Loaded Grilled Italian Sandwich

The BEST Loaded Grilled Italian Sandwich is filled with mouthwatering cured meats, marinated veggies, olive tapanade, fresh greens, and melty cheese!

Why this recipe works:

Whether you're hosting a party, having friends over to watch the game, or are just craving something delicious, this warm Italian sandwich has everything your taste buds desire!

If there's one thing my husband loves, it's a good sandwich. Now, show him a sandwich like this that's full of the things he loves - namely cured Italian meats like salami and prosciutto - and he's one happy man.

This sandwich is amazing because so many different flavors and textures come together in between two pieces of crusty bread.

Here's how to make it:

• You must scoop the inside of the loaf out to make room for all the fillings. This way you have this wonderful void in which you can properly layer your filling ingredients without risk of dislocating your jaw while attempting to eat such a massive sandwich. Creative, right?
• Load up the inside of the sandwich with as many cured meats as you desire, provolone, olive tapenade, marinated artichokes, roasted red peppers, and arugula.
• The final step is to grill it up so the cheese gets all nice and melty and all of the other ingredients are heated through. To do this, wrap it up tight in aluminum foil and bake until your Italian sandwich is hot and wonderful.

Cooking Tips:

• After you scoop the center out of the bread, don't waste it. Just let it dry out and then run it through the blender or the food processor to turn it into bread crumbs.
• Be sure to use a heavy duty aluminum foil so that it doesn't easily rip.
• You can easily grill this sandwich on the BBQ or use the oven as indicated in the recipe. Either works perfectly.

What is the best kind of bread to use?

One of my pet peeves when it comes to sandwiches, though, is either a sandwich that's too big to bite (or if you're successful, it's not pretty) or a sandwich that has too much bread. One really must have the right bread to filling ratio.

I recommend you plan on using a nice crusty Italian loaf like I did.

Now keep in mind you have to choose a bread with a pretty tough outside to hold up to the large amount of tasty ingredients, but once you do the end result is so incredibly worth it.

Favorite Italian recipes:

I love anything Italian. If you love the flavors in this sandwich recipe, you'll surely love these. I have a TON of recipes on my site, but here are a few of my favorites.

• Easy Bolognese Sauce
• The BEST Classic Homemade Lasagna Recipe
• Homemade Pasta
• Meat and Cheese Ravioli
• Easy Italian Stromboli

Did you make this sandwich? Be sure to leave me a comment below to let me know what you think!

Loaded Grilled Italian Sandwich Recipe

Just imagine how tasty these mouthwatering cured meats, marinated veggies, fresh greens, and melty cheese on this Loaded Grilled Italian Sandwich taste!

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Hover to scale: 8 servings

Chef: Krissy Allori

Ingredients

• ▢ 16 ounces Italian bread (1 loaf)
• ▢ 12 ounces kalamata olives
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic
• ▢ ½ cup marinated artichokes
• ▢ 1 cup roasted red bell peppers
• ▢ 6 ounces sliced cured Italian meat (salami, prosciutto, etc.)
• ▢ 6 ounces sliced provolone
• ▢ 2 cups arugula

Instructions

• Slice loaf of bread in half and scoop out as much of the inside as possible while leaving the crust in tact. Use the bread that you removed for bread crumbs or another alternative.
• Drain the olives and puree in the food processor with the garlic and 1 tablespoon of the oil marinade from the artichoke hearts. Spread entire mixture over both sides of bread. 
  
• Then top both sides with sliced cheese and meat.
  
• Layer remaining ingredients and close sandwich. 
  
• Wrap in aluminum foil. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 20-30 minutes, with the last 10 minutes or so uncovered, until the cheese has completely melted.
  
• Slice and serve warm.

Notes

Cooking Tips:

• After you scoop the center out of the bread, don't waste it. Just let it dry out and then run it through the blender or the food processor to turn it into bread crumbs. 
• Be sure to use a heavy duty aluminum foil so that it doesn't easily rip.
• You can easily grill this sandwich on the BBQ or use the oven as indicated in the recipe. Either works perfectly.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Calories: 558kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 1827mg | Potassium: 294mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 690IU | Vitamin C: 11.7mg | Calcium: 205mg | Iron: 2.1mg

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This post was originally created in September 2016 and has been updated with more cooking tips and information for your reading pleasure. Don't worry - I didn't change the recipe!