If you’re making a muffaletta sandwich, please do yourself a favor and make the traditional bread and Olive Salad from scratch. Sorry babes, it’s just not the real thing if you’re using random bread.
Muffaletta sandwich bread is a round Italian style dense loaf approximately 10″ across with sesame seeds across the top. You’ll be hard pressed to find this outside of Louisiana so making your own, from scratch, is the next best thing. Don’t substitute. That would make your sandwich a poser.
Don’t be a poser.
We worked with a few already developed recipes and found the recipe from King Arthur Flour the best. The density nicely withstands the olive oil and olive salad without getting soggy.
Looking to make an authentic sandwich? Make sure to use this Muffaletta Bread Recipe along with our Olive Salad and Muffaletta Sandwich Recipe!
Ingredients
- STARTER DOUGH:
- 1 cup All-purpose or Bread Flour
- ½ cup Water
- ⅛ tsp Yeast
- DOUGH
- All of the starter
- 3 ½ cup All-purpose or Bread Flour
- 1 cup Water
- 1.5 tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Yeast
- TOPPING:
- 1 Egg
- ¼ cup Water
- Sesame Seeds (to Taste)
Instructions
- Create the start by mixing all 3 ingredients and leaving at room temperature overnight.
- Once the starter is ready, add the dough ingredients to a stand mixer and mix until a cohesive dough is created. The dough will be rough, which is what you want.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 3 hours total. After the 1st hour, deflate the dough and turn over. Repeat at the 2 hour mark.
- After the dough has risen for 3 hours, turn it out onto a floured work area and shape to a 10" round.
- Transfer the dough to a greased baking sheet and let rise overnight, in the refrigerator.
- Once ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit for 30 minutes.
- Pre-heat the oven to 425 degree fahrenheit.
- Mix 1 egg with 1/4 cup water and whisk until combined. Brush the egg mixture over the top of the bread and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let cool down before slicing.
Sharon
Tuesday 14th of March 2023
Hi, I have made this recipe and it is awesome! I have a question though, can use sourdough starter instead of the starter listed? Also regarding the Central Grocery olive salad I found it by googling The Best Olive Salad for a Muffalatta Sandwich and was directed to "The Spruce".
Audrey Chinn
Sunday 31st of October 2021
How long can this bread be frozen for?
Gina Davis
Thursday 20th of August 2020
OMG I have made this recipe A LOT! And the best and closest I have found to N.O. Muffaletta bread!! We got a new Restaurant here and I was so excited that the menu had a Muffaletta on it so I ordered it and I was so disappointed it was a philly roll with hot cooked pepperoni, ham and olive loaf on it with Swiss cheese and MUSTARD! first off it was GROSS I came home and started on this bread so I could have a real Muffaletta!! Oh and use the Central Gro. recipe for the spread!!
Valerie
Sunday 7th of March 2021
Gina, where did you find the Central Grocery recipe? I have one I like, but would love to see the real deal! And yes, this bread is amazing!
Charles Joachim
Thursday 21st of May 2020
Thank You for the recipe, I can’t wait to try it! Believe it or not, finding a dense muffuletta bread is difficult even in New Orleans. I’ve resorted to buying Italian bread & St Joseph bread from a local grocery store when making the delicious sandwich. Too often, seeded round loaves of French bread texture are only was is available. Again, thanks!
Gloria
Friday 17th of April 2020
Incredible. This bread was worth the extra time. Its a top shelf bread recipe now in my kitchen. I used slightly less flour than the recipe called for, but followed everything else to a T. Bread is dense and does stand up to the juices of the olive salad without getting soggy. Made an incredibly delicious muffaletta. Im starting another batch this weekend to make mini loaves. Thanks for the recipe, seriously.