These Italian sandwiches are absolutely delicious. This version is loaded with thinly sliced salami, mozzarella cheese and fresh veggies then topped with a yummy olive tapenade spread.
Italian Sandwich
This is one of my favorite lunches, and the perfect thing to take out to a picnic or eat at home for a casual meal. These Italian sandwiches are loaded with thin-sliced salami and thick slices of mozzarella cheese, then topped with an easy yummy olive tapenade spread (which is amazing if you have never tried it!) and arugula lettuce.
Which Bread to Use with the Italian Sandwich
One thing that’s vital to a great sandwich is to choose the right kind of bread to hold all those yummy ingredients. There are a lot of good options out there, but something freshly baked from a local baker is always better than a bagged version.
Ciabatta or a rustic Italian loaf works well, but we especially love eating it on toasted baguette bread. Please don’t make this on a soft bread or it will be soggy and won’t taste nearly as good!
Olive Tapenade
Making an olive tapenade certainly sounds fancy, but I promise you, it’s oh-so-easy. Plus, this spread will take your Italian sandwich to the next level in the best way!
To make the tapenade, finely chop pitted olives. Then mix in some balsamic vinegar. That’s it! It’s totally simple but you’ll make this recipe again and again.
One note: if you are making the Italian sandwiches to go out rather than eat immediately, pack the tapenade separately, then spread it on the Italian sandwich right before you eat.
Other Sandwiches to Try
- Kalua Pork Sandwich
- Turkey Bacon Avocado Panini
- Vietnamese Pork Bahn Mi
- Apple, Ham and Cheddar Melt
- Egg Salad Sandwich
How to make Italian Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 4 rolls of Ciabatta Bread or Rustic Italian Bread
- 1/3 lb Salami Thin Sliced
- 8 slices Provolone Cheese
- 1/2 cup Kalamata Olives Pitted, the kind in a jar
- 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar not vinaigrette
- 1 cup Arugula Lettuce
Instructions
- Finely chop the Kalamata Olives and mix in a generous amount of Balsamic Vinegar for the tapenade.
- Spread a good amount on the bread and top with the lettuce, cheese, and salami.
- If you are packing this sandwich for lunch or an outing, wait to spread on the tapenade until just before eating.
rich says
Sandwiches like this are the food of the Gods – quick, tasty, cheap. Hold the onions.
Heidi says
One nice thing is that our Walmart sells red, green or black tapenade. Might save a little chopping – I hate that part 🙂
Laura-IH says
Yum! I made these last night and they are so good! Thanks so much for posting the recipe! 🙂