Learn how to make a delicious grinder sandwich at home – it’s internet famous for a good reason!
A grinder sandwich is simple to make and simple to customize. It’s a fresh take on the old school version, with our grinder salad in the center for an extra zesty crunch.
This fantastic sandwich makes the best lunch or easy family dinner. Learn a few of our favorite tricks to take your sandwiches up a few notches!
We love a classic sandwich around here. They make the best lunches and they are an easy, family friendly dinner. Everyone can customize with their favorite toppings, so even the pickiest kids (or adults) can enjoy a meal like this one!
With wholesome, filling ingredients, this classic Italian grinder sandwich tastes as good as it looks. When it’s updated with the viral grinder salad recipe for a topping, the combination of flavors is mouth-wateringly delicious.
I can’t wait for you to try this sandwich! It’s one of those recipes that goes viral for a good reason – the hype is real! These sandwiches make one of the best picnic food ideas, too.
Grinder Sandwich
Packed full of delicious, zesty Italian flavors, this is a sandwich to crave.
Why You’ll Love It
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Italian bread – Sliced in half.
- Provolone – Sliced thin.
- Ham – Sliced thin.
- Salami – Sliced thin.
- Pepperoni – Sliced thin.
- Soppressata – Sliced thin.
- Tomatoes – Sliced fresh.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt – We like fresh cracks of sea salt from a grinder!
- Pepper – Fresh cracked.
- Parmesan cheese – Freshly grated. Learn how to grate cheese here.
Grinder Salad Ingredients
- Mayonnaise – We love olive oil mayo in our house, but you can even learn how to make your own homemade mayonnaise.
- Red Wine Vinegar – For the perfect bite of acidity.
- Italian Seasoning – You can make your own Italian seasoning blend.
- Black Pepper – Freshly ground.
- Crushed Red Pepper – A little goes a long way!
- Garlic – Minced. Learn how to mince garlic here.
- Pepperoncini Peppers – Chopped.
- Iceberg Lettuce – Chopped.
Variations
- Switch Miracle Whip for Mayonnaise for a sweeter topping for this sandwich.
- Try Cheddar or Colby Jack, or any of your favorite cheeses, vs Provolone.
- Add sliced red onions (like the grinder salad recipe) for a stronger bite of flavor.
- While we chose to layer our sandwich with the chopped salad on top, you can also chop all ingredients into a giant chopped salad, and then add to your sandwich.
- Serve warm or cold – you decide!
How to Make
- Preheat oven as directed.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk dressing ingredients together. Fold in some pepperoncinis and red onion and lettuce until coated. Refrigerate.
- Slice loaves in half lengthwise and place on baking sheet. Scoop out a row in the center of the bread to create a shallow boat for all the toppings.
- Top bread with provolone and bake 5 minutes, until melted. Remove from oven.
- Top one half with ham and salami and the other half with pepperoni and soppressata. Return to oven 4 minutes to warm. Remove from oven.
- Add tomato slices. Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and parmesan. Top with grinder salad.
- Place the other half on top, gently pressing to seal. Slice and serve.
Tips
- Fresh is always best, especially in sandwiches like this one. Use high quality ingredients for the best results. (And always use freshly shredded cheese rather than pre-packaged).
- Don’t dress your sandwich until just before serving, as the salad and dressing will cause the bread to become soggy.
- Make the salad dressing ahead of time! Just shake it up well before adding to the salad and creating your grinder sandwich.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with soup on the side for a classic combo! Try our Minestrone!
- These Italian Side Dishes will all serve beautifully with this delicious sandwich.
- Sweet Potato Fries are perfect as a wholesome side dish – baked, not fried.
- Serve this sandwich with any of our amazing Pasta Salad Recipes for the ultimate summer meal!
How to Store
- At Room Temperature – Keep ingredients room temperature while serving, but transfer to the refrigerator after two hours.
- Refrigerate – Store ingredients in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to three days. While you can store prepared sandwiches in the fridge safely , they will become soggy over the storage time. The dressing can be made several days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator as well!
- Freeze – This sandwich won’t freeze well.
More Sandwiches
Grinder Sandwich
Make a grinder sandwich at home – it's a viral recipe for a reason! We're updating the classic, with a salad layer for an extra zesty crunch.
Ingredients
- 2 loaves Italian bread (Approximately 16 ounces each loaf) Sliced in half, lengthwise
- ½ pound Provolone Sliced thin
- ½ pound Ham Sliced thin
- ¼ pound Salami Sliced thin
- ⅛ pound Pepperoni Sliced thin
- ¼ pound Soppressata Sliced thin
- 2 whole Tomatoes Sliced fresh
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ⅙ teaspoon Salt
- ⅙ teaspoon Pepper Fresh cracked
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese Freshly Grated
Grinder Salad Topping
- 1 cup Mayonnaise
- 2 tablspoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
- ¼ cup Pepperoncini Peppers Chopped
- Iceberg Lettuce Chopped
- ¼ cup red onion Sliced thin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and Italian seasoning. Fold in half of the pepperoncinis, and all of the red onion and lettuce until coated. Refrigerate while you create the rest of the sandwich.
- Slice loaves in half lengthwise, placing on your baking sheet. Scoop out the center of the bread to create boats for all the toppings. (You'll have a ½ inch wall around the center that's scooped out.)
- Top bread with provolone and bake 4 minutes, until melted. Remove from oven.
- Top one half with ham and salami and the other half with pepperoni and soppressata. Return to oven 3 minutes to warm. Remove from oven.
- Add tomato slices to the top of one size. Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and parmesan. Top with grinder salad.
- Place the other half on top, gently pressing to seal. Slice and serve.
Julie’s Tips
- Fresh is always best, especially in sandwiches like this one. Use high quality ingredients for the best results. (And always use freshly shredded cheese rather than pre-packaged).
- Don’t dress your sandwich until just before serving, as the salad and dressing will cause the bread to become soggy.
- Make the salad dressing ahead of time! Just shake it up well before adding to the salad and creating your grinder sandwich.
Calories: 722kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 64g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 20g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 2037mg | Potassium: 523mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 942IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 321mg | Iron: 2mg
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
Wonderfully different sandwiches. ALSO, where can I find the cute mini lamps (with straw-type shades)? Could not find them on your website,
Hi Sunny,
Thanks so much for your kind words and question! You can find the little blue lamps with the scalloped shades in our Serena and Lily Look for Less post!
I hope you have a wonderful week,
Julie