Muffuletta Sandwich Recipe (with Homemade Focaccia Bread)

Ingredients

As simple as it gets. You only need 5 ingredients for the base focaccia recipe. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Flour. I am using all-purpose flour. It’s easy, it’s readily available, and everyone has it. Bread flour gives a chewier texture, but both work great. If you want to use some whole wheat flour in this recipe, sub out a quarter to a half of the white flour for whole wheat, just like how I do it in my Whole Wheat No Knead Focaccia recipe.
• Yeast: I like to use Instant yeast in most of my Baking Recipes, but active dry yeast will work just fine too. Just make sure to bloom it in the water for a few minutes before adding the flour. You can also use fresh yeast but do adjust the quantity. When using fresh yeast instead of dry, use double the amount by weight.
• Olive oil. You are going to need quite a bit of good olive oil for this recipe. Use good quality extra virgin olive oil for that rich, classic focaccia flavor.
• Toppings: In this recipe, I am keeping it simple with fresh rosemary and flaky salt. Sesame seeds are traditional in muffuletta bread.

When it comes to the sandwich itself, here’s what you will need:

• Mixed deli meats: A combo of Italian cold cuts (genoa salami, spicy salami, mortadella, and coppa or capicola ham) gives the best flavor, but feel free to use what you have on hand or whatever you prefer. Make sure to also try my Antipasto Bean Salad for a similar flavor profile!
• Cheese. Mild provolone works beautifully here. You can substitute with sliced mozzarella, Swiss cheese or fontina if needed. I’ve also made it in the past with smoked gouda, though not really traditional.
• Muffuletta Mix. A zesty blend of olives, pickled vegetables, and spices. Usually sold at your local Italian market or grocery store. You can find it in Italian delis too. Can’t find it? Substitute with a mix of olive tapenade, olive spread, zesty olive salad mix or pickled eggplant for a similar tangy bite.

Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.

How to Make this Muffuletta Recipe

The steps are quite straightforward, but I recommend that you read through everything to get comfortable with the process.

Step 1. Mix the Focaccia Dough. In a large bowl, combine the flour, instant yeast, kosher salt, lukewarm water, and olive oil (Image 1). Mix using a fork, wooden spoon or Danish whisk until well combined and a shaggy dough forms (Image 2). The flour should be fully hydrated. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes (Image 3).

Step 2. Stretch and Fold. Wet your hands and perform a stretch and fold. Grab the dough from one side, gently pull up and fold it over (Images 4-5). Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat 3 more times (Images 6-7). Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. As you do this, try to scrape down any dough stuck to the sides of the bowl.
Step 3. Repeat Stretch and Fold. Repeat the stretch and fold process every 30 minutes, for a total of 3 rounds over 1.5 hours. At this point, the dough should be much smoother.

Step 4. Transfer. Grease an 8 or 9-inch round baking tray with butter and olive oil. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, fold it gently like a letter, then flip it so the seam is on the bottom. Cover and rest for 1 hour (Images 8-9).

Step 5. Stretch. Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C. If the dough hasn’t spread fully, lightly oil your hands and stretch it gently into the corners of the baking pan (Image 10).
Step 6. Dimple and Dress. Drizzle olive oil on top of the dough and dimple with your fingers (Image 11). Sprinkle with rosemary and flaky sea salt (Image 12).
Step 7. Bake. Bake for 18-22 minutes until golden brown. Let cool completely (Image 13).

Step 8. Slice. Slice the bread in half. Try to make sure both the top and bottom pieces are the same thickness (Image 14).
Step 9. Layer. Layer on the mixed deli meat slices and provolone cheese (Image 15).
Step 10. Add Pickle Mix. Spoon over the muffuletta mix or tapenade (Image 16).
Step 11. Slice. Place the top back on the large sandwich and slice it into 4 or 6 wedges, depending on your preference. Serve cold or at room temperature with a side of potato chips, French fries, potato salad and/or pepperoncini peppers (Image 17).

Expert Tips

• Use a kitchen scale. I have provided US customary measurements, but for accuracy, I recommend that you weigh out your dough ingredients.
• How old is your yeast? If your yeast container has been opened for over a year, consider buying new yeast before making this recipe.
• Don’t skip the stretch and folds! They help build structure without kneading. It’s the same process I outlined in my Tuscan Flatbread (Schiacciata) recipe.
• Use a metal baking pan. Metal pans are easier to work with and less likely to cause your focaccia to stick. I like to use an 8-inch round pan, but a quarter baking sheet pan will work too. Glass is notorious for sticking, so avoid it if you can. Or use parchment paper.
• BUTTER THE PAN! Before you oil the pan, butter it. The butter creates a layer between the pan and the dough, making it so incredibly easy to remove the bread from the pan once baked.
• Let it cool fully before cutting using a serrated knife. This keeps the crumb nice and airy. If you cut it too soon, the focaccia may turn gummy.
• Letting the sandwich rest overnight enhances the flavors.
• The sandwich travels well, making it ideal for picnics or road trips.
• Other additions: You can add other sandwich toppings if you like, such as sliced black olives, green olives, roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, a layer of lettuce, chopped artichoke hearts or tomato relish.

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