New Orleans Muffuletta Salad

The first time I had a proper muffuletta in New Orleans, I sat on a curb outside Central Grocery and made an absolute mess of myself. That towering sandwich, dripping with olive dressing and overflowing with cured meats, taught me that some combinations are too perfect to mess with. But when summer hits and the last thing I want is something heavy, I started deconstructing those same flavors into a salad. Now it's become my go-to when I need that muffuletta magic without the food coma.

Last summer, my neighbor Sarah came over while I was chopping olives and salami for this. She looked skeptical about salad being dinner until she took her first bite. We ended up eating the entire bowl on my back porch while the fireflies came out, and she texted me the next morning demanding the recipe. Sometimes the best meals happen when you least expect them.

Ingredients

• Romaine lettuce and arugula: The romaine gives you that satisfying crunch, while arugula adds a peppery bite that cuts through the rich meats and cheeses
• Cherry tomatoes: Use the sweetest ones you can find, their burst of juice balances all that salty cured meat beautifully
• Green and Kalamata olives: This combination creates that signature muffuletta flavor, so don't be tempted to use just one variety
• Giardiniera: Those pickled vegetables add crunch and vinegar that keeps every bite interesting
• Genoa salami and mortadella: The salami brings spice while mortadella adds mild creaminess, but feel free to swap in ham if that's what you have
• Provolone and mozzarella: Provolone offers sharpness, while fresh mozzarella keeps things mild and milky
• Red wine vinegar and olive oil: The classic dressing foundation, but don't skip the Dijon mustard, it's what makes everything cling to the greens

Instructions

Build your greens:

Throw your romaine, arugula, tomatoes, red onion, and roasted red peppers into your biggest salad bowl. Give them plenty of room, you'll be adding a lot more to this mix.

Make the olive magic:

In a separate bowl, roughly chop those green olives, Kalamata olives, giardiniera, pepperoncini, and capers. Don't make them too fine, you want to hit chunks of briny goodness in every bite.

Prep the good stuff:

Cut your salami, mortadella, provolone, and mozzarella into bite-sized pieces. Try to make them roughly the same size so nobody gets stuck with a giant chunk of salami while someone else gets all the cheese.

Whisk up the dressing:

Combine your olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, Dijon, garlic, and black pepper in a jar. Shake it until it thickens slightly, then taste it. It should be tangy enough to make your mouth pucker just a little.

Bring it all together:

Drizzle half the dressing over your greens and toss gently. Add the meats, cheeses, and that incredible olive mixture on top. Drizzle the remaining dressing and give it one final light toss, just until everything is coated.

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My dad, who's been suspicious of salads his entire life, took one bite of this and asked if I could make it for his birthday. There's something about those familiar muffuletta flavors that makes people forget they're eating something healthy. That's the kind of win that keeps me cooking.

Make It Your Own

The beauty of this salad is how forgiving it is. I've made it with just provolone when I couldn't find mozzarella, and I've swapped in ham when the store was out of mortadella. The key is keeping that salty, tangy, creamy balance intact, but the specific players are up to you.

The Bread Question

Sometimes I toast cubes of Italian bread and toss them in like croutons, especially if I'm serving this as a main course. Other times I serve crusty bread on the side for people to scoop up every last drop of that olive dressing. Both ways work, but the croutons tend to get soggy if there are leftovers.

Perfect Pairings

A crisp white wine cuts through all those rich flavors beautifully. I've also served this alongside a simple minestrone soup for a complete Italian inspired meal. On nights when I want something lighter, just some extra roasted vegetables round everything out perfectly.

• Add marinated artichoke hearts if you're going vegetarian, they bring that same tangy punch as the meats
• Make extra olive mix and keep it in the fridge, it's incredible on sandwiches or stirred into pasta salad
• If you're meal prepping, keep the dressing separate and add it right before eating to maintain that perfect crunch

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This salad started as a way to satisfy a muffuletta craving on a sweltering July day, but it's become so much more. Sometimes the best recipes come from refusing to turn on the oven and just working with what you love.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I make this salad vegetarian?

Yes, simply omit the cured meats and add extra cheese or marinated artichoke hearts for added flavor and texture.

→ What types of olives are used in the salad?

A combination of green olives and Kalamata olives creates a balanced, briny flavor in the muffuletta mix.

→ How is the dressing prepared?

The dressing blends extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and freshly ground black pepper for a tangy finish.

→ Can I serve this salad with bread?

Yes, toasted Italian bread cubes can be added for crunch or served on the side to echo traditional muffuletta textures.

→ Is this salad gluten-free?

This salad is gluten-free if you leave out the bread cubes or use a gluten-free substitute.

→ What pairs well with this salad?

A crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc complements the zesty and savory elements of this dish perfectly.