This sandwich is anything but basic! Flavorful salumi, fresh mozzarella, and vibrant veggies are stacked in a ciabatta loaf to make one bold, delicious sandwich.
The Hollywood Bowl is one of my favorite Southern California venues. My family and I try to catch as many summer performances there as we can.
Whether you have bench seats in the back or fancy box seats up front, you’re destined to have a great time at the Bowl. Live music, cool summer breeze, and a bottle of wine. What more could you want?!
While the Bowl has some excellent food options, I enjoy packing my own picnic. This salumi mozzarella sandwich is one of my go-to picnic staples. It’s an adaptation of this marinated salumi sandwich from Giada.
What makes this sandwich great for picnics? Asides from being delicious:
- Holds up really well and doesn’t get soggy.
- Hearty sandwich that pairs well with beer, wine, or fizzy drinks.
- The sandwich can be prepared the night before.
Ingredients
There are five components this sandwich:
- Ciabatta bread loaf
- Pesto Genovese
- Salumi (cured meats)
- Cheese
- Vegetables
Ciabatta
Ciabatta is an Italian bread known for its crisp crust and airy, chewy texture. It’s great for sandwiches because it soaks up sauces really well.
I recommend buying fresh baked ciabatta loaf from your local bakeries. Many supermarkets and grocery stores also make this popular bread in their in-house bakery. And last, Trader Joe’s sells both individual ciabatta rolls or full loaves.
Pesto Genovese
Pesto Genovese is a vibrant sauce made with fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan cheese, and olive oil. It is the classic, original version of pesto from Genoa, Italy. For best flavor, purchase refrigerated pesto, not self-stable variety.
“Pesto” is a broad term that can refer to any sauce made by “pounding” or “grinding” ingredients. Think tomato pesto, arugula pesto, or leek pesto. Pesto Genovese is pesto, but not all pesto is Genovese.
Salumi
Salumi is the umbrella term that encompasses a wide range of Italian cured meats. Prosciutto, bresaola, and salami are all salumi.
The original Giada recipe calls for hot coppa and finocchinoa, which may be difficult to procure. Instead, I subbed in more common salumi that can be easily found at your local super market.
I used salami piccante (hot salami or pepperoni) and sopressata. Feel free to swap in your favorite salumi or cold cut meats. Sliced roasted turkey also works wonderfully in this recipe.
Cheese
Use fresh mozzarella for this recipe. No exception. Fresh mozzarella makes a world of a difference in this sandwich. It has a creamier, clean flavor that shines well in this vibrant sandwich.
Vegetables
The sandwich is topped with salad made from arugula, sliced fennel, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. A layer of sliced tomatoes separates the salad from the salumi.
Assembly
STEP 1: In a small bowl, toss together arugula, sliced fennel, vinegar, and olive oil. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Set aside while you assemble sandwich.
STEP 2: Slice loaf horizontally. Remove about half of excess bread from inside of top loaf bun to slightly hollow out. Spread pesto evenly on top and bottom buns.
Make Ahead Options
I like to prepare the sandwich either the night before or the morning of the event to give the sandwich plenty of time to marinate.
Tightly wrap the assembled sandwich in plastic wrap and keep it chilled in the fridge until go time. Once the sandwich has had time to chill, it’ll be much easier to slice into individual portions.
Use a sharp knife (I prefer a serrated knife) to divide the sandwich. Enjoy the sandwich cold, or let it warm up to room temperature.
More Picnic Favorites
Salumi Mozzarella Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups arugula
- ½ small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ pound loaf ciabatta bread
- 4 Tablespoons pesto genovese, store-bought or homemade
- 3 oz thinly spiced salami piccante, or pepperoni
- 3 oz sopressata
- 6 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
- 1 medium tomato, sliced
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, toss together arugula, sliced fennel, vinegar, and olive oil. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Set aside while you assemble sandwich.
- Slice loaf horizontally. Remove about half of excess bread from inside of top loaf bun to slightly hollow out. Spread pesto evenly on top and bottom buns.
- Layer salami piccante on bottom bun, follow with sliced mozzarella, then sopressata, and finish with sliced tomato. Lightly season tomato with salt and pepper.
- Place salad on top of tomatoes and cover with top bun. Press sandwich together and tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Keep chilled in the fridge for at least one hour or overnight. Slice before serving. Enjoy chilled or allow sandwich to come to room temperature.
Notes
- Salumi is the umbrella term that encompasses a wide range of cured and salted meats. Prosciutto, bresaola, and salami are all salumi.
- Meat options: hot coppa, finocchinoa, hot salami, pepperoni, sopressata. Substitute your favorite salumi or cold cut meats. Sliced roasted turkey is a great option.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Your Salumi sandwich was delicious! I love how all the flavors come together. It was prefect for a night at the Hollywood Bowl! Thanks again!
i’ve been meaning to try out pressed sandwiches! all those layers look so good. i have a problem with soggy bread (okay, soggy carbs in general), but i’m convinced by your non-soggy bread lol. i haven’t been to the hollywood bowl yet, but i’m seeing imagine dragons there in a month or so, so i’m excited to check it out!
I’m excited for you! I hope you have a great time! (If you happen to order popcorn while you’re there- they don’t tell you, but you can mix the different flavors together!)
Good to know, thank you for your response!
Looks good. Is this a sponsored post?
Thanks! No, this is not a sponsored post. Any sponsored work will be clearly labeled with a disclaimer at the beginning of the post