Any time I can meal-prep lunches for the week, I’m all in! These Muffaletta Roll Ups are a fun twist on the classic New Orleans sandwich. They’re filled with all the traditional flavors of a muffaletta thanks to the layers of Italian salami, ham, cheeses (provolone AND mozzarella!), and a tangy homemade olive salad. But instead of using a loaf of bread, I wrap everything up in pizza dough and bake it until golden brown and crispy! These roll ups are perfect for lunchboxes, picnics, or your next game day spread.
While teaching at the Canadian Food & Wine Institute at Niagara College, I volunteered to help with one of their Project Brew events, where the brewery students share their final projects (mmm, craft beer!) with the student body and the public. The class chooses a theme, and the culinary students help cater the event. I was thrilled to learn they had chosen “Brew Orleans” (ha, ha), so I had to bring my A-game regarding New Orleans-themed food.
My students and I chose to make muffaletta roll ups and vegan red beans and rice. The roll ups we made were completely vegan, but for Budget Bytes, I’ll walk you through something a bit more classic for the omnivores out there. However, it’s worth noting you can make this recipe entirely vegan—just find the plant-based meat and cheese substitutes you love the most and skip the egg wash! At home, I usually make one with classic cheese and deli meats for my husband, and then I make a plant-based version for myself. We eat them all week for lunch!
What is a Muffaletta Roll Up?
Muffaletta (or muffuletta) is a wide, round Sicilian bread topped with sesame seeds and a soft texture similar to focaccia or ciabatta. Muffaletta is also a well-loved and popular sandwich made famous in New Orleans. It’s believed the first muffaletta sandwich was created by Sicilian immigrant Salvatore Lupo, owner of Central Grocery in New Orleans, in 1906. The sandwich is traditionally made with Italian cold cuts, cheese, and a special olive salad that gives it its signature flavor.
The bread is almost as important (if not more so, depending on who you speak to!) than the filling. However, finding authentic muffaletta bread outside of NOLA is tricky. So, for this recipe, I wrap the sandwich filling in pre-made pizza dough and bake it for a delicious take on the classic. It’s like a cross between a stromboli, a sandwich, and muffaletta pinwheels!
Ingredients for Muffaletta Roll Ups
Here’s what you’ll need to make these muffaletta roll ups:
- Green Olives: Olives are the base ingredient for the muffaletta salad, which is truly the star of this recipe! The salad is similar to an olive tapenade. I like green olives for their mild flavor, but you can use any type you prefer. (I found jalapeño stuffed olives, so I opted for those!)
- Italian Giardiniera Mix: This mixture of pickled vegetables adds a refreshing crunch and tang to the olive salad. You can find giardiniera mix in the pickle aisle at your local grocery store.
- Dried Italian Herbs: Infuses the salad with classic Italian flavors.
- Garlic: Adds a delicious kick of flavor that only gets better as it marinates with the other ingredients.
- Italian Salami & Thin Cut Ham: These are two of the classic deli meats you’ll find included in a traditional muffaletta sandwich. You can also add other meats or use your favorite veggie/vegan alternative.
- Provolone & Mozzarella Cheese: A must-have for any muffaletta recipe! These cheeses melt beautifully and help the roll ups hold together.
- Flour: To roll out the pizza dough, if needed.
- Pre-Made Pizza Dough: If you can’t find pre-made balls of pizza dough at your grocery store, check the freezer section and ask the bakery staff, too! I have successfully made calzones and pizza with the Pillsbury Dough Pizza Crust in a can, but I haven’t tried it with these muffaletta roll ups yet. You may need to rely on the optional extra flour to roll it out if you try the Pillsbury kind, as I found it to be sticky to work with.
- Egg: Gives the roll a beautiful, golden brown finish.
- Sesame Seeds: Traditional muffalettas are made with bread that’s topped with sesame seeds. Sprinkling some on your roll ups helps to replicate that classic look and taste.
Tips and Suggestions
- Use thin-cut meats and cheeses as they roll up better and won’t make your roll ups too bulky.
- Muffaletta salad always tastes better when it has had time to marinate! Make the olive salad the day before and let it sit in the fridge overnight for maximum flavor.
- Use pitted or stuffed green olives (I used jalapeno-stuffed olives for an extra kick) so you don’t have to worry about removing the pit before chopping.
- Muffalettas are usually left to ‘rest’ before eating so the olive salad juices can soak into the bread. That won’t work for these roll ups, as the added moisture will create lots of steam and make them soggy. I recommend straining the olive salad well before adding it to the pizza dough!
Storage Instructions
Store your roll ups in the fridge for up to 5 days. They’re delicious, hot or cold, as leftovers! You can also try freezing them for up to 3 months by wrapping them in foil or plastic wrap and placing them in an airtight container. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying. Just note that the salad and meat may become watery after thawing.
Do you love this New Orleans-inspired recipe?
Our founder, Beth, lived in NOLA for a while. She has some awesome recipes for classics like slow cooker jambalaya and Louisiana-style Red Beans and Rice here on the blog. Check them out! I think you’ll love my Shrimp Po’Boys recipe, too! (Spoiler alert: YUM!)
Muffaletta Roll Ups
Servings 7 servings (one 2 inch thick slice per serving)Ingredients
Muffaletta Salad Ingredients
- ½ cup green olives* ($1.73)
- ½ cup Italian giardiniera mix ($0.71)
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs ($0.19)
- 1 clove garlic, minced ($0.05)
Roll Up Ingredients
- 1 ball pizza dough ($3.49)
- 1 Tbsp flour, if needed for rolling out pizza dough ($0.02)
- 11 slices Provolone cheese ($1.98)
- 8 slices mozzarella cheese ($1.44)
- 10 slices of thin cut ham ($1.98)
- 15 slices of thin cut Italian salami ($2.19)
- 1 egg, beaten ($0.22)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds for garnish ($0.14)
Instructions
Muffaletta Salad Directions
- Add all the salad ingredients to your food processor and pulse until chunky and small.
Roll Up Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out pre-made pizza dough onto a large piece of parchment paper, about 10×14” in size, nice and thin. Use a little flour if necessary to help you roll your dough flat if you find it’s a little sticky.
- Top the dough with one layer of cheese slices. Leaving about 1 inch around 3 sides and 2-3 inches at the end so you can seal the dough after all of your layers are done.
- Then, on top of your cheese layer, spread out Italian salami
- On top of salami, layer the thin cut ham. Spoon the Muffuletta salad over the top. Try to drain any juices before adding the muffuletta salad to your roll up.
- Add your last layer of cheese.
- Carefully roll up your dough, starting from one short end of the rolled out dough.
- Seal the dough gently with your finger tips to create a solid loaf.
- Brush egg wash over the entire loaf.
- Then, cut 3 slits in the top to help release steam so your roll up doesn’t burst at the seams. (Sometimes it still happens, as you can see from my process photos—don’t worry, it will be fine!) Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let sit for 5-10 minutes to cool before slicing into 2” portions. You can enjoy your Muffuletta Roll Up hot or cold. This recipe’s leftovers should be refrigerated and enjoyed within 5 days.
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Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
how to make A Muffaletta Roll Up – step by step photos
Add ½ cup green olives, ½ cup Italian giardiniera mix, 1 tsp dried Italian herbs, and 1 minced garlic clove to your food processor.
Pulse until chunky and small.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out 1 ball of pre-made pizza dough onto a large piece of parchment paper, about 10×14” in size, nice and thin. Use 1 Tbsp flour if necessary to help you roll your dough flat if you find it’s a little sticky.
Top the dough with 11 Provolone cheese slices. Leaving about 1 inch around 3 sides and 2-3 inches at the end so you can seal the dough after all of your layers are done.
Then, on top of your cheese layer, spread out 15 slices of Italian salami.
On top of salami, layer 10 slices thin cut ham. Spoon the Muffuletta salad over the top. Try to drain any juices before adding the muffuletta salad to your roll up.
Add 8 slices of mozzarella cheese on top.
Carefully roll up your dough, starting from one short end of the rolled out dough. Seal the dough gently with your finger tips to create a solid loaf.
Brush 1 beaten egg over the entire loaf.
Then, cut 3 slits in the top to help release steam so your roll up doesn’t burst at the seams. (Sometimes it still happens, as you can see from my process photos—don’t worry, it will be fine!)
Sprinkle with 1 tsp sesame seeds.
Bake for 20-25 minutes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let sit for 5-10 minutes to cool before slicing into 2” portions. You can enjoy your Muffaletta Roll Up hot or cold. This recipe’s leftovers should be refrigerated and enjoyed within 5 days.
You’re going to love how quick, easy, and delicious this muffaletta roll up recipe is!
If the short side is only 10” how do you get seven 2” wide servings? Isn’t that rolling it up from the long edge? Or does this only make five servings?
Hey Beth. Take a look at our process photos to see how I rolled mine. I was able to get 7 slices that were 1.5″ to 2″ thick.
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Made as written and it was one of the best things I’ve ever made. Picky kid approved also.
I love this recipe!! I used the Homemade Pizza Dough recipe from this site because I’m too stubborn to buy premade dough. :) It came out well cooked, very crisp on the outside, and absolutely delicious. The roll-up technique was a lot of fun as well, and I’m already planning what other flavors I can try with it!
So awesome, Molly! I’m glad you had fun with it! Also great to know that’s the BB pizza dough recipe works great with this recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Protip: if you make and put the roll up in the fridge in advance of baking, it takes MUCH longer to cook (ended up a 50 minute bake) and may have contributed to how soggy it was on the bottom. Particularly if you bake it on the same parchment paper that it was wrapped in for storage in the fridge. This is not the fault of the recipe author as that was all my own bright idea. Great flavors. I did a mix of purple/green olives and added a few sundried tomatoes to the muffaletta salad.
Hey, Bea! Ooof. That’s a bummer, but still tasty, I’m sure! Thanks for sharing your tips and experience.
I made this olive salad with plan for finishing recipe as written but tried it on pizza then a sandwich and had to make more. I love it! Thank you for the recipe(s). I will be keeping a jar of this in my fridge. At least 5☆’s.
Thanks, Sue! I’m so glad you enjoyed. (I agree– muffaletta olive salad should go on just about everything! Haha) Thanks again.