Best Grinder Salad

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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!

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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

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

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.

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.

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.