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vegan muffaletta_hot for food

vegan muffaletta

It's the ultimate stacked sandwich! You might lose track of how many layers there are, but that just adds to how flavorful it is!

Course Lunch, sandwiches
Cuisine Italian
Keyword deli, sandwiches, vegan cheese
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 servings (wedges)
Author Lauren Toyota

Ingredients

olive tapenade

  • 1/4 C pitted green olives
  • 1/4 C pitted black olives
  • 1/4 C tightly packed fresh parsley, roughly chopped
  • 3 or 4 pickled pepperoncini, stems removed
  • 1 to 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp chili flakes
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

muffaletta sandwich

  • 8 to 10 slices zucchini, sliced lengthwise 1/4-inch thick (about 1 large zucchini)
  • vegetable oil
  • 8 to 10 slices vegan deli meat
  • 8 to 10 slices vegan provolone cheese
  • 1/2 C thinly sliced red onion
  • 3 or 4 slices roasted red pepper (from a jar)
  • 2 C fresh arugula
  • sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • round Italian loaf or sourdough (see note)

Instructions

  1. Place all of the olive tapenade ingredients in a food processor and pulse blend until combined.

  2. In a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat, add some vegetable oil. You’re going to grill the zucchini slices in batches in one layer. Add 3 or 4 slices of zucchini and grill for 2 minutes on each side. Repeat until all the zucchini is grilled and then set aside.

  3. Slice the top third off of the loaf of bread so that the bottom piece is larger. Using your fingers, hollow out the interior of the bread in both the bottom and top halves. Save the interior of the bread for another use like breadcrumbs.

  4. Spread the olive tapenade in an even layer on the bottom loaf of bread. Then layer with 4 or 5 slices of vegan deli meat, 4 or 5 slices of vegan cheese and half the red onion slices. Fold 4 slices of grilled zucchini so it’s arranged in one even layer. Add half the roasted red pepper and then half the arugula. Sprinkle sea salt and ground pepper to taste. Repeat with a second layer of filling starting with the vegan deli meat. Then top with the top half of the bread.

  5. Let it sit for at least an hour (or up to 4 hours) in the fridge before serving up. Slice into wedges just before serving.

Recipe Notes

You want a loaf of bread that is large, round and soft and chewy on the inside but has a crust on the outside.