Chopped Italian Sandwich Is a Viral Favorite Loaded With Big Flavor — Easy 30-Minute Recipe
If you’re hungry to upgrade your sandwich game, try the chopped sandwich trend. It involves chopping the ingredients for the filling, mixing them with condiments and slathering the mixture onto bread. Using this method allows you to get tiny cubes of every ingredient and plenty of savory flavors in each bite. While the variations for chopped sandwiches are seemingly endless, an Italian-style version with cold cuts, cheese and other deli staples is a beloved option. Keep reading for tips on making the ultimate chopped Italian sandwich that will become your new lunchtime favorite!
What is a chopped sandwich?
In this sandwich, all of the filling ingredients are chopped and mixed together with condiments before being loaded between the bread. This evenly distributes the flavors throughout the sandwich, giving you tastier results. Any combination of meats, vegetables, cheese and condiments can be used for this sandwich. Because of this, chopped sandwiches have gone viral recently — especially a version using ingredients you'd find in a classic Italian sub.
Why the Italian version is a popular variation
An Italian chopped sandwich often consists of cold cuts, lettuce, provolone cheese, yellow peppers, mayonnaise, oil, red wine vinegar and seasonings. Melding these ingredients together, rather than just layering them, creates a sandwich filling with the right balance of salty and tangy flavors. Plus, the lettuce and peppers retain their crunchiness and nicely contrast the soft meats and cheese. Think of it as a twist on your local deli's signature hoagie or sub, except you're not missing out on any of the flavor!
Related: The Secret to Making The Perfect Meatball Subs — While Cutting Prep-time In Half
The best way to mix the ingredients together
To fully combine the ingredients, chop and mix them on a cutting board. This provides an open surface area to cut the ingredients so they're all the same size. Here's a guide on preparing this sandwich, according to a video from Healthy Living With Ms Renee the Barber.
Layer lettuce leaves on a cutting board and roughly chop using a sharp knife.
Place cold cuts, vegetables, seasonings on top of lettuce and continue chopping.
Once ingredients are in large cubes, add condiments (mayo, oil and/or vinegar) and cheese slices.
Slice the mixture until the ingredients are in bite-sized pieces and are fully coated in the condiments.
Divide the sandwich filling between hoagie rolls and serve.
How to make a chopped Italian sandwich
Nicole Johnson, founder and recipe developer at OrWhateverYouDo.com, shares her Chopped Italian Sandwiches recipe below. You can prepare a cold version of this recipe, or try Johnson's method for making it toasted in a cast-iron skillet or griddle for warm and melty sandwiches. Either way, you'll have a batch of hearty sandwiches that are ready to enjoy in about 30 minutes! (Discover more viral recipes like Protein Ice Cream, Smash Burger Tacos and Gochujang Pasta.)
Chopped Italian Sandwiches
Ingredients:
Sandwiches:
3 Italian sub bread loaves
¾ cup mayonnaise
10 slices sandwich-sized pepperoni
10 slices sandwich-sized salami
10 slices ham
10 slices provolone cheese
3 cups shredded romaine lettuce
3 Tbs. diced pickled yellow peppers
Dressing:
3 Tbs. red wine vinegar
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. Italian seasoning blend
½ tsp. salt
Directions:
Yield: 6 servings
Cold version:
In small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients; set aside. Slice bread loaves to open them up.
On clean cutting board, chop remaining sandwich ingredients. Once chopped, add dressing and continue cutting until ingredients are in bite-sized pieces.
Place a third of the mixture into each roll. Slice the rolls in half and serve.
Warm version:
Preheat cast-iron skillet griddle over medium heat.
While griddle is preheating, slice bread loaves in half, leaving them connected on one side.
Spread mayo evenly on both sides of each loaf of bread. Take meat and cut it into ½-inch cubes. Mix dressing ingredients using whisk until emulsified.
Put chopped meat down on cooking surface along with cut bread loaves, mayo-side down. Flip meat over few times until it's hot, sizzling and beginning to develop browned bits on edges.
Cook bread, pressing down gently on top as needed, until golden brown and toasty. Remove bread from surface and immediately place 3 cheese slices on each loaf. Carefully remove cooked meat from griddle and put it on bread loaves.
Toss lettuce with dressing and place on subs. Close, cut in half and enjoy!
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