Classic New Orleans Muffuletta Paired with ???!

This easy, bold Muffuletta recipe is the perfect make-ahead meal for a picnic or a camping trip! Packed with Italian olives, cheeses, and meats, it's the kind of meal that gets better as it sits—just prep it in the morning, and by the time you arrive, you’ve got a perfectly marinated masterpiece waiting for you.

The muffuletta has its roots in Sicilian cuisine but became a New Orleans legend thanks to Italian immigrants. The story goes that Salvatore Lupo, a Sicilian immigrant and owner of Central Grocery in New Orleans, created the sandwich in 1906. He noticed that Sicilian farmers buying bread, meats, cheeses, and olive salad would eat them separately, so he decided to combine them into one epic sandwich using round Sicilian sesame bread - and the rest is delicious history.

Today, muffuletta lovers debate whether it’s best hot or cold. We say: why choose? Warm it up on chilly days, or enjoy it straight from the cooler when the sun's out. Central Grocery is still serving its legendary muffuletta on Decatur Street, and if you can’t make it there, you can always order their famous olive salad (used in this recipe) to recreate the magic.

Make this iconic sandwich to take on your next adventure. Take a bite and savor a true taste of New Orleans!

P.S. Help us settle the pairing debate! We tried two incredible, budget-friendly wines paired with our muffuletta—The Don Cabernet Sauvignon and Boneyard Syrah. Our team could not agree on which was best. Some loved our 2021 Boneyard Syrah which mimicked the bold muffuletta flavors. Others preferred our 2021 The Don which seemed to soften the punchy olive salad notes a bit. So, we need your help - cast your vote and let’s crown the winner! 🍷🥪

Classic New Orleans Muffuletta

Serves: 6 - 8

Suggested wine pairing: 2021 The Don & 2021 Boneyard

INGREDIENTS:

• Round loaf of bread (we used Trader Joe’s Paesano Italian Boule and it was fantastic)

• ¼ lb mortadella

• ¼ lb salami

• ¼ lb prosciutto or ham

• ¼ lb provolone cheese

• ¼ lb Emmentaler or American Swiss cheese

• 1-2 cups olive salad (we used Central Grocery’s for ease and authenticity)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut the bread in half horizontally and remove approx 1 in of the inside of the bread, both top and bottom. Leave a small border to hold in the olive salad. Spread the mixture evenly on the top and bottom of the bread. Taste the olive salad and use as much as you care to, it is quite briny. The idea is to be able to taste all the flavors and not overpower the meats and cheeses. The oil is delicious, so feel free to add that in as well.

2. Layer on the meats and cheeses and carefully put the top of the bread on the sandwich. Wrap it tightly with a couple of layers of plastic wrap and weigh it down with a heavy pan or bricks. This helps to meld the flavors together. Leave it for one hour then flip it over and do the same to the other side. At this point you can either eat it or refrigerate it for later.

3. Slice into wedges and serve. Enjoy with a glass of Boneyard or The Don, or both! And let us know what you think…