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    Oh My Veggies » Vegetarian Recipes » Vegetarian Sandwiches & Wraps

    Recipe | Grilled Portabella Muffuletta Sandwich

    Published: May 13, 2013 · by Nicole · Updated: Sep 15, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Grilled Portabella Muffuletta
    Full disclosure: I have never had an actual muffuletta before, only vegetarian versions. So I can't say, "Hey guys, this tastes just like a real muffuletta!" I really have no idea if it does. But it does taste just like a vegetarian muffuletta.

    I decided to try to make this after I had a portabella muffuletta at Sandwhich in Chapel Hill. You know how sometimes you get something at a restaurant and it's so good that you're still thinking about it days later? Yeah, that happened. I figured that it would be easy enough to whip up at home--the grilled portabella was a no-brainer so all I really had to figure out was the olive salad. (If you're a mushroom hater, grilled zucchini or eggplant can be used in this recipe instead of portabellas!)

    Olive Salad
    Although muffulettas are named after the bread they're made on, to me, it's the olive salad that makes the muffuletta. So this is my version. As my husband helped me chop things for this (oh, and there's a lot of chopping!), he wondered how something made with so many nasty jarred ingredients could taste so good. Well, it just does! (And for the record, I love olives and marinated artichoke hearts and capers--Chris thinks they're gross, though.) The longer you let the salad sit in the fridge, the better it tastes, so don't hesitate to make this a day or two in advance.

    Finding authentic muffuletta bread in Raleigh was a little bit difficult. The first time I made this, I used a round loaf of bread, but muffuletta bread is fairly flat and this bread was tall and fluffy so it just didn't work. So then I switched to ciabatta. It doesn't have the nice round shape of real muffuletta bread, but it's flat and not too bready. Although anyone from New Orleans is probably giving me the side-eye right now, you could also put this on sourdough bread, Kaiser rolls, whatever. If you use slices of bread or rolls, instead of making one big sandwich, just make four individual sandwiches with a mushroom on each.

    These vegetarian muffulettas are very picnic friendly. You can cut them up, wrap 'em, and let them sit in the fridge for up to a day. (I store mine upside down so the bread on the bottom doesn't get soggy.)

    Grilled Portabella Muffuletta Recipe

    Grilled Portabella Muffuletta Sandwich

    A vegetarian version of the classic muffuletta sandwich, made with grilled portabella mushrooms.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Course: Main Course, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Grilled Portabella Muffuletta Sandwich, muffuletta sandwich, vegetarian muffuletta sandwich
    Servings: 4 sandwiches
    Calories: 460kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Ingredients

    Olive Salad

    • ½ c. sliced green olives + 1 tbsp. liquid from jar
    • ¼ c. sliced kalamata olives
    • ¼ c. cauliflower florets broken into very small pieces
    • ¼ c. sliced jarred artichoke hearts
    • ¼ c. diced roasted red peppers
    • 2 tbsp. diced celery
    • 5 pepperoncini thinly sliced
    • 1 garlic clove crushed
    • 1 tbsp. capers
    • 1 tbsp. olive oil
    • 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
    • 1 tsp. dried oregano
    • freshly ground pepper

    Sandwiches

    • 1 large loaf ciabatta bread halved lengthwise
    • olive salad
    • 4 large portabella mushrooms gills removed
    • olive oil mister or cooking spray
    • salt + pepper to taste
    • 4 slices provolone cheese
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    Olive Salad

    • Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours (24 hours is best).

    Sandwiches

    • Preheat grill to high. Spray with olive oil and place mushrooms on grill. Season with salt and pepper. Cook mushrooms 5-10 minutes, or until softened. Transfer to plate and cool.
    • To assemble sandwiches, spread olive salad onto bottom of ciabatta bread. Top with mushrooms and cheese. Press the other half of the ciabatta loaf onto the top and use a sharp knife to cut into 4 equal segments. Serve immediately or wrap and refrigerate upside down for up to a day.

    Notes

    Prep time doesn't include time that salad marinates in the refrigerator.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 460kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 18gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 1788mgPotassium: 489mgFiber: 6gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 520IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 206mgIron: 1mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
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    Snack Recipes, Vegetarian Main Dishes, Vegetarian Recipes, Vegetarian Sandwiches & Wraps mushrooms, olives, sandwiches

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Daniela @ FoodrecipesHQ says

      May 13, 2013 at 7:04 am

      Muffuletta bread sounds new to me. Love to learn new things 🙂 Great sandwich!

      Reply
    2. shelly (cookies and cups) says

      May 13, 2013 at 8:30 am

      I've never had a muffuletta sandwich either! But this one I can get behind 🙂

      Reply
    3. Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says

      May 13, 2013 at 8:31 am

      Admit it - you just made this so that you could use the word "muffuletta" a whole bunch of times in a row. 😉 Best food word ever!

      This sandwich looks phenomenal. I have no clue what would even go into a non-vegetarian version of one of these, but clearly I don't need to know. This one looks perfect.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        May 13, 2013 at 9:11 am

        Actually, I'm not totally sure either--ha! It's a whole mess of sliced cured meats, I think, but I forgot which ones.

        Reply
    4. Ronnie Fein says

      May 13, 2013 at 8:32 am

      who cares as long as it tastes good?

      Reply
    5. Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today says

      May 13, 2013 at 9:12 am

      I've never tried muffuletta before like you. It looks delicious and if you say it's good, it's worth trying.

      Reply
    6. Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says

      May 13, 2013 at 9:29 am

      I certainly wouldn't be mad at you for choosing ciabatta bread and you know I'm gonna have to do the substitutions. 😉

      Reply
    7. Caitlin says

      May 13, 2013 at 10:23 am

      girl, you had me at olive salad. and i'm with you, i never had a muffuletta, and honestly don't know what it is! i only know portobello versions 😉

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        May 16, 2013 at 8:25 pm

        I know, right? OLIVES! They are just so good. 🙂

        Reply
    8. Carrie @ Bakeaholic Mama says

      May 13, 2013 at 11:05 am

      Oh my goodness you have me drooling. I want it for lunch!

      Reply
    9. Laura (Tutti Dolci) says

      May 13, 2013 at 11:16 am

      I loved grilled portabella mushrooms, this is my kind of sandwich!

      Reply
    10. Joy // For the Love of Leaves says

      May 13, 2013 at 12:49 pm

      Wow, this looks so good! Everyone once in a while I get a craving hardcore for these savory type flavors. I'll have to keep this recipe in mind the next time it hits!

      Reply
    11. Rachel @ Bakerita says

      May 13, 2013 at 12:57 pm

      This looks so delicious, and so flavorful! I love that you used portabellas, so yummy!

      Reply
    12. polly kohler says

      May 13, 2013 at 2:04 pm

      Oh this looks JUST fabulous!!! If only it were gluten free. Somebody just has to invent gluten free bread that looks like this!

      Reply
    13. Chris (Saphera Tea & Body) says

      May 13, 2013 at 2:22 pm

      Portabella mushrooms in a sandwich bring back memories of when I was a kid. My mom used to grill portabella with garlic and a bit of salt then melt Swiss cheese on it. I haven't had it for years and your post reminded me of how good these sandwiches used to be. Thanks for the post!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        May 16, 2013 at 8:23 pm

        That sounds like the perfect sandwich! 🙂

        Reply
    14. Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says

      May 13, 2013 at 4:49 pm

      How scrumptious does this look! Regretting my lunch now... I wish I had this instead!

      Reply
    15. Sylvia @ reelflavor.com says

      May 13, 2013 at 5:58 pm

      This sandwich looks amazing! I'm going to have to pick me up some portabella soon and I have always loved muffuletta!

      Reply
    16. Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says

      May 13, 2013 at 6:23 pm

      Freaking amazing. Can you come over and make me lunch?

      Reply
    17. Sommer @ ASpicyPerspective says

      May 13, 2013 at 6:35 pm

      Great twist on the muffuletta!

      Reply
    18. [email protected] says

      May 13, 2013 at 9:01 pm

      Thanks for the tip about using eggplant instead of mushroom 🙂 I think I might love this. Funny, because when we were in New Orleans years ago, I tried to order a vegetarian muffuletta sandwich at a cafe, and it was decidedly *un*palatable. I can't even remember if there was a main vegetable in place of the meat.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        May 16, 2013 at 8:05 pm

        Whenever I post a recipe with mushrooms, people ask me what they can substitute, so I figured I'd add that part. 🙂

        Reply
    19. Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says

      May 13, 2013 at 9:07 pm

      This sounds absolutely amazing!! Thank you for sharing :). My mushrooms cravings love you for it!

      Reply
    20. Alexis @ Hummusapien says

      May 13, 2013 at 9:35 pm

      I've never had a muffalletta (can't believe I spelled that right), meatless or not--but this looks unreal! I just die for olives, so this is totally up my alley. I ate half a huge package of mushrooms tonight with dinner by myself, so I'm kind of in a mushroom coma...but when I get out of it I'll be trying this recipe fo sho!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        May 16, 2013 at 8:02 pm

        I am the same way about mushrooms. I can never have enough. 🙂

        Reply
    21. dishing up the dirt says

      May 13, 2013 at 10:42 pm

      I've never had the real deal either. I trust you though! This sounds fantastic!

      Reply
    22. Puja @ Indiaphile.info says

      May 14, 2013 at 1:16 am

      This looks fantastic!! I've also only had veggie muffallettas...and I LOVE them! Can't wait to try your version. 🙂

      Reply
    23. Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health says

      May 14, 2013 at 1:22 am

      These look so good! Do you have any tips for keeping the portabella from getting tough? Whenever I had ordered a portabella cap sandwich they are always so tough! But I've never made one at home...

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        May 16, 2013 at 8:01 pm

        Maybe they're either under- or over-cooked? I've had a few like that, so I know what you mean, but I haven't had that issue when I make them at home. I use the grill setting on a Griddler to cook mine.

        Reply
    24. Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. says

      May 14, 2013 at 1:51 am

      I had the best muffuletta sandwiches in New Orleans and I say, this is close enough! They look so good!

      Reply
    25. [email protected]'s Recipes says

      May 14, 2013 at 5:23 am

      I have never had a muffuletta either...your sandwich looks SUPER!

      Reply
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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
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