How to make a vegetarian Muffuletta Sandwich with grilled vegetables, pesto, mozzarella cheese, and Olive Tapenade. Great for picnics or summer gatherings.
Recipe by Sylvia Fountaine| Feasting at Home on July 25, 2017
1 large eggplant, sliced into ¼ inch rounds ( see notes)
1 round loaf of bread- sourdough bread, crusty Italian loaf, French bread, focaccia bread ( 8-10 inches in diameter and 3-4 inches tall.
1 jar roasted peppers ( or roast your own pepper)
½ cup pesto ( store-bought or homemade, see below)
½ cup olive tapenade (store bought or homemade, see below)
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese ( optional, or sub provelone, or hummus for a vegan option)
handful arugula
Other options – turkey breast, cured Italian meats, artichoke hearts, grilled zucchini, grilled portobello mushrooms
3 cloves garlic
2 ounces fresh basil leaves (about 1 cup packed down)
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup toasted pinenuts (or sub almonds, smoked almonds are nice too)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup Italian parsley (packed, or sub basil)
2 garlic cloves
½ cup kalamata olives ( or sub green olives)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1-2 tablespoons capers
pinch chili flakes ( optional)
Categories
Sandwich
Cuisine
italian
Steps
If using eggplant, preheat grill to medium-high heat. ( Alternatively you can roast the eggplant in 400F oven until golden and tender) Slice the eggplant into ¼ inch disks, brush with olive oil and season with salt.
While grill is warming up, make the pesto. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse repeatedly until you achieve desired consistency. Scrape out into a bowl.
Using the same food processor ( no need to rinse) make the olive tapenade. Add the parsley and garlic first and pulse until uniformly chopped. Then add the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the capers, which you will stir in at the end. Pulse repeatedly until nicely chopped but not smooth. Place in a bowl, stir in capers. Add chili flakes if you like.
Grill the eggplant, searing both sides nicely 4-5 minutes each side, turning heat down if it’s too hot, then place eggplant slices in a foil packet to steam for a few minutes to cook all the way through. It is imperative your eggplant is cooked through.
Cut loaf of bread horizontally in half, leaving a good inch on the bottom layer. Spread the bottom with half the pesto. Build the sandwich on a cutting board if possible. Layer with eggplant (salt it now, if needed), roasted peppers, fresh mozzarella, olive tapenade (I used about 3/4), and arugula. Spread the top layer of bread with remaining pesto and place it on top.
Press down gently. Either serve right away and cut sections with a sharp knife, or refrigerate it, placing on a layer of paper towels over a plate or platter. Cover with plastic wrap. Enjoy for the next few days.
Nutitrion
Calories: 304 calories
Carbohydrates: 11.4 g
Protein: 10.7 g
Fat: 24.8 g
Saturated Fat: 7.9 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 33.7 mg
Sodium: 533.6 mg
Sugar: 3.1 g
Reviews
Judee@gluten free A-Z Blog on 2017-07-27 (5 stars): Oh MY.. that is one of the best sandwiches ever!
Doug on 2017-07-29 (5 stars): I made this recipe almost to the letter, ( I omitted garlic because I'm not a fan). It's the most delicious samich ever - especially if wrapped tightly in Saran for a few hours to let the flavors meld. I slather both sides with pesto and layer extra eggplant. So much better and healthier than anything one would find on Canal Street! Extra yummy - many thanks for all your great recipes!
Silvia Sampere on 2017-07-31 (5 stars): Just another great idea! I love these recipes where there are no strict rules and one can improvise and substitute ingredients freely... makes cooking (and eating) so much fun :) Thanks for this one Sylvia!!
Silvia
Sarah R on 2017-08-05 (5 stars): So delicious!
Ann on 2019-12-20 (5 stars): Thank you! It’s excellent with eggplant! Perfect combination of flavors!
Kas on 2019-12-20 (5 stars): Excellent! Great combination of flavors!
Toni on 2024-02-11 (5 stars): We absolutely loved this!!
Best sandwich ever!
Angeli Sivaraman on 2024-03-13 (5 stars): I love this recipe so much! There’s so much flavor in this sandwich! I roasted both the eggplant and the red peppers. The first time I made this, I bought an unsliced sourdough loaf from Publix. Thanks to you all, I can make my own sourdough loaf now, which I did 😇 thanks for stretching my cooking and baking skills!!!
Linda Esposito on 2025-07-07 (5 stars): Sylvia's recipes are simply delectable. She provides a variety in her presentations that are suitable to all foodies among us. Her recipes are healthy, easy, and delicious!
