New Orleans Muffuletta

Name: New Orleans Muffuletta
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Cajun & Creole
Ingredients: 1 cup (150 g) pitted green olives, drained and coarsely chopped; ½ cup (75 g) pitted Kalamata olives, drained and coarsely chopped; ½ cup (75 g) Italian pickled vegetables (giardiniera), mild, drained and finely chopped; 3 whole (30 g) pepperoncini, stemmed and finely chopped; ¼ cup (40 g) jarred roasted red peppers, patted dry and finely chopped; 1 tablespoon (9 g) capers, drained; 3 whole (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; ¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional); black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) red wine vinegar; ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 loaf (680 g) round Italian loaf with sesame seeds, 9–10 inches (23–25 cm) wide, at room temperature; 4 ounces (113 g) mortadella, thinly sliced; 4 ounces (113 g) Genoa salami, thinly sliced; 4 ounces (113 g) deli ham, thinly sliced; 6 ounces (170 g) provolone cheese, thinly sliced (about 8 slices); 3 ounces (85 g) Swiss cheese, thinly sliced (about 4 slices)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A towering Creole classic: a round sesame loaf layered with salami, ham, mortadella and provolone, and filled with a briny, garlicky olive salad. Pressed and rested, it gets better as the oil soaks into the bread.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: —
Wait: 4 hr
Total: 4 hr 25 min
Makes: 1 large sandwich (6 wedges)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the olive salad
1 cup (150 g) pitted green olives, drained and coarsely chopped
½ cup (75 g) pitted Kalamata olives, drained and coarsely chopped
½ cup (75 g) Italian pickled vegetables (giardiniera), mild, drained and finely chopped
3 whole (30 g) pepperoncini, stemmed and finely chopped
¼ cup (40 g) jarred roasted red peppers, patted dry and finely chopped
1 tablespoon (9 g) capers, drained
3 whole (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) red pepper flakes (optional)
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
2 tablespoons (30 ml) red wine vinegar
⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
For the sandwich
1 loaf (680 g) round Italian loaf with sesame seeds, 9–10 inches (23–25 cm) wide, at room temperature
4 ounces (113 g) mortadella, thinly sliced
4 ounces (113 g) Genoa salami, thinly sliced
4 ounces (113 g) deli ham, thinly sliced
6 ounces (170 g) provolone cheese, thinly sliced (about 8 slices)
3 ounces (85 g) Swiss cheese, thinly sliced (about 4 slices)

Equipment (7)

Medium mixing bowl
Serrated bread knife
Cutting board
Baking sheet or large plate
Heavy weights such as 2 cans or a cast-iron skillet (about 4–5 lb / 2 kg total)
Plastic wrap or parchment paper
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Plan ahead: the olive salad needs at least 2 hours (ideally overnight) to marinate, and the assembled sandwich needs 1 hour pressed.
Buy a 9–10 inch (23–25 cm) round loaf with a soft, not rock-hard, crust. A sesame-topped Italian boule is traditional.
Have meats and cheese sliced thin at the deli counter; thick slices make the sandwich hard to press and bite.
Clear a spot in the fridge for a baking sheet or plate with a weight on top.

1
Mix olive salad
- In a medium bowl, combine the green olives, Kalamata olives, giardiniera, pepperoncini, roasted red pepper, capers, garlic, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes (if using) and a few grinds of black pepper.
- Stir in the red wine vinegar and olive oil until everything is evenly coated and glistening.
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Ready when: Vegetables are chopped to roughly pea size and coated in oil with no dry pockets.
Tip: Pat the roasted peppers and giardiniera dry first so the salad is oily rather than watery.
2
Marinate the salad
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight for the best flavor.
- Stir once or twice if you pass by.
- Let it sit 20 minutes at room temperature before using.
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Ready when: The salad smells bright and garlicky and the oil has taken on color from the peppers.
Tip: Overnight marinating gives a more cohesive, less sharp-tasting salad.
3
Cut and hollow loaf
- Using a serrated knife, slice the loaf in half horizontally into a top and bottom.
- Pull out some of the soft crumb from both halves, leaving a ¾-inch (2 cm) wall of bread, to make room for the filling.
- Save the crumb for breadcrumbs.
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Ready when: Both halves have a shallow well and the crust walls are sturdy, not torn.
Tip: Do not hollow too deeply or the oil will leak through the bottom crust.
4
Soak the bread
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil from the salad bowl onto the cut side of each half, then spread 1 cup (about 200 g) of the olive salad over the bottom half and about ½ cup (100 g) over the top half.
- Leave the remaining salad aside.
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Ready when: Cut surfaces look moist and are evenly covered with olives.
Tip: Do not skip the oil; it flavors the bread and protects the crumb from sogginess.
5
Layer the bottom
- On the bottom half, layer in this order: half the provolone, the mortadella, the salami, the ham, the Swiss, then the remaining provolone.
- Fold or ruffle the slices so they sit tall and evenly, edge to edge.
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Ready when: The pile is even and reaches just above the rim of the bread.
Tip: Cheese on the top and bottom of the meats keeps the oil from making the meats slippery.
6
Close the sandwich
- Cover the meats with any extra olive salad you like (about ½ cup / 100 g), then set the top half on, olive side down.
- Press down firmly with both hands.
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Ready when: The top sits snugly and the sandwich looks compact.
Tip: Save any leftover salad for serving on the side.
7
Wrap and press
- Wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap or parchment and set it on a baking sheet.
- Place a second sheet or plate on top and weigh it with heavy cans or a skillet (about 4–5 lb / 2 kg).
- Press at room temperature or in the fridge for 1 hour.
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Ready when: The sandwich is visibly compressed to about 3 inches (7–8 cm) tall and the bread is glossy with oil.
Tip: Set the baking sheet on a rimmed tray to catch oil.
8
Slice and serve
- Unwrap and cut into 6 wedges with a sharp serrated knife, using a gentle sawing motion.
- Serve at room temperature with extra olive salad on the side.
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Ready when: Wedges hold together with clean, layered cut faces.
Tip: If you want it cold, rest it in the fridge up to 4 hours before cutting. It cuts more cleanly when chilled slightly.

Good to know

Tips

Chop the olive salad by hand or with a few quick pulses in a food processor; do not puree.
Olives and cured meats are salty, so you will not need to add salt to the salad.
Use a serrated knife and a sawing motion to slice without squashing the sandwich.
Cut the sandwich into quarters or sixths for sharing; one wedge is quite filling.

Make ahead

"Assemble and press the sandwich up to 24 hours ahead; wrap tightly and refrigerate, then slice just before serving. The olive salad keeps up to 2 weeks refrigerated."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: wrapped tightly, up to 3 days (bread softens over time). Freezing is not recommended. Serve cold or let wedges sit 20 minutes at room temperature; no reheating needed."

Substitutions

round Italian loaf with sesame seeds, 9–10 inches (23–25 cm) wide → Two ciabatta rolls or a sturdy focaccia round. Choose a loaf with a sturdy crust so it holds the oil.
mortadella → Capicola or extra ham. Capicola adds a spicier note.
Italian pickled vegetables (giardiniera), mild → Chopped cocktail onions plus diced celery. Drain well and add a pinch of salt.
Swiss cheese → Mozzarella or extra provolone. Use low-moisture slices to avoid sogginess.