Grinder Sandwich

Make a deli-worthy Grinder Sandwich at home! Loaded with meats, cheese, and tangy salad, it’s bold, satisfying, and perfect for lunch or dinner.

Transform an ordinary lunch sandwich into a deli-worthy experience with this delectable Grinder Sandwich recipe. Piled high with your favorite meats and cheeses, it adds the flavors and textures of a crisp veggie salad with a tangy dressing. Best of all – it’s so easy to make! Serve alongside potato chips, a side of fresh fruit, or a scoop of pasta salad for a flavorful meal that’s perfect for lunch or hearty enough for dinner.

What is a Grinder Sandwich?

A grinder sandwich, also known as a “sub” sandwich or a “hoagie” (depending on the region), is a type of sandwich made with a long hoagie roll (typically Italian bread), filled with deli meat, cheeses, veggies, and all kinds of condiments. This particular sandwich recipe has gone viral on TikTok, mostly because of its signature “grinder salad” that is piled on top of the meat and cheese. These sandwiches are especially popular in New England, often served alongside other Italian-American favorites. The great thing about this Grinder Sandwich recipe is how versatile it is; you can customize the ingredients based on your favorite flavors and combinations. Grinders are often served cold, but this version is toasted before serving.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This sandwich calls for quite a few ingredients, but trust me, every single item is worth it when you sink your teeth into the best sub sandwich of your life! Feel free to get creative and swap out ingredients based on your preferences, but here’s what to start with:

For the Grinder Salad

• Mayo – Half a cup of mayonnaise. I like to use the Best Foods brand but you can use your favorite.
• Red wine vinegar – One Tbsp or a dash more if you like.
• Italian seasoning – Toss in two tsp of dried seasoning.
• Pepperoncini peppers – About five, sliced and patted dry, plus more for topping. Find them in the condiment section or the Italian foods section of your grocery store.
• Iceberg lettuce – Chop about half a head of iceberg lettuce or you can buy shredded iceberg lettuce in the grocery store. You’ll need about eight ounces for this recipe.
• Red onion – A quarter of an onion, sliced thin.
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese – One-third cup of freshly grated parmesan. You can find it in the dairy section of your grocery store, next to the rest of the fresh cheeses.
• Salt and pepper – To taste.

Herb Butter Spread

• Butter – A quarter cup, or half a stick of salted or unsalted butter, melted.
• Italian seasoning – One additional teaspoon just for the butter spread. So delish!
• Garlic – One teaspoon, or one large clove garlic, finely diced or grated.

For the Sandwich Layers

• Italian Bread – You can find whole Italian loaves in the bakery section at most grocery stores. This recipe makes four huge sandwiches and uses an entire loaf of Italian bread.
• Provolone cheese – Four ounces, or as many slices as you like.
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese – A quarter cup of additional grated parmesan cheese. It’s worth it to take the extra effort to grate the parmesan fresh onto the sandwich.
• Deli Turkey – A quarter pound, sliced thin. Ask the deli counter to slice it extra thin.
• Ham – Also a quarter pound of thinly sliced ham.
• Salami – A quarter pound of sliced salami, also found at the deli counter.
• Pepperoni – A quarter pound. You can get it freshly sliced at the deli or buy a package of pre-sliced meat.
• Tomato – One large sliced tomato.
• Salt and pepper – To taste.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. First, assemble the grinder salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, dried Italian seasoning, and garlic.
3. Slice the Italian loaf in half length-wise, and brush the seasoned butter over the top half and bottom halves of the bread. If you want less bread, you can scoop out a little bit with a knife before brushing on the butter mixture.
4. Turn the oven on to broil and toast the bread halves for just a couple of minutes until the edges are slightly golden and crisp.
5. Take the bread out of the oven and layer the meats and cheeses on the bottom halves. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
6. Pop it back into the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
7. Pull back out of the oven. Use salad tongs to pile the salad high salad over the top of the cheesy layer.
8. Add more sliced pepperoncini, tomatoes, or additional onions, add the top layer of bread, and serve.

Recipe Variations

These sandwiches are so versatile! You can literally swap out meats, cheeses, condiments, and veggies for your own delicious spin on the recipe, and nobody will complain! Here are some of my favorite variations:

Bread

• Use a hoagie bun, focaccia roll, or other type of bun for the sandwich.

Meats

• Prosciutto – This salty meat is a popular choice for Italian sandwiches. No need to cook it ahead of time, as it is perfectly good to eat as-is.
• Chicken – You can never go wrong with this classic choice.
• Roast Beef – Makes for a hearty and robust sandwich.

Cheeses

• Mozzarella cheese
• Swiss cheese
• Pepper jack cheese

Condiments and Spices

• Banana peppers
• Red Pepper flakes – A little goes a long way. If you like an extra spicy kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the Italian dressing.
• Fresh oregano, chives, parsley or basil, or your favorite fresh herbs.
• Crunchy lettuce or other types of lettuce – romaine, arugula or mixed greens are all options.