12 Classic Italian Sandwich Recipes To Make

The classic Italian sub is a meaty favorite with its variety of deli meats, including pepperoni, capocollo, salami, and sometimes mortadella.

The sandwich gets stacked high on a crusty loaf of Italian bread with lettuce, tomato, Italian provolone cheese, and Italian dressing.

I like to add banana peppers to mine to add some extra spice.

These sandwiches are so simple yet remain one of my favorites.

Italian ham, or prosciutto, is an Italian cured ham that pairs beautifully with rich fontina cheese in a melty panini.

Making this sandwich is rather easy as you only need prosciutto, fontina cheese, crusty bread, onions, and spinach.

Throw all the ingredients between two slices of bread and throw it in a pan with olive oil to make the perfect gooey sandwich.

I love the earthiness of the fontina cheese. It cuts through some of the salt from the prosciutto, making the perfect bite.

Italian mortadella is one of my favorite Italian meats, as it isn’t too strong and goes with almost any kind of cheese.

Mortadella is essentially an Italian bologna.

To make this sandwich, you’ll need some fresh focaccia, mortadella, cheese, basil, and olive oil. You can add mayonnaise and other spreads as well if you want to.

I highly recommend using pecorino cheese on this sandwich, as it adds a nice tang.

Italian pinwheels are similar to an Italian sub, but instead of bread, you use tortillas.

Simply lay down a tortilla and fill it with salami, pepperoni, provolone cheese, and lettuce. Then all you have to do is roll it up and slice it.

I love making these, as they’re easy to make and they make the perfect lunch.

Feel free to add other ingredients to your pinwheels, such as pepper spread, mustard, or banana peppers.

Head to the grocery store and grab some ciabatta, fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and some pesto to create this tasty Italian sandwich.

The creamy mozzarella goes perfectly with the freshness and earthiness of the tomatoes and pesto.

It’s a very flavorful sandwich and a great option if you’re a vegetarian.

I make tomato, mozzarella, and pesto sandwiches for myself all the time because they’re easy, delicious, and rather filling.

Mozzarella is a great meat replacement, as it has six grams of protein per serving!

Puccia sandwiches are very reminiscent of pizza, as the bread is similar to pizza dough.

Prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato, arugula, and basil oil fill the delicious bread to make a tasty bite of Italy.

However, you can fill your Puccia bread with anything you’d like. All Italian deli meats pair well with this bread.

I like to put spinach in mine sometimes, as it has a milder taste compared to arugula and it's a superfood full of nutrients!

If you’re not a big fan of mayonnaise-based tuna salads, you should try Italian tuna, as it is much lighter.

Fill a ciabatta roll with tuna, hard-boiled eggs, lettuce, and a fresh salsa verde to make a protein-packed meal.

Canned tuna usually has six to eight grams of protein per ounce. So, although this sandwich may sound simple, you’ll still have a full stomach.

I highly recommend putting either arugula or spinach in this tuna sandwich because they add more flavor and nutrients.

If you’re sick of eating plain meatloaf slices, putting it into a soft bread roll with marinara sauce and mozzarella is sure to put a smile back on your face.

This sandwich is a little reminiscent of a meatball sub, as meatloaf and meatball ingredients are rather similar.

After you put the sandwich together, be sure to put it in the oven or toaster oven to melt the cheese and crisp up the bread.

I love to make these during the week, as they’re an easy weekday meal.

Pani ca Meusa might look a little similar to a shaved steak sandwich, but the meat consists of organ meat from a cow.

Yes, this might sound gross, but your tastebuds will be pleasantly surprised, especially with some delicious caciocavallo cheese on top.

If you can’t find caciocavallo, I like to use another Italian cheese like provolone as it tastes very similar.

Lampredotto sandwiches are also organ meat-based, but don’t let that scare you away.

It doesn’t taste much different than normal beef, as you typically cook the meat with onions, tomatoes, celery, and seasonings. It almost has a beef stew-like taste.

Be sure to top your meat with some salsa verde to add an earthy, fresh taste to your sandwich.

I like to pick up some round buns from the bakery for these sandwiches. There’s nothing better than fresh bread.

Meatball subs are another easy-to-make favorite of mine.

Simply bake your meatballs until they are fork tender, throw them into a delicious homemade tomato sauce, and then transfer them to some bread rolls.

You can use any bread you want, but I tend to reach for the soft hoagie rolls for these subs.

I also like to add some mozzarella cheese on top of my subs and then throw them in the oven until the cheese is gooey.

Piadinas are essentially Italian flatbreads that you can fill with a variety of ingredients.

Mozzarella and prosciutto or tomato and mozzarella are popular combinations for this type of bread.

I like to put fresh sliced mozzarella, tomato slices, fresh basil, and drizzles of olive oil on mine.

If I’m feeling fancy, sometimes I’ll combine salami and gorgonzola cheese.

Piadina bread is a delicious and lighter alternative to bread rolls and buns.