New Orleans US · Lunch & handhelds

New Orleans muffuletta

Name: New Orleans muffuletta
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 9 h
Yield: 4 wedges
Cuisine: New Orleans US
Ingredients: 3/4 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, drained; 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and drained; 1/2 cup drained giardiniera, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained; 1 small garlic clove, minced; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar; 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 round 9-inch sesame muffuletta loaf; 4 ounces thinly sliced mortadella; 4 ounces thinly sliced Genoa salami; 4 ounces thinly sliced deli ham; 4 ounces sliced provolone; 4 ounces sliced Swiss cheese

A sesame-crusted round loaf layered with homemade olive salad, mortadella, Genoa salami, ham, provolone, and Swiss.

About 9 hrTotal

About 30 minActive

$$$Cost

EasyDifficulty

Makes 4 wedges

Equipment

A similarly sized 13 × 18-inch rimmed pan works; smaller pans make a thicker pizza.
Best starting point
Nordic Ware Naturals Half Sheet · 43100
View at Amazon
Another workable path: A similarly sized 13 × 18-inch rimmed pan works; smaller pans make a thicker pizza.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We compared exact half-sheet geometry, uncoated material, reinforced construction, heat limit, care, stable model identity, and the exact Amazon destination. Manufacturer specifications establish model 43100 and its UPC, while America's Test Kitchen reports comparative cooking and handling results. Kwilt has not baked with this pan.
Nordic Ware Naturals Half Sheet · 43100: Its 13-by-18-inch footprint gives this soft dough the intended thickness, and the uncoated aluminum supports browning on the oiled bottom. Trade-off: Hand washing is recommended, and acidic tomato left on uncoated aluminum can discolor or pit the surface over time.
Another workable path: Use another rimmed half sheet only if its outside dimensions are close to 13 by 18 inches. A smaller pan makes a thicker pizza and needs its own bake adjustment.
Sources
Nordic Ware product details
America's Test Kitchen result
Nordic Ware model and UPC registry
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 4 wedges

3/4 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, drained
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and drained
1/2 cup drained giardiniera, finely chopped
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 round 9-inch sesame muffuletta loaf
4 ounces thinly sliced mortadella
4 ounces thinly sliced Genoa salami
4 ounces thinly sliced deli ham
4 ounces sliced provolone
4 ounces sliced Swiss cheese

Instructions

Coarsely chop both olives. Mix with giardiniera, capers, garlic, oregano, vinegar, and olive oil. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours so the oil takes on the pickled aromatics.
Bring olive salad to cool room temperature and stir well. Slice the loaf horizontally and pull only a little loose crumb from the center, preserving a sturdy shell.
Spoon half the olive salad and its seasoned oil evenly over the cut face of the bottom loaf. Layer mortadella, salami, ham, provolone, and Swiss in loose folds rather than compact slabs.
Spread remaining olive salad over the cut face of the top loaf and close the sandwich. Wrap tightly in parchment, set a on top, and weight lightly for 30 minutes at cool room temperature.
Unwrap and cut through the center into four wedges with a long serrated knife. Serve at room temperature; refrigerate promptly if holding longer than 2 hours.

New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans sandwich cooking

From the table

About this recipe

The muffuletta was created in New Orleans within its Sicilian immigrant food culture, uniting a round sesame loaf, cured meats, cheeses, and a defining oily pickled olive salad.

The muffuletta was created in New Orleans within its Sicilian immigrant food culture. The round sesame loaf and oily, pickled olive salad are defining—not interchangeable with focaccia and a dry tapenade. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Make a streamlined but fully marinated olive salad from widely available ingredients and preserve the original cold, round, layered New Orleans construction.

Sources

Dinner does not stop at the recipe