New Orleans Muffuletta Salad (Printable)

A vibrant salad with olives, cured meats, cheeses, and tangy dressing inspired by New Orleans flavors.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad Base

01 - 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
02 - 1 cup arugula or mixed greens
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1 cup roasted red peppers, sliced

→ Muffuletta Mix

06 - 1 cup green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
07 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
08 - 1/2 cup giardiniera (Italian pickled vegetables), chopped
09 - 1/4 cup pepperoncini, sliced
10 - 1 tablespoon capers, drained

→ Meats & Cheese

11 - 3 ounces Genoa salami, sliced into strips
12 - 3 ounces mortadella or ham, sliced into strips
13 - 3 ounces provolone cheese, cut into small cubes
14 - 3 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes

→ Dressing

15 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
16 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
17 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
18 - 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
19 - 1 clove garlic, minced
20 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Optional

21 - 1 cup cubed toasted Italian bread (for croutons or as a side)

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine romaine lettuce, arugula, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and roasted red peppers in a large bowl.
02 - Mix green olives, Kalamata olives, giardiniera, pepperoncini, and capers in a separate bowl.
03 - Add salami strips, mortadella or ham strips, provolone cubes, and mozzarella cubes to the vegetable mixture.
04 - Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and black pepper in a small jar or bowl until emulsified.
05 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad base and toss gently to coat evenly.
06 - Sprinkle the muffuletta mix evenly over the top. Add the meats and cheeses, toss lightly to distribute, and serve immediately. Top with toasted bread cubes if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get all those incredible Italian deli flavors without turning on your oven or spending hours at the stove
  • The tangy olive dressing doubles as a marinade, making everything taste better with every minute it sits
  • It's that rare salad that actually feels substantial enough for dinner, even for the meat lovers in your life
02 -
  • The dressing makes the salad too soggy if you add it too early, so wait until right before serving or keep it on the side
  • Room temperature meats and cheeses have way more flavor than cold ones from the fridge, so let everything sit out for about 20 minutes before assembling
  • This salad actually tastes better after sitting for 10 minutes, as the dressing starts to soften the olives and marry the flavors
03 -
  • Invest in good quality olives from the olive bar rather than jarred ones, the difference in flavor is worth every penny
  • Let the dressed salad sit for about 10 minutes before serving, it gives the flavors time to meld and the vegetables to soften slightly

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