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A sandwich sliced open to show the layers of meat and cheese.

Grinder Salad Sandwich

This Italian grinder sandwich starts with a marinated salad that adds a juicy, tangy crunch to savory Italian meat and cheese.
You can make one large sub sandwich or 4 to 6 smaller sandwiches. You should have enough salad leftover to serve on the side.
4.72 from 7 votes
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 6 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Calories: 896kcal
Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

Dressing

  • ¾ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 garlic cloves finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon chili flakes
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon sugar

For the Salad

  • 1 head of Iceberg lettuce
  • ¼ to ½ red onion finely sliced
  • ¼ to ½ cup sliced Peperoncini or banana peppers

For the Sandwich

  • 4 small ciabatta rolls or 1 large loaf of French bread
  • 4 slices Swiss cheese
  • 4 slices provolone cheese
  • 4 slices Muenster cheese
  • 4 to 6 thin slices of ham
  • 4 to 6 thin slices of turkey
  • 4 to 6 slices pastrami
  • 6 slices of salami
  • 4 ounces sliced pepperoni
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup marinated roasted red peppers
  • ¼ cup olive tapenade
  • 2 tomatoes thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven broiler at high. (You can also use an air fryer if yours is large enough to fit the bread). 

The Dressing and Salad

  • Add the dressing ingredients to a bowl.
  • Slice the Iceberg lettuce crosswise so it is finely shredded. Add the lettuce to the bowl along with the onion and toss to coat in the dressing. Set aside.

Make the Sandwich

  • Split the Hoagie rolls or French roll in half and remove the center of the bread so each half is slightly hollowed out. 
  • Place the loaves of bread cut-side up on a baking sheet. 
  • Lay the Swiss, provolone, and Muenster on each side of the bread. Slide the bread under the broiler (or in an air fryer) and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese melts. Keep an eye on the bread. If your broiler does not cook evenly, you may need to rotate the baking sheet half way through the cooking time. 
  • Remove from the broiler and top each side with the meat. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the meat and slide the whole thing under the broiler again. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes to heat the meat and melt the Parmesan cheese. 
  • Remove from the oven and top with roasted red peppers, olives, a heaping pile of the lettuce, and the sliced tomatoes. 
  • Sprinkle the tomatoes with a dash of red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. 
  • Slice and serve with remaining salad. 

Notes

  • If you let the salad marinate in the dressing while you make the sandwich, it will release a lot of juices and make the sandwich pretty messy.
  • Melting the cheese on the bread before building the sandwich will protect the bread from getting soggy. 
  • If you want a less messy, drippy sandwich, do not toss the lettuce with the dressing. You can drizzle the dressing on the sandwich just prior to serving. 
  • If you use a whole head of lettuce, you will have enough salad leftover to serve next to the sandwich. 
  • Substitute the cheese and meats for whatever you have on hand. Try to choose cheese that will melt easily.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 896kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 56g | Fat: 64g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 37g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 191mg | Sodium: 2605mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g