Italian Sandwiches

This recipe for the best Italian sandwiches is an easy dinner or lunch plan you’re going to want to have on repeat. Layered with meats, cheese, lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and spicy peppers, it’s a classic sub sandwich that’s packed with flavor and comes together in less than 15 minutes without any special ingredients or equipment.

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If you don’t have a favorite Italian deli where you can grab the perfect bite at an affordable price, no worries! You can make the classic Italian sub at home for less!

Split open a small loaf of crusty bread and layer on thin slices of cured meats, creamy cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and piquant pepperoncini peppers. The whole thing comes together quickly and tastes amazing!

Why Make This

They are quick and easy to make. A bulk batch of these Italian sandwiches takes only 15 minutes to assemble. I know because making them en masse was one of my first college jobs.

They taste delicious. The combination of savory meats, tangy cheese, creamy herb mayo, crispy lettuce, and juicy tomato just cannot be beat.

They are easily packable. Why pay extra for a sub sandwich at a shop when you can make a better one for less at home? Wrapped in plastic wrap, these pack well so that you can brown bag it in style.

Ingredients

The different ingredients in an Italian Sub are pretty straightforward. Here’s what you’ll need:

sub or grinder roll – You can buy these at the grocery store bakery. They might be called Italian hoagie rolls or Italian sandwich rolls. You can also use a large Italian loaf and slice it or bake your own Homemade Sub Rolls.

sliced ham and salami – This combo of meats is on point. I usually grab uncured ham and Genoa salami. See the variations below for some favorite restaurant copycat versions.

sliced provolone cheese – This cheese adds a bit of tang without overpowering the meat. You can also try slices of fresh mozzarella cheese for more upscale Italian sandwiches.

sandwich veggies like shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced fresh tomatoes, sliced red onion, pepperoncini – These vegetables offer just the right contrast of textures and tastes to make this sub sandwich really pop.

dressing – I once got in a heated debate with one of my cookbook editors over which flavorful sauce to use in this Italian sandwich recipe. She held that vinaigrette is a must addition to an Italian sub, while I believe it’s the herbed mayonnaise that takes this homemade sub sandwich over the top. Choose the one you prefer or you can do as my husband does and add both.

Variations

While I think these are the best Italian sandwiches on the planet, there are lots of ways to mix things up to suit your fancy.

Change the meats: You can change the combinations of the Italian cold cuts to suit your preferences or to copycat your favorite Subway or Jersey Mike’s sandwich:

• For an Italian BMT: add sliced pepperoni.
• For a Cold Cut Combo: add bologna.
• For a Jersey Shore’s Favorite: sub capicola for the salami.
• For a Super Sub: sub capicola for the salami and add prosciutto.
• Other options: sliced roast beef, four pepper turkey

Add more veggies: you can add avocado slices, coleslaw, other lettuce or spinach, sliced cucumbers, roasted vegetables, olive salad, jalapenos, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomato slices, sliced black olives, Dill Pickles or banana peppers.

Try other condiments: If Herbed Mayonnaise isn’t your style, you can try a Homemade Chipotle Mayo for a little heat or just keep it simple with this Foolproof Homemade Mayonnaise. 

Alternatively, you can also use a drizzle of red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar. Maybe try adding a spread of pesto sauce or add a drizzle of Italian dressing or Balsamic Salad Dressing. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

These Italian sandwiches are super simple to make. If you’re making more than one, make the process even easier, by laying them all out at one time and prepping them assembly-line style.

1. On a cutting board with a serrated knife, slice the rolls lengthwise, leaving a hinge on one side. Spread the mayo on both sides of the roll.
2. Layer two slices of provolone on the bottom half of the bread.
3. Add two slices of ham and four slices of salami.
4. Add a layer of tomatoes. And then a layer of onion. Add a few handfuls of shredded lettuce. Garnish with a few slices of pepperoncini.
5. Carefully fold the sandwich, keeping the filling inside. Serve immediately, or wrap well and store in the fridge until serving.

Make-ahead Instructions

These Italian Sub sandwiches are perfect for packing to school, work, picnics, or road trips. Prepare the sandwiches, wrap well in plastic or a beeswax wrapper and store in the fridge or in a cooler until serving. When I made hundreds of these sandwiches every day, we prepared them at 6 in the morning to be served until closing time that night. 

The mayonnaise is needed to keep the sandwich from being dry, but it will make the sandwich soggy if prepped too far in advance. If you’re going to make these sandwiches a day in advance, I’d leave off the mayo and add it before serving.

FAQs

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This post was originally published on October 5, 2019. It has been updated for content and clarity.