New Orleans Muffuletta Salad (Printable)

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

# What You 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, 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 Garnish

21 - 1 cup cubed toasted Italian bread

# How-To:

01 - In a large bowl, combine romaine lettuce, arugula, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and roasted red peppers. Toss gently to mix evenly.
02 - In a separate bowl, mix together green olives, Kalamata olives, giardiniera, pepperoncini, and capers until well combined.
03 - Add the sliced Genoa salami, mortadella (or ham), cubed provolone, and cubed mozzarella to the vegetable mixture. Toss to incorporate.
04 - In a small jar or bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and black pepper until emulsified and smooth.
05 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad base. Toss gently with tongs to coat all ingredients evenly without crushing the greens.
06 - Sprinkle the muffuletta mix evenly over the dressed salad. Add the meats and cheeses, then toss lightly once more to distribute. Serve immediately, topped with toasted bread cubes if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The muffuletta olive mix hits all the same briny, tangy notes as the sandwich without needing a whole loaf of bread
  • You can assemble the whole thing in twenty minutes flat
  • Its basically a deconstructed sandwich that somehow feels more satisfying than the original
02 -
  • The salad needs to be dressed right before serving or the greens will wilt under all that salty brine
  • Let the olive mixture sit for ten minutes before tossing to let flavors meld together
  • Room temperature ingredients work better than cold ones from the fridge
03 -
  • Use a mandoline for paper thin onion slices that melt into the salad
  • Toast the bread cubes in olive oil instead of butter for extra flavor
  • Let the dressed salad sit for five minutes before serving so flavors settle

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