Equipment
Ingredients
Olive Salad
- 150 g pitted green olives, drained
- 100 g pitted kalamata olives, drained
- 100 g giardiniera, drained
- 50 g roasted red peppers, drained
- 20 g capers, drained
- 2 garlic, peeled
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 15 ml red wine vinegar
- 2 g dried oregano
Sandwich Assembly
- 1 sesame loaf
- 100 g provolone cheese, thinly sliced
- 100 g genoa salami, thinly sliced
- 100 g mortadella, thinly sliced
- 100 g sweet capicola, thinly sliced
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 859 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbohydrates
- 62 g
- Fat
- 53 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 3160 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 14 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 26 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 73 mg
- Potassium
- 520 mg
- Calcium
- 396 mg
- Iron
- 6.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 59 mg
- Phosphorus
- 375 mg
- Zinc
- 3.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 93 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 28 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 5.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 19 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.99 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.62 mg
- Niacin
- 8.9 mg
- Folate
- 124 mcg
- Water
- 162 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using a chef's knife and cutting board, finely chop the green olives, kalamata olives, giardiniera, roasted red peppers, capers, and garlic.
Transfer the chopped mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, and dried oregano. Stir well to combine. Let the mixture sit to allow the flavors to meld.
Slice the sesame loaf in half horizontally. If the bread is particularly dense or thick, optionally scoop out a thin layer of the soft interior crumb from the top half to make room for the fillings.
Generously spoon the olive salad onto the cut sides of both the top and bottom bread halves, ensuring the oil soaks directly into the bread.
Layer the ingredients onto the bottom half of the bread in the following order: provolone cheese, genoa salami, mortadella, and sweet capicola.
Place the top half of the bread over the meats. Wrap the entire sandwich tightly in multiple layers of plastic wrap.
Place a heavy skillet or a cutting board weighed down with heavy cans on top of the wrapped sandwich. Press for 1 hour. If pressing longer, move the sandwich to the refrigerator to maintain a safe temperature below 4C/40F for the meats.
Unwrap the pressed sandwich, cut into quarters using a serrated knife, and serve.
Chef's Notes
- The olive salad is infinitely better when made a day or two in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator to let the oils and vinegar fully penetrate the vegetables.
- When selecting bread, look for a sturdy, wide loaf with a crisp crust and a relatively tight crumb that can stand up to the heavy olive oil without disintegrating.
- Authentic mortadella often contains whole pistachios. If serving a crowd, always verify nut allergies beforehand or substitute with a different mild Italian ham.
- Pressing the sandwich is a fundamental technique for a Muffuletta, not an optional step. The weight marries the flavors and transforms it from a loose pile of ingredients into a cohesive sandwich.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Keep tightly wrapped in plastic. The bread will continue to soften as it absorbs the olive salad dressing.
Troubleshooting
Bread becomes entirely mushy and falls apart
Cause: Too much liquid from the olive salad or sitting for too long before consumption
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Thoroughly drain wet ingredients like giardiniera and olives before chopping, and use a sturdy, crusty bread
Sandwich layers slide out when eating
Cause: Ingredients were layered unevenly or the sandwich was not pressed
Fix: Hold firmly or secure the quarters with long sandwich picks
Prevention: Ensure even layering of flat meats and firmly press the tightly wrapped sandwich for the full hour
Cultural Context
The Muffuletta was invented in the early 1900s by Sicilian immigrant Salvatore Lupo at Central Grocery in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Designed as a hearty, portable lunch for local farmers and workers, it brilliantly combined classic Italian cured meats with an assertive local olive salad. Today, it stands as one of the most iconic culinary symbols of the city, perfectly demonstrating the Creole-Italian flavor profile.
