Muffaletta Grilled Cheese
Celebrate National Grilled Cheese Month with a New Orleans flare! This Muffaletta Grilled Cheese sandwich combines two favorites into one!
This Muffaletta Grilled Cheese post is sponsored by Cabot Creamery, but the recipe and opinions are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Spiced!
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Happy National Grilled Cheese Month! That’s right – there are many reasons to celebrate in April. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, April means the arrival of warmer temperatures. (Goodbye winter snow!) April also means the tulips begin to peak out of the ground (Hello color!). But wait, there’s more…April is also National Grilled Cheese Month!
We love grilled cheese sandwiches around our house. We eat ’em all year long…not just in April. But it’s always fun to celebrate a food holiday, so we’ve been embracing National Grilled Cheese Month by making fun grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch every Saturday. So far, we’ve (re)made this Antipasta Grilled Cheese and this Smoked Brisket Grilled Cheese. Both were absolutely delicious!
Muffaletta Grilled Cheese
This past weekend, we added a 3rd amazing grilled cheese sandwich to our lineup of April grilled cheeses – the Muffaletta Grilled Cheese. Have you ever heard of a Muffaletta Sandwich? This iconic New Orleans sandwich features layers upon layers of Italian meats and cheeses. Oh, and a hefty amount of olive salad, too. I know what you’re thinking – olives on a sandwich? Trust me! The muffaletta is a classic sandwich in the Big Easy for a reason!
A muffaletta is definitely high up on my list of favorite sandwiches. So is a good grilled cheese. I decided to combine these two into one – and holy cow! This Muffaletta Grilled Cheese is amazing. Like knock-your-socks-off amazing. Like “I need to make this one again tomorrow” amazing.
For this Muffaletta Grilled Cheese, I started with the classic layers from a muffaletta sandwich – olive salad, soppressata, salami and mortadella. (Most larger grocery stores offer this trio of Italian meats at their deli counter.) Then I added in two layers of Cabot’s Monterey Jack cheese. This smooth cheese is the ultimate melting cheese! It’s creamy, delicious and makes for A+ grilled cheese sandwiches!
The combination of melty cheese and olives might sound a bit different, but trust me! This unique grilled cheese sandwich is delicious. Plus, Cabot’s Monterey Jack cheese makes everything better. I love that cheese, and I always keep several packages of it in the fridge. It’s great for everything from grilled cheese sandwiches to dips to pizza. It’s also great for eating straight out of the fridge as an afternoon snack. There’s a good reason – actually a lot of reasons – why Cabot’s Monterey Jack cheese won 1st place at the 2018 World Championship Cheese Contest!
If you’re looking for a fun and tasty way to celebrate National Grilled Cheese Month, then put this Muffaletta Grilled Cheese sandwich on the list. After just one bite of this sandwich, Laura and I looked at each other and said “oh yeah!” Needless to say, this sandwich made an appearance again on Sunday. I hope you enjoy this one as much as we do!
Did you make this Muffaletta Grilled Cheese at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me (@Spicedblog) and Cabot (@CabotCheese) on Instagram – we’d love to see your version!
Muffaletta Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
For the Olive Salad
- 1 10-oz. jar pitted green olives, drained
- 1 6-oz. can pitted black olives, drained
- ½ cup giardiniera mix celery, carrots, cauliflower, peppers, etc., drained (see note)
- ½ cup pepperoncini sliced
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
For the Grilled Cheese
- 1 Tbsp salted butter softened
- 4 slices sesame seed sandwich bread or Texas Toast style sandwich bread
- 6 oz. Cabot Monterey Jack cheese shredded (~1½ cups)
- 4 oz. soppressata sliced
- 4 oz. salami sliced
- 4 oz. Mortadella sliced
Instructions
For the Olive Salad
- Finely chop green olives, black olives and giardiniera and pepperoncini; place mixture in a medium mixing bowl.
- Add remaining ingredients (garlic, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar and olive oil); stir until well combined. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight.
For the Grilled Cheese
- Brush one side of each slice of bread with butter.
- Lay two slices buttered-side down and top each with: ¼ cup of the Olive Salad, ¼ of the shredded Monterey Jack cheese, ½ of the soppressata, ½ of the salami, ½ of the Mortadella, another ¼ of the shredded Monterey Jack cheese and another slice of buttered bread (buttered side out).
- Preheat a cast-iron skillet or frying pan over medium-low heat.
- Add the sandwiches and cook on one side for 2-3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking 2-3 more minutes, or until cheese has melted and sandwich is golden brown. Cut each sandwich in half and serve immediately.
Notes
Looking for more tasty grilled cheese sandwich recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
cant wait to make all soon for me for the grilled cheese can i use vegan butter / cheese and mushrooms i never had muffaletta grilled cheese before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Yes, you can absolutely change the recipe to fit your personal preferences, Ramya! But don’t skip out on that olive salad…it’s so tasty in a warm grilled cheese sandwich!
Muffalettas are one of my all-time favorite sandwiches and that you combined it with grilled cheese is a fantastic idea. I must try this soon. BTW your other grilled cheese sandwiches are mouthwatering! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much, Kristy! I’m right there with ya. I love muffalettas, and I’ll eat one any day of the week. But I also love grilled cheese sammiches. How do you pick between the two? You don’t! You combine them into one sandwich. I hope you enjoy this one – it’s one fantastic sandwich!!
I I remember my muffaletta sandwich when I visited New Orleans. It was so delicious. I will definitely try your recipe the next time I go to the mountains. There is a food stand on the way that sells the best giardiniera mix and homemade olives.
Wow – homemade olives and giardiniera mix!? I’m sold! That would be an excellent place to stop and pick up the ingredients for olive salad. This recipe makes extra olive salad – so use some of it for grilled cheeses and then just use the rest as a dip with pita chips! I hope you enjoy this recipe, my friend!
No, I am not familiar with Muffaletta Sandwich, but this inspired grilled cheese looks phenomenal. Just as any other of your grilled cheese creations indeed. I don’t make grilled cheese often, well I make it way too rarely (Maybe once or twice a year. Don’t say anything – I know!), so I think I will need to catch up ASAP 🙂
Ah – you need to be familiar with the Muffaletta Sandwich, Ben! It’s filled with Italian meats and cheese and olives. It’s amazing! But take that muffaletta and combine it with a grilled cheese sandwich? That’s the stuff dreams are made of. Haha! Put this Muffaletta Grilled Cheese on the menu ASAP. Trust me!
this sandwich looks heavenly david. everyone loves grilled cheese sangers don’t they? 🙂 I was astonished to see monterey jack cheese slices in our local supermarket recently. i had no idea you could get ’em here! I guess you’ve heard of jaffles? such a fun sandwich. i remember eating lots of them as a child. tricky to make an egg version with fresh eggs…
Yes! I remember you asking about Monterey Jack in the past, Sherry. Pick up a pack! It’s a mild, creamy cheese that melts well…but it still has a lot of flavor. It’s great in grilled cheese sandwiches! I haven’t heard of jaffles…but I’m off to google them right now!
I think I’ll try to make it without the olives. I like olive oil, but I absolutely hate olives.
Go for it, Beth! I bet it will still end up being a delicious grilled cheese sandwich. Cheers! 🙂
I love how melty and gooey this sandwich is! I’ve never had a muffaletta sandwich, but I’m loving all the flavors. This will make a perfect easy dinner for tonight!
This is one heck of a tasty sandwich, Kathy! It’s hard to beat a melty, gooey grilled cheese sammich…especially when it’s stuffed with Italian meat and olive salad, too! 🙂
David, how do you manage to come up with these delectable dishes! This sandwich looks so cravable.
Thanks, Jeff! I basically took 2 of my favorite sandwiches and smooshed them together into 1. (And, yes, smoosh is a technical term!)
I could definitely eat this sandwich more than twice a week too! I love grilled cheese sandwiches so freaking much, and this one looks loaded! Love the muffaletta spin! With those briny veggies, cold cuts and melty cheese, what’s not to love? This one need to happen real soon – it’s too good to miss!!
Thanks so much, Dawn! This sammich is packed with so much flavor. We LOVE it!
I pull out my George Forman and make grilled cheese sandwiches here at least once a week. Normally if Lynne is working from home that day. I’d never heard of this iconic New Orleans sandwich before. It looks amazing. This would be a great change to our normally grilled cheese and onion sandwiches. Yum!
Ah, if you’ve never had a muffaletta, then you absolutely need to put that one on your radar, Neil! I know it sounds strange to put olives in a sandwich…but trust me here. And then turning that whole thing into a grilled cheese? Holy sammich heaven!! 🙂
Oooooh I haven’t had a muffaletta in so long! What a great mash up combining it with grilled cheese! I know what’s for lunch today! 😉
I love a good muffaletta! It’s funny how that sandwich is so iconic to New Orleans, but it really hasn’t become popular in other places. That doesn’t stop us from making ’em here at home, though! And then combining that muffaletta with a grilled cheese sandwich? So much awesomeness in one sandwich!!
Nothing beats the comfort you get from grilled cheese sammies! That looks divine and moreish, yum
This combines two of my favorite sammiches into one – hard to beat that!! Thanks, Raymund!
OMG I love a toasted cheese sandwich, bring National Grilled cheese week down under please, I’m in. My standard is toasted ham, cheese and tomato, but I’m happy to upgrade to yours. The olive salad looks delicious, how clever to add it to a sandwich. I’ve seen Monterey Jack in our supermarkets so I must buy some. Great recipe, thanks.
Haha – I say you should start National Grilled Cheese Month down there in Australia, Pauline! I mean grilled cheese sammiches are amazing…everyone needs grilled cheese month in their life! 🙂 Monterey Jack is a fantastic melting cheese with good flavor. It’s still mild, but it’s also delicious. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
This looks really yummy, David!
You know I’ve never had a muffaletta sandwich? I know hard to believe, But it’s on my bucket list once I get down to New Orleans. Now that I’ll be retiring and have time, and folks are traveling again, this year (or next) may be the year…
Oh man – you’ve never had a muffaletta!? Move that one up a couple slots on your bucket list! Congrats on the retirement. I can’t wait to hear all about your adventures! In the meantime, put this sammich on the list to make at home – it’s really tasty!!