That’s such a wonderful way to celebrate Italian Heritage Month! The Muffuletta is a perfect tribute to the blending of Sicilian traditions with New Orleans culture.
It’s amazing how Salvatore Lupo created something so iconic by combining the Sicilian muffuletto bread with delicious Italian meats, cheese, and that flavorful olive salad.
Thanks for sharing the history and details—I’m sure the sandwich you made was incredible!
In honor of Italian Heritage month
I present
The Muffuletta
and a lil history behind the sandwich
The muffuletta traces its roots back to New Orleans, Its origin story is well told:
Creator Salvatore Lupo was one of nearly 300,000 Sicilian immigrants who landed in New Orleans between the 1880s and the 1920s.
Lupo set up his shop, Central Grocery, in the French Market in 1906, alongside other Sicilian grocery and pushcart owners, in an area known as “Little Palermo.”
This flood of immigrants brought ingredients and traditions of the Old Country, one being the flat, round, spongy loaves of bread called muffuletto that were usually made during religious holidays like All Soul’s Day and sold in paper wrapping marked with their name.
When Lupo noticed that his customers, many of whom were farmers selling at the market, were buying the muffuletto loaves, plus ham, cheese, salami, and olive salad separately, he allegedly came up with the idea to slice the bread in half and put all of those items together as a sandwich, which he wrapped in the bread’s original paper.
The 4 main components of the Muffaletta are:
Bread
This is what gave the sandwich its name and is essential to its construction.
Shaped into a round loaf, the bread is traditionally coated with sesame seeds. Its spongy exterior helps soak up the oil and seasonings from the olive salad.
Cheese
Provolone is the standard but swiss is a fine substitute, especially for those who go hot—these cheeses are easily meltable, which helps keep the whole stack together.
Cold Cuts
The key is thinly sliced here, as several slices of genoa salami, ham, and mortadella are traditionally layered atop one another to give the sandwich some height.
Olive Salad
Packed in oil, this chopped vegetable condiment usually includes cauliflower, carrots, kalamata olives, red bell peppers, capers, and pepperoncini, to give it a kick.
The rough chop allows the peppery spices to infuse the sandwich with a zesty salinity
Photo is 1/4 of a whole sandwich.
There are many ways to customize and perfect a Muffuletta.
One popular variation is the hot Muffuletta, where the sandwich is baked to melt the cheese and warm the bread, offering a different texture and flavor.
For a vegetarian twist, replace the cold cuts with grilled vegetables like zucchini and eggplant, along with extra olives in the salad.
You can also use whole wheat bread for a heartier option or add spicy elements like capicola or crushed red pepper for heat.
Experimenting with different meats such as soppressata or capicola can add variety as well.
For the best results, it’s recommended to make the sandwich ahead and refrigerate it, allowing the olive salad to soak into the bread and enhance the flavors.
Pressing the sandwich while chilling also helps compact it, making it easier to eat.
If time is limited, using store-bought giardiniera as a base for the olive salad is a great shortcut.
Finally, a Muffuletta pairs beautifully with a glass of red wine, such as Chianti, which complements the sandwich’s savory and briny notes perfectly.
To store a Muffuletta properly, first wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
This helps maintain its structure and keeps the olive salad from making the bread too soggy.
If you plan to eat it later the same day or the next, store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Muffuletta sandwiches actually taste better after a few hours, as the flavors meld together during refrigeration.
For longer storage, you can freeze the Muffuletta. Wrap it in plastic wrap and then in a layer of aluminum foil or place it in an airtight freezer bag. It can be frozen for up to 2 months.
When you’re ready to enjoy it, thaw the sandwich in the refrigerator overnight.
For a warm variation, you can reheat it in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 15 minutes to get the bread crispy and the cheese melted.