It's the sub you didn’t know you were missing! Our classic Italian sub sandwich is made with ham, Genoa salami, capicola, and provolone cheese along with endless fun toppings like, iceberg lettuce, tomato, sliced red onion, pepperoncini, olive oil, red wine vinegar and Italian seasoning.
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About this Recipe
Do you have those days when you feel hungry, but don’t want to make a big meal? Don’t we all! Many times, the simple solution is a sandwich. So, you go digging through the fridge. Turkey and cheese? Nah. Ham and cheese? Nope. Nothing sounds good. At this point you're tempted to just drive to a sub shop and order something.
Well, sorry Subway, but nothing beats a homemade sub sandwich! Imagine making this fresh, homemade classic Italian sub sandwich right at home with cured deli meats, provolone cheese and a twist of amazing flavors and spices to top everything off! All with a prep time of 10 minutes or less. Bingo!
Start with the Right Bread
We start with a couple of 12-inch Italian hero rolls, which come with or without sesame seeds. If those aren't readily available, you can try a loaf of French bread, ciabatta rolls or even focaccia.
The Perfect Combination of Italian Meats
The heart of the sandwich is, you guessed it, the meats. We like to go to the deli at our grocery store and order the exact amount of meat we need, so nothing goes to waste. If it's just the 2 of us, we usually order a ¼ pound of ham, Genoa salami and capicola, which is perfect for a couple of medium subs.
We like the Boar's Head brand from the deli. Their meats and cheeses just seem to hit the mark every time. We start with thinly-sliced Boar's Head Deluxe Ham. It's super tasty and has 42% less sodium than regular ham.
Next we move to the salami, which, in our opinion, is the star of the show. We like Genoa salami for many reasons...taste being the primary. But we also have great memories from our honeymoon in Italy. We spent some time in Genoa and completely fell in love with the town, the people and the food. So, why wouldn’t we pick Genoa salami right? Not to mention, Genoa salami is the most common salami used in classic Italian sub sandwich recipes.
The last meat—capicola is one that many people aren't familiar with, but you'll be pleasantly surprised how tender and "melt in your mouth" it is. Capicola originated in Northern and southern Italy in Piacenza and Calabria and comes from the shoulder or neck of the pig. Who knew cured meat could be so tender? We love the herbs and spices with this cured meat as well!
Choose your Favorite Toppings
The toppings on this sandwich are where things get fun! Sure, we have sliced tomatoes and lettuce on our list, but small additions like pepperoncinis, thinly sliced red onions, olive oil, red wine vinegar and Italian seasoning are where the flavors really start to compliment each other.
What we like about this Recipe!
Nicole - I love all the amazing flavors in this classic Italian sub sandwich! Blending these spices with specialty meats and cheese packs a powerful punch of flavor and taste. Plus, I have a new appreciation for pepperoncinis. WOW they add great flavor!
Mike - This classic Italian sub sandwich is just flat-out delicious. The variety of flavors in the meats, combined with rich provolone cheese and a, seemingly endless, array of toppings just can't be beat. Plus, it takes just 10 minutes to prepare. WINNING!
Ingredients
- 2 Italian hero rolls, sliced lengthwise
- 4-6 slices of ham
- 4-6 slices of Genoa salami
- 4-6 slices of capicola
- 4 slices of provolone cheese
- 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- 4-6 slices of pepperoncini
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tips and Tricks
- If you can't find Italian hero rolls, you can use hoagie rolls, ciabatta rolls or even focaccia. Rolls are usually, 6-12 inches long.
- You can use the meats we suggest above, or you can get more creative with other cured meats, like pepperoni, mortadella or prosciutto.
- We like to use Provolone cheese with our Italian sandwich; however, you can use mozzarella or Parmesan cheese for a different flavor.
- You can make these sandwiches ahead and store in the fridge for 1-2 days. We suggest adding all the dry ingredients first and then add the condiments last. Also, be sure to wrap them up tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper to keep them fresh and from drying out the bread.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this classic Italian sub sandwich:
Classic Italian Sub Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 Italian hero rolls sliced lengthwise
- 4-6 slices of ham
- 4-6 slices of Genoa salami
- 4-6 slices of capicola
- 4 slices of provolone cheese
- 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 large tomato thinly sliced
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- 4-6 slices of pepperoncini
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the Rolls: Open the hoagie rolls and drizzle each side with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle a little dried Italian seasoning on each roll for added flavor.
- Layer the Meats and Cheese: Divide the ham slices evenly between the two rolls, followed by the salami slices, and then the capicola slices. Place 2 slices of provolone cheese on each roll.
- Add Vegetables: Layer the tomato slices on top of the cheese, followed by the sliced red onion, then add the 4-6 slices of pepperoncini, and finally, evenly distribute the shredded lettuce over the top.
- Season and Dress: Drizzle about ½ tablespoon of red wine vinegar over the vegetables on each roll. Season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Close the Sandwich: Place the top half of each roll over the fillings, gently pressing down to compact the sandwiches slightly.
- Serve: Cut each hoagie roll in half if desired, and serve immediately. Alternatively, wrap the sandwiches in parchment paper and refrigerate for a couple of hours to let the flavors meld together even more.
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