This vegan Muffuletta sandwich recipe is beautiful, loaded with vegetables and a tangy fat-free dressing. Eat it hot or cold, you choose. You will love this vegan delight, crunchy on the outside and warm and comforting inside.
I first saw a muffuletta sandwich in Martha Stewart’s magazine years ago. Although her version displayed layers of meats and cheeses, it sparked a vegan idea. I eat an array of vegetable sandwiches, but I figured I could layer vegetables if Martha layered meat and cheese. So, I went to the farmers' market to find colorful vegetables to make a vegan muffaletta sandwich recipe.
Jump to:
Luckily, a beautiful round-shaped loaf of bread caught my attention. And then my imagination took over.
Nobel Bread, a local deli and bakery, bakes all its vegan bread from scratch. Luckily, they sell their bread at the farmer's markets each weekend. As a result, most of their bread does not contain oil or fat, just water, yeast, and flour.
For this particular sandwich, I selected a large round of sourdough bread.
Muffuletta Sandwich Bread
Since I remove the inside of the bread, this muffuletta is technically low in carbs. Instead of filling the sandwich with meats and cheeses, I layered cooked and raw vegetables.
However, the purpose of the bread is to hold all the vegetable layers in place and create a crunchy structure to house the vegetables.
The only bread consumed is the crusty outside. And what's better than the crusty outside of bread? To avoid wasting the inside of the bread, reserve the removed bread for dipping into stews and soups. Why waste the extra bread? Instead, use it for other recipes like bread crumbs.
- Step 1: First, cut a hole in the top of the bread and remove the center.
- Step 2: Next, using your fingers, remove all the bread inside the bread, digging into the sides. Do not break through the crust on the sides out the bottom of the loaf.
The Sandwich Filling Ingredients
I chose many fresh vegetables; the more colorful, the better.
Cooked Vegetables
- Portobello Mushrooms
- Red Bell Peppers
- White onions (or yellow onions)
- Zucchini
- Yellow Squash
Raw Vegetables
- Tomato
- Spinach or other greens of choice
How to Make a Vegan Muffuletta Sandwich
- Grill or saute the portobello mushrooms, onions, red bell peppers, and zucchini.
- Grill on a medium-low grill in a grill basket for 12 minutes.
- Leave the spinach and tomatoes uncooked (Raw).
- Separate the vegetables on a platter so you can easily layer your sandwich.
Although I prefer grilled vegetables, sauteeing the vegetables offers an alternative for weather issues.
I recommend grilling in the event the weather is conducive. You can also marinate the vegetables in advance if you plan to grill them.
Ensure the vegetables are thoroughly cooked, so your vegetables are not too moist, avoiding soggy bread.
Layering the Vegetables in the Muffuletta Sandwich
- Step 1: Once the bread is removed from the loaf, press the raw spinach into the base of the hollowed-out bread. Be sure to pack into the sides, creating a base of spinach.
- Step 2: When the spinach is packed down, add the tomatoes, slightly overlapping each slice.
- Step 3:Now, add the grilled vegetables, one at a time, creating layer upon layer of vegetables, brushing with dressing between layers of vegetables.
- Step 4: Even though the vegetables fill to the top, add another layer of spinach, push it into the hollowed-out bread, and brush a final coat of dressing on the inside of the cut-out bread top.
- Step 5: Finally, wrap in aluminum foil, and bake in an oven for 20 minutes in a 400-degree oven. Baking the sandwich makes it crusty on the outside and warm and inviting on the inside, yet feel free to eat it cold if you prefer.
- Step 6: To serve, unwrap the foil, and using a bread knife, cut wedges of Muffuletta Sandwich to enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
The name is believed to be a diminutive form of muffe ("mold", "mushroom"), perhaps due to the round sandwich bread being reminiscent of a mushroom cap; or from muffola, "muff, mitten,." The forms muffuletta and its iterations are modern Italianisms of the original Sicilian.
Depending on the restaurant, you'll find muffulettas served either warm or cold throughout New Orleans. The most famous spot for a muffuletta — Central Grocery — serves cold-style muffulettas to highlight the Italian cold cuts, while others, like Napoleon House, serve it warm.
The muffuletta is ingredients are Italian, yet the sandwich does not exist in Italy. Instead, it is a New Orleans tradition, born and bred in the city, and a testament to the Sicilian community that settled there in the late 1880s and early 1900s.
Tips
- Choose a large hard exterior round bread such as sourdough or Italian loaf.
- The cooked vegetables should be layered between the raw vegetables to create a barrier, preventing the sandwich from getting soggy.
- The traditional sauce for the Muffuletta is olive tapenade, so if you prefer this olive spread instead of the maple/dijon dressing, it is a great alternative.
- Before cutting the sandwich, wait until the bread's exterior is cool to the touch.
- Serve with Italian Potato Salad, Italian Chopped Salad, or Vegan Minestrone Soup.
- Use the reserved bread pulled from the bread bowl to dip in soup, stew, or toast and food process into bread crumbs.
Enjoy this vegan Muffuletta sandwich recipe full of layered vegetables and maple dijon dressing in crunchy bread.
Vegan Sandwiches to Enjoy!
If you love this vegan Muffuletta sandwich recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Muffuletta Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 loaf Vegan Sour Dough Bread
- 1 large Hot House Tomato Sliced thin
- 1 large Yellow Onion Sliced thin
- 1 medium Yellow Summer Squash Sliced thin
- 1 medium Zucchini Sliced thin
- 3 cups Fresh Spinach Depends on the size of bread
- 1 Red Pepper Sliced thin
- 3 Portobello Mushrooms Sliced thin
Dressing
- ⅛ cup Pure Maple Syrup
- ¼ cup Dijon Mustard
Instructions
Preparing the Bread
- Take a whole round loaf of bread, and cut the top off like you would a pumpkin.
- Gently remove all the bread from the top and base (I put the bread removed in a bag to use to dip in soup another day)
- Once all the bread is removed, you have a bowl.
- Leave a thin layer of bread inside the bowl and on the top.
- Set aside.
Saute or Grill Vegetables
- Grill or saute the portobello mushrooms, onions, red bell peppers, and zucchini.
- Grill on a medium-low grill in a grill basket for 12 minutes.
- Leave the spinach and tomatoes uncooked (Raw).
- Separate the vegetables on a platter so you can easily layer your sandwich.
Dressing
- Mix Dijon mustard and maple syrup together.
- Using a spoon or a brush, coat the inside of the bottom of the bread bowl with dressing.
- Do the same to the top.
- You should have about ⅓ of the dressing left. Set it aside.
Layer the Vegetables
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- The way the vegetables are is critical so your sandwich does not get soggy.
- Start with half the fresh spinach. You do not want to cook spinach (it will cook in the oven).
- Put the spinach into the corners of the bread base, making a layer of spinach on the bottom. Push down to pack in.
- Then add the tomato slices, slightly overlapping each other.
- Now, add grilled/sautéed portobello mushrooms. Again, cover the bottom, pushing them into the sides in a single or double layer.
- Then add the red peppers; again, cover the base and push into the corners. It should be a single layer. Brush with dressing.
- Then layer onions the same way. Brush with more dressing.
- Layer the summer squash; brush with the dressing.
- Layer the zucchini, brushing with the dressing.
- Top with the rest of the fresh spinach.
- The top has a hole, so don't worry if the spinach is falling out of the top.
- *It should be overflowing.
- Add the top of the bread, brush with dressing on the inside, and push any remaining spinach back inside the bowl.
- *The fresh spinach is a barrier for sautéed vegetables, so they do not make your bread soggy.
- Wrap the entire bread bow with the vegetables inside in aluminum foil.
- Wrap the entire bowl, top, and all in aluminum foil.
- Place on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven.
Serve
- Slice sections when the outer bread cools enough to touch.
Notes
- Choose a large hard exterior round bread such as sourdough or Italian loaf.
- The cooked vegetables should be layered between the raw vegetables to create a barrier, preventing the sandwich from getting soggy.
- The traditional sauce for the Muffuletta is olive tapenade, so it is a great alternative if you prefer this olive spread instead of the maple/dijon dressing.
- Before cutting the sandwich, wait until the bread's exterior is cool.
- Serve with Italian Potato Salad, Italian Chopped Salad, or Vegan Minestrone Soup.
- Use the reserved bread pulled from the bread bowl to dip in soup, stew, or toast and food process into bread crumbs.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Linda
Kathy, Not only was this delicious, but it was such fun to make! I’m so happy that I found this recipe! Thank you.
I’d like to try it with the olive spread too. Do you have a recipe for olive spread?
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Linda, I'm so glad you liked the sandwich. The olive spread is 1 1/2 cups pitted olives (I like kalamata), 3 Tablespoons of capers, 1 1/2 Tablespoons of fresh parsley and basil, 3 cloves garlic, and 3 Tablespoons lemon juice. Put in a food processor until it forms a spread. Let me know if you like it.
Debbie de la Cruz
Kathy, this looks seriously amazing!!!
I’m going to make this Sunday this weekend. Also I’m so enjoying your You Tube channel. Thank you for your wonderful recipies, Debbie
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Debbie! Thank you so much! Please let me know what you think of the Muffuletta if you make it. It's a fun recipe! Takes pics! I plan to post three weekly recipes on YouTube on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. If there are any specific recipes you are interested in or there are topics you want me to explore, please let me know.
Rosemary Glen
I bought your book and I have a question about bread. You suggested ciabatta rolls for a sandwich. Are all the breads you suggest oil free? I am trying to find whole grain oil free fresh bread, but I am not having much luck. I love your recipes.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Rosemary, yes, all the bread I use is oil-free. I find my fresh bread in the grocery bakery section. Of course, you do have to check the labels, but most of the bread in the bakery section where I live is made with only water, yeast, and seasonings. I am also lucky to have a vegan baker at my local farmer's market, open all year round.