Spicy Italian Cold Cut Panino

There's nothing better on a hot summer beach day than pulling out your delicious meal prepped sandwich. This Spicy Italian Cold Cut Sandwich will have you looking forward to lunch all day!

Peppery salami, hot mortadella, provolone cheese, and spicy muffuletta are layered on a crispy yet soft ciabatta bun slathered in Calabrian chili spread. If you like heat, you're going to love this sandwich. If you know a "hero" sandwich, this is essentially that!

Not to be confused with a panini—known as a grilled or pressed sandwich in North America, panino refers to the singular version of panini in Italian, which means sandwich.

Modelled after a classic Italian panino (sandwich), this 5-minute recipe is simple yet delicious. Italian sandwiches focus on the taste and quality of ingredients, resulting in a delectable sandwich with minimal ingredients. It's perfect to pack for work, school, or a day at the beach.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Classic Italian panino made with simple ingredients.
• If you like heat, you'll love this combination of spicy ingredients.
• Ready in 5 minutes. Just layer and enjoy!
• The perfect sandwich to pack for work, school, or the beach! It will hold up well.
• Simple ingredients, delicious flavors. The Italian motto.
• Customize the sandwich with whatever meats, cheeses, and fillings you like.
• This recipe can be made gluten free on a gluten free ciabatta bun (try Schar brand!) (be sure to check your deli meats are GF).

If you like this, you'll also like my Chickpea Salad Sandwiches, BLT with Avocado, Mediterranean Meal Prep Bowls, Greek Chicken Meatballs, High Protein Pasta Salad, and Gluten Free Turkey Meatballs.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here is everything you'll need to make these sandwiches:

• Crusty Italian roll or ciabatta bun—something crusty on the outside and soft on the inside.
• Spicy pepper spread or Italian bomba—I love this Martelli Hot Pepper Cream.
• Provolone cheese—havarti, fresh mozzarella or fior di latte would also be delicious.
• Hot salami & Genoa salami
• Hot mortadella—it's like an Italian bologna but so much better.
• Muffuletta or gardineira—muffuletta is a spread of chopped olives and pickled vegetables in olive oil. Giardiniera is a mix of chopped peppers, onion, cauliflower, and carrots in olive oil.

Make it gluten free by using a gluten-free ciabatta bun like the ones from Schar. All other ingredients are likely GF already, just check the meat ingredients.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Be sure to read the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and instructions.

(1) Slice the bun in half horizontally. If it's fresh, no need to toast it unless you prefer.

(2) Spread the spicy pepper spread on both sides of the bread.

From the bottom, layer the provolone cheese, both types of salami, and mortadella. Spoon some muffuletta or giardiniera on top of the mortadella, along with its delicious oil.

(3) Place the top half of the bun on top, slice in half if required, and enjoy!

My Favorite Sandwich Sides

A sandwich is the quintessential perfect lunch! This sandwich is super filling from the meat, cheese, and bread. If you're looking for more, here are some delicious sides to accompany it:

• Crunchy kettle chips
• Popcorn
• Kosher dill pickle spears
• Kale crunch salad
• Gluten free panzanella salad
• Gluten free dairy free broccoli salad
• Air fried potato wedges
• Gluten free minestrone soup
• Cauliflower potato leek soup

Make Ahead & Storage

Prepared sandwiches can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for 12 hours. Keep cool in an insulated bag while on the go. Note that it may not be as crispy, but still delicious.

Expert Tips

Here are some of my top tips and tricks for successful sandwiches:

• Use a fresh, crusty bun. This will help prevent the bread from getting soggy with the chili spread and muffuletta. Sliced bread may be too soft for all the oils.
• If you love spice, use hot salami, hot mortadella, hot muffuletta / giardiniera, and hot chili spread.
• The sandwiches will hold up for a few hours in the fridge as a packed lunch, though the bread may soften a bit.
• Bring on a hike or to the beach with some sliced veggies or chips on the side.

Frequently Asked Questions

This spicy Italian sandwich is the perfect grab and go lunch that is simple and delicious. Enjoy la dolce vita and feel like you're in Italy when you have this spicy panino in hand.

More Lunch Recipes

Have you made this Italian cold cut sandwich? I'd very much appreciate it if you leave a 5-star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and review below, and tag me on instagram @fromoliviaskitchen!