• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Simply Scrumptious
  • 30- Minute Meals
  • Courses
  • Desserts
  • Recipe Index
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • 30- Minute Meals
  • Courses
  • Desserts
  • Recipes
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • 30- Minute Meals
    • Courses
    • Desserts
    • Recipes
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » 30 Minute Meals

    Best Grinder Salad

    Published: Jun 9, 2023 · Modified: Jul 31, 2023 by Nicole · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Grinder sandwich on a cutting board.

    Enjoy the irresistible Grinder Salad Sandwich recipe made with perfectly seasoned dressing and fresh ingredients to make a tasty Italian Sub. This homemade salad sandwich recipe is the best homemade sub around and everyone will be wanting more.

    Two grinder salad sandwiches side by side.

    Made even more popular on Tiktok, this viral chicken and meat sandwich is the perfect summer sandwich. You can even skip the bun and meat and just eat the salad portion. Turn it into a pasta salad instead, or eat it mixed in a jar. We love the versatile slider.

    If you love this recipe, you may want to try our tasty Imitation Crab Melt, or Sour Dough Panini. Don't forget to make it a meal and add a Creamy Lemonade and Broccoli Salad with it.

    This versatile sandwich is a hit with everyone. Packed with so many fresh ingredients and tasty meats you can make it your own way. I made this for a summer lunch when my kids were fresh home from school and they couldn't get enough. I was not expecting everyone to love this so much!

    Jump to:
    • Why We Love this Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Substitutions and Variations
    • Helpful Hints
    • How to Serve
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Top tip
    • FAQ
    • Related
    • Pairing
    • Recipe

    Why We Love this Recipe

    • Variety: This recipe offers a wide range of filling options, including meats, cheeses, vegetables, and sauces. We love how you can choose your favorite ingredients and customize it the way you like it.
    • Convenient: You can prepare this really quickly and can be eaten on the go. This makes them a popular option for people who want a quick and tasty meal and you can take them on a picnic or enjoy from home.
    • Portability: We love how easy it is to take this sandwich with you. This makes it perfect for lunchboxes, picnics, and other outdoor activities.
    • Flavor: No joke, this salad sandwich is loaded with flavor, with ingredients like Italian sausage, peppers, and onions. The loaded flavor makes it an instant hit with most people. Add some extra flavor with our Au Jus Recipe.
    • Tradition: They have been around for decades and have become a classic sandwich choice for many people. The history and tradition of this sandwich is one of the reasons we had to make a recipe ourselves.

    Ingredients

    Ingredients lined up for a grinder salad.

    For the Salad:

    • Iceberg lettuce- This lettuce has the perfect crisp texture you want. Or you can use romaine or green leaf
    • Red onion- When not cooking, red onion is the best raw onion and adds a lot of flavor.
    • Pepperoncinis- You can use fresh but I love the pickled pepperoncinis often found in the pickled vegetable section.
    • Parmesan cheese- Grated or shredded are both great options for this salad.
    • Mayonnaise- The base to help keep all of the seasoning together on the salad.
    • Red wine vinegar- Helps to bring out the flavor of the other vegetables. White vinegar can be used as well, but it's not quite as tasty.
    • Minced garlic- Garlic powder can also be used but minced garlic is the better option.
    • Oregano and Parsely- These herbs always add to an Italian dish. Or you can use Italian Seasoning instead.
    • Red Pepper Flakes- An optional seasoning to add a little extra kick to the salad portion.

    For the Sandwich:

    • Pepperoni and Salami- The combination of these meats are so good. We love adding these to make this the traditional flavor.
    • Turkey breast- To really up this meal, try getting a fun deli sliced meat. But regular sandwich meat works just as well.
    • Ham- You can either use regular packaged sandwich meat, or the deli meat sliced behind the counter.
    • Provolone cheese-This is a great mild flavored cheese with a tiny sharp flavor.
    • Muenster cheese optional- This cheese adds a mild slightly nutty/buttery flavor.
    • Tomatoes sliced- Fresh garden tomatoes have the best flavor, but store bought off the vine tomatoes are also a great choice.
    • Hoagie buns- This is a great bun option giving you a lot of space to add all of the ingredients.

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    Mixing the mayo and the spices.
    1. Whip the mayo and add the spice blend. Mix well until it's evenly distributed.
    Adding the pepperoncini and onions to the mayo mixture.

    2. Next add in the onions, and pepperoncini peppers. Mix those in the mayo and spice mixture.

    Mixing in the lettuce with the spiced mayo

    3. Add in the iceberg lettuce and mix until it is well coated.

    Lining the sandwich the the salad, meats, cheeses, and tomato.

    4. Assemble the sandwich on the hoagie bun with the salad mixture, tomatoes, cheese and meats.

    Hint: Make sure to mix the lettuce in the mayo well and right before serving. If you make this meal ahead of time make sure to assemble the sandwich right before it's served.

    A grinder sandwich cut in half.

    Substitutions and Variations

    • Lettuce - instead of iceberg lettuce, you can use romaine lettuce, green leaf lettuce or spinach.
    • Bun - use gluten free buns instead of Hoagie buns to make this gluten free.
    • Vegetarian - Serve with just the cheese, salad mixture, and tomato instead of with the meat.
    • Pasta Salad- Make this a pasta salad by adding 8 ounces of cooked and cooled noodles with the salad mixture. Serve as a pasta salad instead of on a bun.
    • Vegan- Skip the meat and make this vegan by using vegan mayo and vegan cheese. You still get that tasty salad taste.
    • Italian Seasoning-If you don't have Oregano or parsley easily substitute for Italian seasoning.
    • Spicy- Add in crushed red pepper to the salad spice mixture for a spicy version.
    • Labneh Cheese- Use labneh cheese as a spread on this sandwich with this how to make Labneh guide.

    Helpful Hints

    • This salad is so delicious and full of flavor and quite forgiving. You can substitute so many different meats and cheeses with what you have on hand, or taste preferences.
    • This is a great salad sandwich to make for a large crowd at any picnic or cook out gathering.
    • If you don't want a Grinder Sandwich, make this a Grinder Salad by tossing the lettuce with the mayo spice mixture and chopping up the meats and cheeses and tossing all together. Serve cold for a tasty salad lunch option. Perfect for the summer months.

    How to Serve

    • Make this for a family get together. It's an easy meal to make in bulk and prepare ahead of time. Everyone will love the fun flavors.
    • Use this recipe to make a fun picnic meal. Pair it with our chocolate covered blueberries and Jennifer Aniston Salad for a full delicious outside meal.
    • We love serving this for special events like a work party, church gatherings, family reunions, and community events.

    Equipment

    For best results, you will need a large mixing Bowl. You will also need a cutting board and sharp Knife for assembling the sandwich.

    Storage

    For use within 24 hours: combine all ingredients for the salad and store separately from the other ingredients in the refrigerator. Assemble as directed right before serving.

    For use after 24 hours: Combine all the ingredients for the dressing plus the pepperoncini in a bowl and place in the refrigerator. Chop the lettuce and onion and also place in the refrigerator. Combine dressing with the vegetables, then make as directed before serving.

    We do NOT recommend freezing the salad part of this dish, since it has lettuce in it!

    Top tip

    Good quality meat can make a big difference in this recipe. You can have tasty meal but you will up your recipe game with quality meats.

    Cutting the grinder salad.

    FAQ

    What is a grinder salad?

    A grinder salad is a delicious salad made of pepperoncini, lettuce and red onion tossed in a delicious mayonnaise based dressing that is full of flavor. It is then placed on a hoagie or french bread along with Italian meats such as salami and pepperoni and cheeses. "Grinder" was the nickname of the bread this was served on, because it was hard and crusty and you had to "grind" your teeth to chew it.

    How to Make Grinder Salad?

    Start by making the salad portion by combing mayonnaise, spices, peppers, lettuce, and red onion. Then add it to a hoagie bun with tomatoes, italian meats, and cheese.

    Is a grinder the same as a sub?

    Yes depending on which region of the United States, or World, you are in, some people refer to a large sandwich as a grinder or a sub. People in New England often refer to it as a grinder.

    Related

    Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

    • Mexican Sandwich
      Chicken Suiza Sandwiches
    • Imitation crab melt on a baking sheet.
      Quick and Easy Crab Melt
    • chicken pesto panini
      Chicken Pesto Panini with Sourdough
    • Asian Chopped Chicken Salad Wrap
      Asian Chopped Chicken Salad Wrap

    Pairing

    These are my favorite dishes to serve with Grinder Salad:

    • Honey Mustard Broccoli Salad with Craisins
    • watermelon water on a table.
      Easy Watermelon Water (Agua de Sandia)
    • Berry spinach salad on a plate ready to serve.
      Blueberry Salad with Almonds
    • Mason jar glass of creamy lemonade drink with a lemon slice on the side.
      Creamy Lemonade

    Recipe

    A delicious, assembled, grinder salad sandwich.

    Grinder Salad

    Learn how to make this Grinder Salad Sandwich on a hoagie bun. A fresh ingredient homemade italian sub for the perfect summer sandwich.
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 0 minutes mins
    0 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Servings 6 hungry people
    Calories/serving 511 kcal

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowl
    • Sharp Knife
    • Cutting Board

    Ingredients
     

    For the Salad:

    • 1 head iceberg lettuce or romaine or green leaf
    • ½ small red onion
    • ⅓ cup pepperoncinis
    • ½ cup parmesan cheese
    • ¾ cup mayonnaise
    • 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
    • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
    • 1 ½ Tablespoons oregano
    • 1 teaspoon parsley
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 pinch red pepper flakes
    • salt optional, to taste

    For the Sandwich:

    • 5 oz pepperoni
    • 5 oz salami
    • 5 oz turkey breast
    • 5 oz ham
    • provolone cheese
    • muenster cheese optional
    • 2 large tomatoes sliced
    • 6 hoagie buns

    Instructions

    • Finely shred lettuce, thinly slice onions and slice pepperoncinis. Place to the side.
    • In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and red wine vinegar. Add the minced garlic, oregano, parsley, pepper and red pepper flakes and whisk to combine. Stir in the parmesan cheese, pepperoncinis, red onions, then the lettuce.
    • Line the bottom half of the hoagie with the meats. Pile on the salad then top with tomatoes. Place cheese on top of tomatoes, to line the top bun, to prevent the buns from becoming soggy. Serve immediately and enjoy!

    Notes

    • good quality meat can make a big difference in flavor

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1hoagie subCalories: 511kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 22gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 1426mgPotassium: 466mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 525IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was in the comments below
    Tag us on Instagram!We love seeing people make our recipes. Mention @simplyscrumptiouseats_
    Spread the love

    More 30 minute or less recipes

    • Hot girl summer salad made with fresh ingredients.
      Hot Girl Summer Salad (tiktok recipe)
    • Buffalo Chicken Egg rolls cooked and set on a cutting board. One has been bitten into.
      Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls
    • Sauce mixed into a pan of chicken carbonara
      Easy Chicken Carbonara
    • Blue plate with egg puffs arranged neatly.
      Egg Puff (Egg Bites)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Andrea

      June 09, 2023 at 12:57 pm

      5 stars
      This Italian Sub hit the spot. Such a great and easy meal. We all loved this grinder salad both as a sandwich and a salad.

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, we are Nicole and Andrea! As busy moms our favorite meals are easy, healthy and delicious. While we love eating nutritious meals, we also strongly believe in moderating them with yummy desserts! We love hiking, going to the beach and doing Spartans.

    More about us →

    Trending

    • a crusty baguette on a cutting board.
      Easy Homemade Baguette Recipe
    • Blackberry Tart in a sweet crust ready to eat.
      Easy Blackberry Tart
    • rattlesnake pasta in a fry pan.
      Best Rattlesnake Pasta
    • paula deen pumpkin bars on a plate.
      Easy Pumpkin Bars

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About

    Browse Recipes

    All recipes

    Contact

    Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Simply Scrumptious Eats