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This viral recipe for Grinder Salad Subs results in a massive sandwich bursting with delicious Italian deli meats and a zippy salad mixture!
Grinder Salad Subs
I think I’ve said before we all have our opinions on TikTok, but by golly, do people share some interesting recipes on there? You can’t deny that!!
When something tasty goes viral and escapes TikTok to end up on your Facebook or Instagram feed, I’m sure you’ve noticed it’s usually delicious or very gross. Ha!
Thankfully, these grinder salad subs are on the DELICIOUS end of the scale!
Imagine a mini-salad on a sub sandwich, and you have this tasty little lunchtime meal. It’s full of flavor and versatile for any kind of sandwich you like, so it’s definitely one for the mid-day rotation!
Grinder Salad Subs are also a great option for parties or gatherings. They are easy to make in bulk and can be served as a main course or as an appetizer. You can also make a variety of different subs with different toppings to cater to different tastes and dietary restrictions.
Minus the salad part, this is a basic way to build an Italian sub for a crowd. My family loves to go all out with our party subs, and we use a lot of meat of different varieties. If you prefer less meat, you can use half. Of course, feel free to switch out meats and cheeses to your liking.
It’s something new using a good ol’ classic recipe! Whether you’re looking for a quick and easy lunch, a satisfying dinner, or a party-friendly option, these Grinder Salad Subs are a great choice. I hope you enjoy it!
Italian Subs: Ingredients & Substitutions
For this Grinder Salad Subs recipe, you will need …
Ingredients
For the Italian Subs
- Italian bread – a whole loaf. I’ve found sub sandwiches just aren’t the same without Italian bread! I love using crusty large Italian bread topped with sesame seeds for an extra layer of flavor. Of course, use whatever bread you like. Foccacia or plain Italian bread works too. Or make individual subs with sub rolls!
- Provolone cheese, soppressata, Genoa salami, deli pepperoni, and boiled ham are your delicious sandwich fillings! I always use fresh-cut Boar’s Head meat and cheese for my sandwiches and anything calling for deli meat but use what you like.
For the Grinder Salad
- mayo, red wine vinegar, garlic, black pepper, dried oregano, salt, and red chili flakes – these ingredients combined will make your salad dressing.
- pepperoncini, red onion, iceberg lettuce – you’ll coat these in your dressing for a tasty, tasty salad.
For assembly
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, olive oil, kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper – for topping your grinder salad subs!
- beef steak tomatoes – sliced. A wonderful addition to the whole meal.
How to make the Best Sub Sandwich
First, prep your bread. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the bread in half and place it on a sheet tray, cut side up. Remove most of the inside of the bread, leaving about ½ inch of the bread. Add half of the provolone to each side. Place this all in the oven until it’s melted (about 5 minutes).
Second, add your meats and bake. Layer the ham over one half of the sub, and layer the soppressata on the other side. Top the ham with the salami and the soppressata with the pepperoni. Place the sub back in the oven to heat the meats through, and toast the bread for 5 minutes.
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Third, make the salad. While your sub is baking, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic, pepper, oregano, chili flakes, and salt until it’s all combined. Add the pepperoncini and red onion, and stir around in the dressing until it’s coated. Next, add the lettuce, and (using tongs!!) toss it in the dressing to coat. Set this all aside.
Fourth, make your sandwich. Sprinkle the sub with ¼ of the parmesan cheese. Add tomato slices, then drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Add the grinder salad too, and top with the remaining parmesan cheese.
Finally, serve! Throw the top half of the sandwich over the bottom half. Cut the sandwich into wedges and serve with more of the grinder salad on the side!
Sub Sandwiches: FAQs
It takes about a half hour. You’ll need 15 minutes for prep and another 10-15 to cook the subs.
You can store your Grinder Salad Sub in the fridge in some sandwich paper or plastic wrap. It’ll store well for two days, although it might get a little bit soggy! If you like, the bread can be toasted again in the oven, while the filling can be reheated separately in the microwave. Or you can just eat it all cold. It’s still great!! I wouldn’t freeze this, though.
Anything you like on a sub will probably taste pretty dang good here! In particular, I suggest …
– substitute/add gruyere, mozzarella, or swiss cheese
– substitute/add tavern ham, prosciutto, etc. (any deli meat will do!)
– substitute the red onion for sweet onion
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Grinder Salad Subs
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the sandwich
- 1 loaf Italian bread, 16-oz.
- ½ pound medium sliced deli provolone cheese
- ½ pound thinly sliced deli boiled ham
- ¼ pound thinly sliced deli Sopprasetta
- ¼ pound thinly sliced deli Genoa salami
- 6 thinly sliced deli pepperoni
For the Grinder Salad
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup sliced pepperoncini
- ¼ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
For assembly
- 2 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 beef steak tomatoes, sliced
- drizzle of olive oil
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut the bread in half lengthwise and place it on a baking sheet with the cut side up. Remove most of the inside of the bread, leaving about 1/2-inch of the bread as a shell.
- Add half of the provolone to each side of the bread. Place it in the oven until melted, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and layer the ham over one half of the sub, then layer the soppressata on the other side. Next, top the ham with the salami and top the soppressata with the pepperoni.
- Place the sub back in the oven to heat the meats through, and toast the bread, for about 5 minutes.
- While the sub is baking, prepare the grinder salad by whisking together the mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic, pepper, oregano, chili flakes, and salt until combined. Add the pepperoncini and red onion, and stir around in the dressing until well coated. Then, add the lettuce. Using tongs, toss the lettuce in the dressing to coat, and set aside.
- Once the bread is toasted and the meats are heated through, sprinkle the sub with one-quarter of the parmesan cheese. Add tomato slices, then drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the desired amount of the grinder salad to the top and then top it with the remaining parmesan cheese.
- Place the top half of the sandwich over the bottom half, pressing it down gently.
- Cut the sandwich into pieces and serve it with more of the grinder salad on the side with chips for dipping!
Notes
- The Grider Salad is inspired by a viral TikTok from @ohheyimgray.
- I recommend thinly slicing the meat and layering it in a “fluffy” way, as described in the original video. I find it is more enjoyable to eat it that way instead of just layers of meat packed on top of each other.
- The grinder salad is definitely the star of this sub. If you don’t like pepperoncini, you can sub with banana peppers or another pickled vegetable. This is what really gives a pop to the salad – so don't omit it!
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge tightly wrapped with plastic wrap for up to 2-3 days. The lettuce will get a little soggy, but it is still good. You can eat the leftovers cold, and it is still amazing.
- Do not freeze this sandwich. It tends to get all weird when it's thawed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
