It's tailgating time! The football season has begun and folks everywhere are cheering their team on to victory. You can't do all that cheering on an empty stomach now can you? Oh no! Game day would not be the same without some tasty food and beverages. Whether you are tailgating at the stadium or in your living room, my individual muffuletta sandwiches are great for filling up before, during, or after the game.
The muffuletta (also spelled muffaletta) sandwich originates in New Orleans. Central Grocery in the French Quarter created it because the Sicilian farmers selling their produce nearby would come in and order bread, olive salad, meats, and cheeses. They combined the ingredients together to make them easier to eat while sitting outside. A regular sized muffuletta is a whole loaf of bread so my individual ones are for single serving sandwiches.
The olive salad is what makes this sandwich extraordinary. I say that because back when I did not care for olives I loved a muffuletta. The combination of flavors in the salad and how it soaks into the bread is oh so yummy. You need to make the sandwiches the day before (and the salad the day before that) to make it taste just right. It really does get better after hanging out in the fridge all night.
A sandwich is one part of a tailgating feast. You need beverages, appetizers, main dishes, desserts, and more. The Sunday Supper team has put together a fabulous list of recipes to make your game day complete. Check them out:
Pre Game Warm-ups:
- Sausage Balls by My Catholic Kitchen
- Edamame Hummus by Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
- Slow Cooker Rueben Dip by The Meltaways
- Buffalo Wing Hummus by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
- Smokey Guacamole with Bacon by Family Spice
- Pepperoni & Mozzarella Pull Apart by In the Kitchen with KP
- Boneless Honey BBQ Chicken Wings by Juanita's Cocina
- Candied Pecans by From Fast Food to Fresh Food
- Crispy Coconut Chicken Strips with Sweet Chili Sauce by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
- Swabian Mini Meatballs (Schwaebische Mini Fleischkuechle) by Galactosemia in PDX
- Joe Montana's Touchdown Guacamole by Noshing with the Nolands
- Cheddar Cheese Jalapeno Bites by Mama.Mommy.Mom.
- Hot & Spicy Popcorn Chicken by My Trials in the Kitchen
- Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites by Family Foodie
- Soft Pretzels with Spicy Beer Cheese Sauce by girlichef
- Game Day Loaded Nachos by The Messy Baker
- Buffalo Chicken Dip by Home Cooking Memories
- Southwestern Spring Rolls by Supper for a Steal
- Pepperoni Pizza Puffs by Comfy Cuisine
- Roasted Garlic Bacon Dip with Easy Homemade Tortilla Chips by Daily Dish Recipes
- Beer Battered Spiced Sweet Potato Lentil Fritters by Sue's Nutrition Buzz
- Indian Spiced Chicken Meatballs by Soni's Food for Thought
On the Sidelines:
- Anne's Best Potato Salad with Bacon and Peas by Webicurean
- Simple Roasted Purple Potatoes by Ruffles and Truffles
- Spicy BBQ Baked Beans by Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
Main Events:
- Gluten Free Breakfast Sandwich by Cooking Underwriter
- Pollo Adobado con Papas (Adobo Chicken with Potatoes) by La Cocina de Leslie
- Poor Man's Burrito by Shockingly Delicious
- Ham and Mushroom Handpies by Vintage Kitchen Notes
- Individual Muffuletta Sandwiches by Magnolia Days
- Far East Steak Salad by Diabetic Foodie
- Italian Sloppy Joes by The Weekend Gourmet
- Hot Chicken Chili by Momma's Meals
- Louisiana Sloppy Joes by Sustainable Dad
- Hawaiian Chicken Wraps by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
- Grandpa Sal's Sausage and Peppers by Daddy Knows Less
- Fancy Filet Chili by I Run for Wine
- Homemade Italian Sausage by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
- Jalapeno Crockpot Chili by Mama's Blissful Bites
- Flavorful Fall Marinade by Midlife Road Trip
- Moose Chili by Mrs. Mama Hen
Overtime:
- Peanut Butter-Stuffed Chocolate Cookies by Chocolate Moosey
- Streusel Topped Pumpkin Bread by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Zucchini Cupcakes by In the Kitchen with Audrey
- Oven-Baked Churros by Small Wallet Big Appetite
- Swirl Nutella Cupcakes by Basic N Delicious
- Peanut Butter and Pretzel Truffles by Gotta Get Baked
From the Cooler:
- Sparkling Tropical Lemonade by Dinners. Dishes, and Desserts
- Strawberry Horchata by Damn Delicious
Wine Pairings by Wine Everyday
Hungry yet? I certainly am after looking at all those recipes. Be sure to read about each one, they are such great posts with inspiration for any party; tailgate or otherwise.
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and this week it is all about tailgating food, beverages, and fun. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. We love to pin recipes and photos so be sure to follow our #SundaySupper Pinterest board too.
How do enjoy the football season? Do you go to the games or watch them at home? Either way, I hope you have the best time at each one with good food, friends, family, and fun.
Individual Muffuletta (aka Muffaletta) Sandwiches
Ingredients
For the olive salad:
- 1 ½ cups pimento-stuffed olives
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
- ¾ cup giardiniera Italian pickled vegetables
- 3 large pepperoncini top and stem removed, chopped
- 6 pickled onions roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 large garlic clove chopped
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- A few grinds of pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil
For the sandwiches:
- 12 round bakery buns about 3 to 4 inches wide
- 12 slices provolone cheese
- 12 slices cappicolo
- 12 slices Genoa salami
- 12 slices deli ham
- 12 slices deli pepperoni
- 12 slices swiss or mortadella cheese
- Olive salad
Instructions
For the olive salad:
- Place all the salad ingredients except the olive oil into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a knife blade. Pulse a few times until roughly chopped. Transfer ingredients to a bowl and stir in the olive oil. Refrigerate overnight.
For the sandwiches:
- Slice the buns in half. On the bottom half, layer 1 slice each of the provolone, cappicolo, salami, ham, pepperoni, and swiss cheese. Add about 2 tablespoons of olive salad on top of the meats and cheeses. Cover with top half of bun. Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap or parchment paper and refrigerate overnight. Enjoy!
Notes
I have only attempted making these once, and your olive salad sounds awesome! I think I need to give these another go!
Thanks so much for well written introduction of The Muffuletta. It's look so good with the olive salad. Bookmarked!
Just the name of this sandwich is great, and you´re right the olives and pickles make it extraordinary. Wonderful recipe! Happy Sunday Renee!
Oh my gosh - YUM. I love muffalettas and I am in love with the idea of individual ones. I will definitely be trying these, Renee! 🙂
I want to make these for the UF vs LSU game! Perfect that I can make them ahead of time.
I've only seen 'Muffaletta' on 'Throwdown with Bobby Flay' but never tried it!Yours looks absolutely delicious and the lovely olives with the pickled veggies must taste so so good!Dying to have a bite of this 🙂
I have never eaten a muffuletta before and I am DYING to try one! This recipe sounds amazing 🙂
I've had muffuletta a couple of times before and I absolutely love it! I'm so glad I can recreate it at home now 🙂
That is so handy! Love it!
I have been waiting for these all week long and I just added them to my menu. You'd be my best friend during tailgating season! YUM!
Renee~ I love these sandwiches and would eat them any day of the week! YUM
These look so so good!!! Delicious 🙂
I love muffuletta but I never thought of making it at home. I will have to give this a try for my olive obsessed husband.
After living in Louisiana a number of years, and graduating from LSU, I am quite the fan of Muffaletta's and Central Grocery Italian Salad! Your recipe looks delicious, and is surely to be a hit! See you tonight on twitter @fromagechick! #SundaySupper
Renee, this looks like an ideal sandwich for a tailgate! Delicious and full of amazing ingredients! What a crowd pleaser! Happy #SundaySupper, my friend!
Wow, Renee! I've never heard of a sandwich like this but it sounds AH-MAZING! I'm not a big fan of olives but when it's whipped up into things like tapenade, I'm all over it.
This is definitely going on my "must make" list. Having gone to NOLA this summer, we wanted to pack these sandwiches in our carry on bags and bring them home with us! Can't wait to recreate it!
I was late on learning about muffuletta sandwiches, and so glad I finally did! I am an olive FREAK, and so adore every bite of these sandwiches! I am excited to have your recipe, I for sure plan to make this soon! YUM, Hugs, Terra
Ooohhhh soooooo goooood!!!
This looks amazing! I love olives and cold cuts and Im going to try to make these on a gluten free roll
I don't care for olives, but I LOVE muffaletta sandwiches! We were just at Central Grocery in NOLA a few weeks back, and we brought back a couple jars of the olive salad as souvies for foodie friends! Your sandwiches look fabulous...
Mmmmmm.....Muffalettas! So perfect for tailgating or anytime if you ask me! Great choice for this week and the pics have my mouth watering as usual, Renee!
The olive salad looks so good. Great sandwich!!
oh my yumminess, this looks so amazing!! 🙂
Cheering is hard work, so I'm going to need one of these delicious looking sammies, for sure! They look amazing. You had me at muffuletta. Happy #SS! Pinned.
Yum! What a great thing to make individual! Perfect for game time!
That's really a beautiful & delicious looking sandwich! I know this is shared for tailgating, but I think it's elegant enough for a luncheon or special occasion.
I think I love you for using a homemade olive salad! We went to NOLA in April and brought back a few jars of the olive salad from Central Grocery. Plus I love that it is individual sized (rather than the size of ones head!)
You had me at "pickled."
Yum what a new orleans original, great for any tailgating get together.
I've been eying this sandwich since you put up the preview! Without the olive salad, you just have a plain old Italian hero, that olive salad takes it to a whole new delicious height!
Oh my goodness, these look SO good. I absolutely love muffuletta sandwiches but have never made one myself + I only get them when i'm in new orleans. If I lived closer to you, I'd be begging to be your taste-tester when you made these!
These look so wholesome & yumm ! Would make a nice dinner meal am thinking 🙂
These look great! I have a muffuletta cheat--getting jars of it from the Olive Pit in Corning, CA. I love having it on hand because it's good in other things too--especially tossed in a salad! thanks for sharing your recipe!
I first heard of Muffuletta's while I was working at a restaurant in college. And I must say, it was so good I always wanted to go to New Orleans to try it. But now I can just go to your house. Wait where do you live?
You're right! The olive salad makes or breaks the sandwich. Your recipe sounds fantastic, Renee! 🙂
I could eat these with just the olive salad! This is a great sandwich Renee!
I just want to crawl right up in this sandwich and eat it from the inside out! I love everything about it.
Jamie @ http://www.mamamommymom.com