Muffuletta Olive Salad Recipe

As Italians know, and according to recipe developer Miriam Hahn of YouCare-SelfCare, "Muffuletta is the name of a type of bread in Italy. There, they make a sandwich on muffuletta bread with meat, cheese, and olive salad." She notes that muffuletta is also a type of sandwich (which is native to New Orleans, Louisiana, according to Olivia's Cuisine). "I first discovered this a few years ago on a trip to Italy and fell in love with the olive salad," says Hahn. Now, she is recreating this vibrant, salty, spicy, versatile dish for home cooks who want to bring a little piece of Italy and New Orleans to their next meal. Yum!

For some, muffuletta olive salad is perfect to make any day of the week, perhaps to top off a sandwich or salad at lunchtime, or as a side with dinner — or even for a quick and healthy snack. But Hahn notes this impressive dish is also perfect for special occasions. "It is really festive for the holidays, and works beautifully on an antipasto or charcuterie platter!"

For your muffuletta salad to come to life, you will need several specialty ingredients, while some are staples you likely have hanging out in your kitchen as we speak. So, either buy or gather shallots, Castelvetrano and Kalamata olives, pepperoncini slices, marinated artichoke hearts, jarred piquillo peppers (you can also sub those for roasted red peppers), Italian parsley, capers, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and finally, oregano.

Not familiar with some of these ingredients? That's perfectly okay, because you absolutely will be when you're finished whipping up this dish. As Hahn explains, "Castelvetrano olives are a Sicilian green olive famous for their color, buttery-sweet flavor, and crisp, meaty texture." She adds, "They are much firmer than the Kalamata olives in this recipe and pair beautifully."

Hahn also explains that the piquillo peppers are quite comparable to red peppers, but she opted for them as opposed to red in this recipe "because they have a little more sweetness and balance well with the saltiness."

This salad is very simple to make, yet it requires quite a bit of chopping and dicing. So, tackle that task first and foremost. You'll dice the shallots, slice the olives, slice the pepperoncinis, chop the artichoke hearts if needed, chop the peppers, and chop the parsley. Then, mix all of these bright and beautiful ingredients together, along with the capers.

Of course, your mouth is likely watering at the sight of these delicious olives and peppers, but you may be wondering just how salty this muffuletta olive mix is. According to Hahn, "This salad is brimming with salty flavor, but it is balanced with the piquillo peppers and parsley." It's also worth noting that the dressing complements the overall flavor with the smooth olive oil and acidic vinegar. And, you have the bite of the pepperoncinis, which Hahn explains "come in different heat levels, but are generally a mild pepper." She notes, "I used medium in this recipe."

All that is left to do is make your salad dressing. Simply whisk together your favorite olive oil, the red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano. Next, you will toss the salad with your dressing ... and that's it! You can most certainly serve the muffuletta salad right away, or, as Hahn says, this stores well in the fridge if you want to make it in advance for a party or get-together.

As for how Hahn enjoys her muffuletta olive salad, she says, "I love using this salad on a sandwich or as a side dish, but also love it on [a] baguette, layered on top of hummus." She notes the dish also makes for an amazing appetizer. We're willing to bet that if you make the salad today, you can use it all week long for meals and snacks, served on bread or enjoyed by itself. Share with family or friends, or eat it up all by yourself. Buon appetito!