Name: Muffuletta Dip (with Alabama Twist)
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 135 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup Italian pickled vegetables (Giardiniera (Found next to olives)); 1/3 cup chopped green olives; 2 tablespoons chopped black or kalamata olives; 2 tablespoons chopped pepperoncini peppers; 2 tablespoons chopped roasted bell pepper from a jar (can be omitted if pimiento in green olives); 1 garlic clove (minced (1/2 teaspoon)); 1/2 cup chopped hard salami (venison or pork) (Genoa or summer sausage); 1/2 cup chopped capocolla (prosciutto, ham, or mortadella); 3/4 cup diced provolone or mozzarella chesse (combination of both); 2 tablespoons shredded or crumbled Parmesan cheese (grated tends to make the dip murky); 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or liquid from Giardiniera or green olives; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; French bread crostini (Pita chips, or crackers)

Jump to Recipe

All the meats, cheeses, olives and peppers you love in traditional Muffaletta sandwiches made into Muffuletta Dip with an Alabama twist-venison salami.

This easy game day recipe takes the traditional Muffuletta Sandwich, deconstructs it into a cold party dip and ...wait for it...has venison salami in it! (Any salami will do.)

White bowl of Muffuletta dip with venison salami , crostini and mardi gras beads

Perfect for a Mardi Gras party or any party where good food and fellowship are found. Scoop it up with French bread crostini (toasted slices of French bread) or corn chips.

What's the Alabama Twist?

I simply took all the ingredients inside the Muffuletta sandwich- olive salad, deli meats and cheeses- and chopped them up and traded out salami or summer sausage for venison salami!

If you love a good Muffuletta olive sandwich made popular at the Central Grocery & Deli in New Orleans, you will flip over this dip.

White bowl of Muffuletta Dip surrounded by crostini.

Salami, capocolla, provolone cheese, green olives, black olives, pepperonccini peppers, and last but not least, Giardiniera (Italian pickled vegetables) make up the tangy, bold flavors of Muffuletta Dip, but I add an Alabama twist-Venison Salami.

I took the layers of meats and cheeses and chopped them up along with the chopped olive and pickled veggie salad.

Instead of stuffing a loaf of french bread with it to make the sandwich, I toasted slices of French bread and served it with the New Oreleans dip as crostini.

Why venison salami?

Venison salami or summer sausage. I have a deep freezer full of venison of all cuts including sausage, ground venison, backstrap (tenderloin), stew meat, roasts, cube steak, bologna and salami.

Here in Alabama, my husband and son hunt for deer to put food on the table that we know is lean meat, non GMO, no hormones added and we know where it comes from.

We believe in "from woods to table".

Muffaletta Dip with Alabama Twist scooped on crostini next to white bowl of dip.

Can I use regular salami?

Of course! Absolutely. I love to mix up the cured meats. There are so many to choose from. Aldi is my favorite place to buy them for price and variety.

What do I need to make Muffuletta Dip?

As you can see, the ingredient list in a Muffaletta Dip can be extensive

If you've ever been to New Orleans or a NOLA inspired deli, chances are you have eaten a Muffaletta or sometimes called Muffuletta. As you can see, the ingredient list in Muffuletta Dip can be extensive.

I keep several of these things in my fridge like kalamata olives. Black olives are popular, but my family violently opposes them. We love pepperoncini peppers in salads and with our pizza. I always have a drawer full of cheese.

On the frugal side, you can actually buy green olives, roasted red peppers, and kalamata olives at the Dollar Tree. Aldi is my go to store for cured meats and cheeses for a good price.

Shortcuts

You don't have to make the whole sandwich, layer it with meats and cheese, and wrap it up. You simply chop everything you see in the bowl. It's a stretch, but it's still a shortcut to eating olive salad on bread.
Another shortcut would be to pulse the olives, garlic, parsley, and pepperoncini peppers in a small food processor. I still like to chop the meats and cheeses (except for Parmesan) so I can dice them.
You can purchase crostini (toasted French bread slices) already prepared in the bakery section of your grocery store.

Finely chop the pickled veggies, olives, peppers. Mince the garlic and parsley. Dice the cheeses and meats. Stir in the red wine vinegar (or liquid from pickled veggies or kalamata olives) and olive oil.

One of the keys to this flavorful dip is to let the flavors have time to meld together. Cover it and let it stand in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Overnight is even better.

But who can wait? I dove in as soon as it was finished and it was YUMMY!

Muffuletta Dip with an Alabama Twist is perfect served with French bread crostini for any occasion not just Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. Football parties. Birthday parties. Showers. Graduations.

Watch the video

Watch me make Muffuletta Dip on ABC 33/40's TOA 2019

Making Muffaletta Dip with Venison Salami with Nicole Allshouse on Talk of Alabama on Fat Tuesday

Comment below if you make Muffuletta Dip with an Alabama Twist and let me know how it turned out!

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Pimiento Cheese with Fire Roasted Red Peppers

Bacon-Wrapped Cheesy Tater Tots

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chopped meats and cheeses in a white bowl with mardi gra beads

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Muffuletta Dip (with Alabama Twist)

If you love a good Muffuletta Sandwich made popular at the Central Grocery & Deli in New Orleans, you will flip over this Muffuletta Dip. I simply took all the ingredients inside the sandwich- olive salad, deli meats and cheeses- and chopped them up!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time0 mins

Chill to meld flavors2 hrs

Total Time2 hrs 15 mins

Course: Appetizer

Servings: servings

Calories: 200kcal

Author: Kathleen Phillips | GritsAndGouda.com

Cost: 15

Equipment

cutting board

Ingredients

1/2 cup Italian pickled vegetables Giardiniera (Found next to olives)
1/3 cup chopped green olives
2 tablespoons chopped black or kalamata olives
2 tablespoons chopped pepperoncini peppers
2 tablespoons chopped roasted bell pepper from a jar (can be omitted if pimiento in green olives)
1 garlic clove minced (1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 cup chopped hard salami (venison or pork) Genoa or summer sausage
1/2 cup chopped capocolla prosciutto, ham, or mortadella
3/4 cup diced provolone or mozzarella chesse combination of both
2 tablespoons shredded or crumbled Parmesan cheese grated tends to make the dip murky
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or liquid from Giardiniera or green olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
French bread crostini Pita chips, or crackers

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours but it tastes even better overnight so the flavors and meld together. Serve with French bread crostini, pita chips, or crackers.

Notes

If you don’t want to hand chop everything and don’t mind the mixture being a little “processed/blended”, chop everything in the food processor starting with the garlic clove alone, then add the rest. I’d still chop the meat and cheese with a knife.

Any combination of cured meats with a variety of mild cheeses will work in this flavorful New Orleans dip.

Nutrition