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Grilled Muffuletta

Posted on 4/21/2023

Muffaletta
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Nothing says ‘New Orleans’ like a muffuletta sandwich. Widely credited with making the first muffuletta sandwich in 1906 is Sicilian immigrant Salvatore Lupo, of the now-famous Central Grocery. The story holds that workers would purchase bread, cold cuts, cheese, and olives for lunch. After watching them try to eat the ingredients standing up with some difficulty, Salvatore combined them into a sandwich. Today these delicious sandwiches are made widely throughout New Orleans and beyond, typically ahead of time, allowing the bread to sit and soak up the juices for several hours. We’re making a twist on the classic, with grilled vegetables and a pressed, grilled sandwich using the heat of your grill to speed up the process.

  • PREP TIME
    1 hrs
  • COOK TIME
    15 min
  • TOTAL TIME
    1 hrs 15 min
  • SERVES
    4

Ingredients

  • Muffuletta bread (traditionally a wide, round, flat loaf with sesame seeds, but focaccia or ciabatta can be substitute)
  • 1 red pepper, quartered
  • 1 green pepper, quartered
  • 1 zucchini, sliced
  • 1 small eggplant, sliced into rounds
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp. dried parsley
  • 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
  • 3/4 cup pitted mix olives
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/3 lb. sliced sweet soppressata
  • 1/3 lb. sliced mortadella
  • 1/3 lb. sliced capicola
  • 1/3 lb. sliced provolone or mozzarella

Instructions

  1. Preheat grill to 400. 

  2. Combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, dried parsley and crushed red peppers in a bowl. Add in vegetables and allow to marinate at least 1/2 hour. Grill marinated vegetables for 6 minutes.
  3. Add grilled vegetables, remaining marinade, olives and garlic to a food processor, or chop, until all pieces are about 1/2 inch. 

  4. Reduce grill heat to low. Grill the bread lightly on each side, then remove and assemble the sandwich, layering the vegetable-olive salad, meat, and cheese. Place back on grill with cast iron pan on top to press, and grill for 9 minutes. 

  5. Remove, slice and share!

Looking for other New Orleans-inspired dishes? Check out our Mardi Gras Grilling Recipes for ideas from cakes to cocktails.

Cooking With Propane Entrees