On a recent trip to New Orleans I was introduced to the famous muffuletta sandwich.

If you’re not familiar with this regional delicacy,

it’s a rich and savory sandwich made with thinly sliced Italian cold cut meats,

provolone cheese, and, last but not least, a homemade Olive Salad.

I had several friends tell me it was a must-try during my trip to NOLA and it sure didn’t disappoint. I’m a huge olive fan and instantly knew the Olive Salad spread was something I’d need to recreate at home!

To my delight, recipes for Olive Salad were quite easy to come by. Many claim to recreate the famous Central Grocery version of the spread where the Muffeletta is said to have first been invented. I thought that sounded as promising a recipe as any and based my version off those classic takes. The salad really couldn’t be much easier to make. Gather the olives and pickled ingredients, a fresh lemon, and a few other seasonings then pulse everything together in a food processor. With pretty soft ingredients the mixture will chop quickly so keep a close on it! You want the texture to be finely chopped, but not processed into a paste.

While you certainly can’t go wrong with using this Olive Salad to make Muffaletta sandwiches, it’s equally delicious with crackers and cheese. The salad is best eaten the day after making it so all those flavors have time to melt together. It’s hard to wait, but the final results will be worth it!