New Orleans Muffuletta Salad (Printable)
A vibrant, hearty salad featuring cured meats, cheeses, and a zesty olive relish.
# What You'll 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 Steps:
01 - In a medium bowl, combine all olive relish ingredients including mixed olives, roasted red peppers, capers, celery, pepperoncini, parsley, olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, and black pepper. Stir well and let sit while you prepare the salad to allow flavors to meld together.
02 - In a large salad bowl, arrange the chopped romaine lettuce as the foundation. Evenly distribute grape tomatoes, provolone cubes, mozzarella cubes, salami strips, mortadella or ham strips, and thinly sliced red onion across the lettuce.
03 - Spoon the prepared olive relish evenly over the entire salad, ensuring the tangy mixture is distributed across all components.
04 - Gently toss the salad to combine all ingredients thoroughly, or serve with the olive relish layered on top for a composed presentation. Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves if desired, and accompany with slices of crusty Italian bread on the side.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- It captures all those bold Italian deli flavors without the bread heavy coma that follows
- The olive relish gets better overnight, so leftovers taste even more vibrant the next day
02 -
- The olive relish needs at least 15 minutes to marry, but overnight in the fridge transforms it completely
- Dry your lettuce thoroughly after washing, or the relish slides right off onto the bottom of the bowl
03 -
- Use kitchen shears to slice the deli meats into strips much faster than a knife
- If serving a crowd, set up a bar with bowls of each topping and let people build their own