with a toothpick (and a pickle, if you like). Enjoy!
Recipe Tip
If you’re meal prepping this recipe, consider waiting to add the olive tapenade until you’re ready to enjoy your sandwich quarter each day to keep the bread from getting soggy.
How to Serve
Serve the muffuletta with gherkins (tiny pickles) and potato chips for a super satisfying experience!
How to Store
Store any leftovers (or intentionally meal prepped lunches) in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
The first muffuletta sandwich was created by a Sicilian man named Salvatore Lupo. He opened Central Grocery in the French Quarter (New Orleans) in 1906 and introduced the city to the deliciousness that is the muffuletta sandwich.
Our version of the beloved muffuletta sandwich is served cold, but if you’re out and about in New Orleans, you’ll likely find a pretty even split of restaurants that serve cold muffulettas and restaurants that serve warm muffulettas.
The world muffuletta means “soft and spongy bread” in the Sicilian dialect, and, according to Salvatore Lupo’s daughter, Marie Lupo Tusa, it became the name of the sandwich because farmers would go to Central Grocery during lunchtime and buy Italian cold cut deli meat, cheese, olive salad, and muffuletta (a round, puffy bread with Sicilian origins). Eventually, Salvatore suggested that he make a sandwich out of these ingredients, creating the sandwich we all know and love today.
More Favorite Sandwich and Wrap Recipes
If you tried these Muffuletta Sandwiches or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Muffuletta Sandwich
Ingredients
For the Olive Tapenade
- 1 cup pimento stuffed olives, drained
- 1 cup kalamata olives, drained
- ½ cup pepperoncinis, drained
- ¼ cup capers, drained
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ cup pickled cauliflower florets, drained
- ½ cup roasted red peppers, drained
- 1 shallot, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the Sandwiches
- 1 large (9-inch diameter) round loaf of bread
- 6 ounces genoa salami
- 6 ounces capicola
- 6 ounces soppressata
- 6 ounces thinly sliced ham
- 6 ounces mortadella
- 6 ounces provolone cheese
- Gherkins, for serving, optional
- Potato chips, for serving, optional
Instructions
For the Olive Tapenade (Optional, can also use store-bought)
- If you're making the olive tapenade (optional), add the olives, pepperoncinis, capers, garlic, pickled cauliflower florets, roasted red peppers, coarsely chopped shallot, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, red wine vinegar, and red pepper flakes to a food processor.
- Pulse the ingredients together until a chunky spread forms. Note: you'll only use about a third of the olive tapenade for the sandwich. The rest can be stored and enjoyed on crostini (this makes a great snack or appetizer) or as a spread with a charcuterie board.
For the Bread
- If you're using the same My Bread gluten-free flatbread rounds that we did here, place two of them on a baking sheet. Either spray with a spray oil or brush with olive oil or melted butter. Sprinkle one of the rounds with a little sea salt and white sesame seeds, if you like. Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes, or until they become slightly golden.
- If you're using a loaf of bread, cut your loaf in half as evenly as possible (break out that extra large serrated knife!) to make a large top and bottom.
Assembly
- To assemble your muffuletta, spread about half cup's-worth of the olive tapenade on the bottom piece of your bread. Then, working in layers, layer with half of the meats and half of the cheese, then repeat with the other half of the meats and the other half of the cheese. Top with another half cup of the olive tapenade and then place the top piece of bread on.
- Using a large knife (its job isn't done yet!), cut the one giant sandwich into 4 smaller wedges. Pin each sandwich with a toothpick (and a pickle, if you like). Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Use a store-bought olive tapenade – no shame in grabbing pre-made olive tapenade here if making your own feels like more work than you want to take on (it’s easy, but buying store-bought is almost always the easiest option)!
- Make it gluten free – as mentioned above, you can absolutely make this sandwich gluten free by using a gluten free bread (we used MYBREAD’s gluten free flatbread).
Nutrition
