New Orleans Muffuletta Salad (Printable)
Hearty salad with cured meats, cheeses, and zesty olive relish delivering vibrant Creole flavors.
# What You Need:
→ Olive Relish
01 - 1 cup mixed pitted olives (green and black), chopped
02 - 1/4 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
03 - 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
04 - 2 tablespoons celery, finely diced
05 - 2 tablespoons pepperoncini, chopped
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Salad Components
11 - 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
12 - 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
13 - 1/2 cup provolone cheese, cubed
14 - 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed
15 - 1/2 cup salami, sliced into strips
16 - 1/2 cup mortadella or ham, sliced into strips
17 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
→ Optional Garnish
18 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
19 - Crusty Italian bread (omit for gluten-free)
# How-To:
01 - Combine mixed olives, roasted red peppers, capers, celery, pepperoncini, parsley, olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Stir thoroughly and set aside to allow flavors to meld while preparing the remaining components.
02 - Arrange chopped romaine lettuce in a large salad bowl. Distribute grape tomatoes, provolone cubes, mozzarella cubes, salami strips, mortadella or ham strips, and red onion slices evenly over the lettuce.
03 - Spoon the prepared olive relish evenly across the top of the salad. Gently toss all ingredients together to incorporate flavors, or serve as a composed salad with relish layered on top.
04 - Scatter torn fresh basil leaves over the salad if desired. Serve accompanied by crusty Italian bread slices on the side, omitting bread for gluten-free preparation.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- All the bold flavors of a muffuletta sandwich without the heavy bread
- The olive relish gets better overnight, so its perfect meal prep material
02 -
- The relish needs at least 15 minutes to meld, but honestly it is even better if you make it the night before
- Dont skip the crusty bread on the side unless you are strictly gluten free, it is perfect for mopping up all those juices
03 -
- Chop everything uniformly, nothing worse than getting a massive olive chunk in one bite and nothing but lettuce in the next
- Let the assembled salad sit for 5 minutes before tossing so the olive oil can soften the meats and cheese slightly