A fun twist on a New Orleans classic, this Muffuletta Crescent Ring Sandwich has all the traditional layers of ham, salami, cheese and homemade olive salad stuffed inside a golden, flaky crescent roll ring! Perfect as a party appetizer, at tailgates, on game day and a must for Mardi Gras!
Even if your not an olive lover, there is just something about a muffuletta sandwich that is irresistible! The rich, thinly-sliced deli meats, smoky cheese and briny olives all combine to create something truly magical.
RELATED RECIPES: Spicy Italian Crescent Ring, Easy Stuffed Olive Cheese Bread
Maybe it’s thoughts of New Orleans and Jackson Square that creates the magic. Maybe it’s the thought of all that antipasto goodness all wrapped into one scrumptious bite.
Maybe, in this case, it’s the idea of golden, tender crescent rolls wrapped into a fun ring sandwich, with slices that can be dipped in Ranch dressing dip or marinara sauce.
Whatever the case is, this Muffuletta Crescent Ring is one special sandwich that everyone will ask for again and again!
What Kind of Sandwich is a Muffuletta?
A traditional Muffuletta sandwich is made from a round loaf of bread (called muffuletta) filled with thinly sliced Italian cold cuts, olive salad, cheese and freshly minced garlic.
And even though the Muffuletta, sometimes spelled Muffaletta, is 100% a New Orleans sandwich… it’s also distinctly Italian…. Not Cajun, not Creole. Italian. That’s the beauty of New Orleans.
How did that happen? New Orleans has always been a melting pot, a port city where immigrants land and cultures blend. In 1906, Lupo Salvatore’s Central Grocery, an Italian market on Decatur Street in New Orleans, was a lunch time favorite of the immigrant Sicilian farmers who sold their produce nearby.
Salvatore suggested that it might be easier for the farmers (since there were no tables at which to dine) if he cut the muffuletta bread open and put their lunches of salami, ham, cheese and olives inside so they could easily hold it. It didn’t take long before the farmers came to merely ask for a “Muffuletta” for their lunch.
Over 100 years later, that brilliant solution to a lunch time problem is one of New Orleans most adored food traditions!
Muffuletta Crescent Ring Sandwich Ingredients
I’ll walk through an overview of ingredients & steps in this section along with helpful tips!
Look for specifics at the end of the post in the recipe card.
- canned crescent rolls
- thinly sliced salami
- thinly sliced ham
- Provolone cheese
- Queen or Manzanilla green olives (pitted)
- Kalamata black olives (pitted)
- chopped pimentos
- fresh Italian parsley
- dried oregano
- minced garlic
- black pepper
- olive oil
How to Make a Muffuletta Crescent Ring Sandwich with Homemade Olive Salad
Prep the Olive Salad. In a medium-size bowl, combine the chopped olives, pimentos, garlic, oregano, pepper and olive oil and allow to marinate in the fridge while prepping the sandwich ring.
Make the Crescent Ring. Unroll crescent rolls and separate them into triangles. Arrange the triangles on a round pizza pan in a circle with the wide ends of triangles overlapping a little in the center to form a ring and triangle points facing outward to make the shape of a sun.
Layer the Fillings. Arrange salami slices, folded ham slices, a layer of halved Provolone slices and a layer of olive salad around the center edge of the crescent rolls.
Finish the Ring. Bring the point ends of the triangles up and around the filling, securing everything inside and tucking points under the center of the ring to seal it. Use a brush to wash the dough with any olive oil that may have leaked out of the sandwich during assembly and any leftover oil from the olive salad bowl.
Bake. Place in preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown and bottom is cooked. Enjoy!
What to Eat with A Muffuletta Crescent Ring Sandwich?
A muffuletta goes with just about anything, and a sandwich ring is optimal party food and game day food, not to mention ideal for every Mardi Gras celebration! Serve it with:
- potato chips and Ranch dip
- Creamy Coleslaw
- Creamy Dill Potato Salad
- Southern Deviled Egg Potato Salad
- Bacon Tomato Pasta Salad
How to Store Leftovers
Leftovers usually last 3-4 days (if you actually have leftovers!). Wrap them in plastic wrap or a pop them in a zip top bag and refrigerate.
Muffulettas are often served cold, but I like to eat mine after reheating a few slices in the air fryer for a few minutes or in a 350 degree oven.
More Muffuletta Recipes To Enjoy
More Louisiana Classics
- Louisiana Dirty Rice
- Easy Louisiana Sausage Jambalaya
- Authentic Red Beans & Rice Recipe
- Classic Louisiana Shrimp Etouffee
- Easy Blonde Gumbo with Green Chile Rice
- Easy Biscuit Beignets
- Easy Cinnamon Roll King Cakes
New Orleans Muffuletta Crescent Ring Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 cans 8 count crescent rolls
- 4 ounces thinly sliced salami
- 4-6 ounces thinly sliced ham
- 4-6 ounces sliced Provolone cheese
Homemade Olive Salad
- ⅔ cup diced pitted Queen or Manzanilla green olives
- ⅔ cup diced pitted Kalamata black olives
- 4 ounces chopped pimentos, drained
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ cup finely chopped fresh Italian (flat) parsley
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
- Prepare the Olive Salad by combining the chopped olives, pimentos, garlic, oregano, pepper and olive oil and allowing to marinate in the fridge while prepping the sandwich ring. (Can also be made up to 1 day in advance.)
- Unroll crescent rolls and separate into triangles. Arrange crescents on a round pizza pan in a circle with the wide ends of triangles overlapping a little in the center to form a ring and triangle points facing outward to make the shape of a sun.
- Arrange salami slices around the overlapping wide triangle end edge of your crescent ring. Top with folded ham slices, a layer of halved Provolone slices and a layer of olive salad.
- Bring the point ends of the triangles up and around the filling, securing everything inside and tucking points under the center of the ring to seal it. Use a brush to wash the dough with any olive oil that may have leaked out of the sandwich during assembly and any leftover oil from the olive salad bowl.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown and bottom is cooked. If top begins to over brown before the crescent rolls are baked through, loosely cover the top with aluminum foil.
Delicious. Used Olive Salad in a jar (Walmart,Publix) specifically for Muffuletta. Worked great and was good. Made it much easier and quicker to make. Turned out great and was popular with me and my guest (We aren’t particularly fond of olives.) Plenty for 14 guest as long as it’s in combination with other things (we had jambalaya and red beans and rice) Will make it again. Maybe a smaller version.
Hi, Jerry! That’s awesome! Sounds like you had a feast! Glad you found the olive salad in a jar. I love making my own and creating that flavor, but the salad in the jar can be a real time saver. Makes my day that all your guests enjoyed it!