Tik Tok Grinder Salad Sandwich
The trick for making the best sub sandwich is topping it with this absolutely delicious grinder salad made famous on Tik Tok!
THE GRINDER SALAD SANDWICH MADE FAMOUS!
This grinder salad has been making huge waves over on Tik Tok recently. The important part of this recipe is the salad. The salad can be eaten all by itself to be honest but it is absolutely heavenly on a grinder (sub) sandwich. It takes a boring sub and turns it into something spectacular. If you want to “up” your sandwich game, then you absolutely need to make this Grinder Salad Sandwich.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
It’s just another name for a sub sandwich. Like a “hoagie”or a “hero”. Different regions often have different slang for the same thing. The term “grinder” is more commonly used in New England states
Yes! You don’t even need to put it on a sandwich. I have really enjoyed just chomping down on the salad alone. I actually created a Italian Grinder Pasta Salad that tastes just like this sandwich but without the bread!
Soppresseta is simply a type of Italian dry salami. If you cannot find it, don’t worry, just leave it out of the sandwich. I added it here because it was part of the original sandwich creation.
Leftover subs will keep well in the fridge tightly wrapped with plastic wrap for 2 days. The lettuce will get soggy but it is still good. You can eat the leftovers cold, still amazing. Do not freeze.
Other cheese suggestions: Mozzarella, Swiss, Fontina, Muenster, Gruyere.
Other Italian meat suggestion: prosciutto, mortadella, capcolla, tavern ham.
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.
I love using a crusty large Italian bread topped with sesame seeds for an extra layer of flavor, again use whatever bread you like. Foccacia or plain Italian bread works too.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- mayonnaise
- red wine vinegar
- garlic
- fresh cracked black pepper
- dried oregano
- red chili flakes
- kosher salt
- pepperoncini
- red onion
- iceberg lettuce
- sub bread and sandwich toppings
HOW TO MAKE: TIK TOK GRINDER SALAD SANDWICH:
Whisk together the mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, black pepper, oregano, red chili flakes and salt until combined.
Add the sliced pepperoncini and sliced red onion and stir around in the dressing until coated.
Add the lettuce, and using tongs or a fork, toss it in the dressing to coat, set aside.
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 cheese to each side. Place in the oven until melted (about 4 or 5 minutes).
Layer the ham slices on one half of the sub and layer the soppressata on the other half.
Top the ham with the salami slices. Then top the soppressata with the pepperoni. Place back in the oven to warm up the meats and to toast the bread (about 5 minutes).
Remove from the oven then sprinkle the tops of the meat with ¼ of the Parmesan cheese.
Add tomato slices then drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil and add salt and pepper (to taste).
Next, we’re gonna add some of that beautiful grinder salad we made earlier. Top with the remaining parmesan cheese.
Add the top half of the sandwich over the bottom half. I like to press it down gently.
Cut into slices and serve with more of the grinder salad on the side!
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Recipe credit: @ohheyimgray
Tik Tok Grinder Salad Sandwich
Ingredients
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 peppers
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
For the sandwich:
- 16 ounce Italian loaf of bread
- ½ pound thinly sliced provolone cheese
- ½ pound thinly sliced ham
- ¼ pound thinly sliced Sopprasetta salami
- ¼ pound thinly sliced Genoa salami
- 6 thinly sliced deli-sized pepperoni
To assemble the sandwich:
- 2 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 large beef steak tomato, sliced
- olive oil, salt and pepper
Instructions
- Whisk together 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt until combined.
- Add the 1/4 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers and 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced and stir around in the dressing until coated.
- Add 1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded and using tongs or a fork, toss it in the dressing to coat, set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut the 16 ounce Italian loaf of bread in half and place it on a baking sheet (cut side up). Remove most of the inside of the bread leaving about ½ inch of the bread.
- Add half of the 1/2 pound thinly sliced provolone cheese to each side. Place in the oven until melted (about 4 or 5 minutes).
- Layer the 1/2 pound thinly sliced ham on one half of the sub and layer the 1/4 pound thinly sliced Sopprasetta salami on the other half.
- Top the ham with 1/4 pound thinly sliced Genoa salami. Then top the soppressata with the 6 thinly sliced deli-sized pepperoni.
- Place back in the oven to warm up the meats and to toast the bread (about 5 minutes).
- Remove from the oven then sprinkle the tops of the meat with 2 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
- Add 1 large beef steak tomato, sliced then drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper (to taste).
- Next, we're gonna add some of that beautiful grinder salad we made earlier.
- Add the top half of the sandwich over the bottom half (pressing it down gently).
- Cut into slices and serve!
Notes
- Make this sandwich your way. Use whatever meats and cheese you like. Use more or use less depending on your preference.
- I used a sesame coated Italian bread here but you can use any of your favorite bread for subs.
- Nutritional values are for the sandwich, not just the salad.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Made this last night and it was amazing! The flavor is top notch!
Oh my GRAVY!!! We ate this for dinner tonight and it was AMAZING!!! My husband and kids went crazy over it! Seriously the best sandwich I’ve ever had! Will definitely make it again! It was messy but oh so good!
Yay!! Thanks so much Jennifer!! I actually just posted a recipe for Italian Grinder Pasta Salad. If you love this sandwich then I think you would really love that pasta salad! https://www.thecountrycook.net/italian-grinder-pasta-salad/
I made this last night and WOW it was absolutely AMAZING!!! My husband said it was as good as what you would get at your favorite sandwich/sub restaurant! It is a MUST try, you will not be disappointed!
Thanks so much Jenny – yay!!
I’ve gotta try – sounds so good!!
Hope you really enjoy this one!!
Excellent!!!
Thank you Terry!!
This was absolutely delicious!!!
Thanks so very much Terry!
I printed this up to make for my daughter for an easy summer meal – thanks!
I hope she loves them! I can eat the salad all by itself – ha!
just curious how long the salad would keep?
Honestly not long. The salad will start to get mushy so no more than a day if you’re lucky.