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Do you have a sandwich shop fave? You know, the sandwich you crave and can order by heart? Mine is a savory Italian-style deli sandwich, piled with layers of spiced pepperoni, savory salami…toasted on golden bread with melty provolone…topped with fresh tomato, crisp onion, tangy peppers and a generous drizzle of vinaigrette. Hits the spot every single time! This recipe is our at-home creation of the sub-shop classic. Keep reading to learn how we made classic Italian Sliders with a signature homemade vinaigrette.
Little Italian Sliders with Big Italian Flavors
This recipe makes me so happy. I love working with flavor-forward ingredients, and this slider recipe is loaded with signature Italian tastes.
To recreate the classic Italian sub sandwich, I knew I had to start with authentic Italian-style meats. Our picks? Margherita® Genoa + Hard Salami and Margherita® Thick Sliced Pepperoni.
You can find all of the Margherita dry sausage products near the deli counter in grocery stores nationwide. We picked up everything for this recipe at our local Walmart.
Ingredients Needed to Make Italian Sliders:
- Margherita Salami slices
- Margherita Pepperoni slices
- Black forest ham
- Provolone cheese
- Slider buns
- Tomato
- Onion
- Pepperocini peppers
- Extra virgin olive oil – pick a good quality for best flavor
- Vinegar – white or white wine vinegar works best
- Garlic
- Dried basil + oregano – or a dried Italian herb blend
- Salt, pepper, sugar
- Mayonnaise
- Butter + parmesan- optional for the slider bun tops
We went with the Margherita Cracker Cut varieties because they are perfectly sliced and just the right portion for our sliders. (And they are great for snacking, too.) Margherita offers a wide selection of quality Italian dry sausage products, so feel free to pick your favorites.
I love the combination of deli meats and fresh inredients in these Italian Sliders. The spice-forward flavor of the pepperoni and salami is balanced perfectly with the provolone cheese. When you add the crisp of fresh onion and burst of flavor from the tomato and pepperocini peppers, you’re really onto something.
TIP: Don’t skip making the homemade zingy vinaigrette. Keep reading, it is SUPER easy and really makes this recipe a homerun.
How to Make Italian Sliders:
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a small jar, combine olive oil, vinegar, water, mayonnaise, garlic, herbs, sugar, salt and pepper. Seal with a lid and shake vigorously for 1 minute.
- Next, place the bottom halves of the slider buns on a baking sheet. Lightly brush the inside of the bun with the prepared vinaigrette.
- Layer slices of provolone cheese on top of the buns. Top with an even layer of salami, ham, another layer of provolone, and then the pepperoni.
- Then place sliced tomatoes, onions, and peppers on top. Drizzle several spoonfuls of the vinaigrette over everything.
- Place the top slider buns, then brush with melted butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
You can arrange the layers any way you would like. We alternated layers of the salami, ham, and pepperoni with 2 layers of provolone to help everything stick together. And because we love cheese…so extra.
The superior flavor of the salami and pepperoni from Margherita gives these sliders that signature Italian taste. There are so many recipes and snacking occasions you can create.
More Tasty Sliders + Sandwiches to Try:
Fast + Easy Pizza Sliders
Reuben Sliders
Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders
Fried Green Tomato BLT’s
Italian Sliders are very easy to make. This makes them great for parties, gatherings…and can I just say, they make a tasty addition to any lunch box.
Tips + Ideas for Best Results:
- Make the Homemade Vinaigrette dressing ahead of time. This gives the garlic and Italian herbs time to infuse the oil and vinegar.
- Lightly brush the bottom of the slider buns with the vinaigrette before you layer the cheese and meats. This gives a hint of Italian flavor throughout every bite.
- Layer the meats and cheese evenly because this will make cutting and eating the sliders easier.
- Before baking, brush the top of the slider buns with melted butter and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. This adds nice color, texture, and flavor.
- Pick your favorite sandwich toppings. You can add fresh cucumbers, spinach, chopped lettuce, olives…the sky is the limit. Be sure to add super-fresh ingredients AFTER they have been baked.
- Change the “heat” level of these sliders. Use a hot pepper if you like, or serve with mild banana peppers.
- Let the sliders cool slightly before slicing.
- Use a large knife or spatula to cut all the way through each slider portion before serving.
Don’t these Italian Sliders look amazing? They are so yummy. Even my youngest daughter gave me two thumbs up.
The recipe below makes 24 individual sliders and easily halved (or doubled) to meet your needs.
Every bite is so delish. Toasted slider buns filled with layers of melted cheese, savory ham, salami, and pepperoni. Topped with red onion, tomato, and banana peppers, too.
Italian Sliders
Ingredients
For the Homemade Vinaigrette
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced or crushed
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the Italian Sliders
- 24 slider buns split
- 16 ounces provolone cheese sliced
- 8 ounces Margherita® Genoa Salami sliced
- 8 ounces Margherita® Thick Sliced Pepperoni sliced
- 8 ounces black forest ham sliced
- 2 small tomatoes thinly sliced
- 1/2 purple onion peeled, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup pepperocini pepper rings
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a small jar, combine olive oil, vinegar, water, mayonnaise, garlic, herbs, sugar, salt and pepper. Seal with a lid and shake vigorously for 1 minute.
- Next, place the bottom halves of the slider buns on a baking sheet. Lightly brush the inside of the bun with the prepared vinaigrette.
- Layer slices of provolone cheese on top of the buns. Top with an even layer of salami, ham, another layer of provolone, and then the pepperoni.
- Then place sliced tomatoes, onions, and peppers on top. Drizzle several spoonfuls of the vinaigrette over everything.
- Place the top slider buns, then brush with melted butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Just making sure that you bake this at 350 for 15 minutes after brushing with melted butter. Did you come with foil when baking?
Yes, I did, but I kept an eye on it. I was trying to get the cheese to toast just right. Definitely keep an eye on it, ovens are different, and mine cooks a little bit slow. 🙂