Muffaletta Hawaiian Roll Sliders

Listen. The olive salad is the WHOLE point. Skip it and you’ve just made a fancy ham and cheese slider. Not the end of the world, but also… not a muffaletta.

Three kinds of olives, giardiniera, capers, pepperoncinis, garlic, a glug of olive oil and red wine vinegar. Pulse it into a chunky relish and let it sit so the flavors can mingle. The hardest part is not eating it with a spoon while you wait. (I have done this. Multiple times. No regrets.)

Then: King’s Hawaiian rolls, capicola, salami, mortadella, provolone, all baked together on a sheet pan until melty and warm. It is absurdly easy. It is absurdly good.

What Is a Muffaletta?

A muffaletta is a STACKED Italian sandwich born in New Orleans….specifically Central Grocery in the French Quarter, where Sicilian immigrants layered cured meats and cheese on a round sesame loaf. The STAR? That olive salad, a chunky, briny relish that DEFINES the whole thing. Skip it and you are just eating a sub.

Make the Olive Salad Ahead

That olive salad is the SOUL of this sandwich. Give it time to do its job.

1. Make it AT LEAST 24 hours ahead…. a full 48 hours is even better for deep, developed flavor.
2. Store in a GLASS container (not metal, since the vinegar reacts) with a tight lid in the fridge.
3. Stir with a fork before using because the oil settles and the olives clump together overnight.
4. Hold back HALF for the top layer…. you want that fresh, bright bite against the warm cheese.

Meat & Cheese Swaps

The cured meats and provolone carry this whole sandwich… choose swaps that actually MATCH the original flavor profile

• Capicola swaps: prosciutto (saltier punch, go easy on portions!) or sliced deli ham when you want something milder and gentler
• Genoa salami swaps: soppressata brings extra fennel kick, calabrese when you want real heat, hard salami works fine in a pinch
• Mortadella is technically optional here… sub turkey bologna (closest flavor match), or simply double up the other two cured meats
• Provolone alternatives: mozzarella for ultra-melty mildness, fontina for nutty depth, Swiss for sharper cheese notes. Always slice everything PAPER-THIN to keep ratios balanced

Storage & Reheating Tips

• Wrap leftover sliders tightly in foil, refrigerate up to 3 days.
• Olive salad alone keeps 2 weeks in a sealed jar… it actually gets BETTER as it sits.
• Skip the freezer for assembled sliders (the bread turns into a soggy, sad mess).
• Reheat in a 325°F oven, foil-wrapped, 8-10 minutes.
• Unwrap for the final 2 minutes to crisp those sesame tops.
• Skip the microwave unless you want rubbery bread and weird cheese texture…. you don’t.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2000-2200
• Protein: 70-80 g
• Fat: 115-125 g
• Carbohydrates: 160-175 g

Ingredients

For the olive salad:

• 1/2 cup green olives (pitted and roughly chopped)
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives
• 1 cup black olives
• 1/2 cup giardiniera (drained and finely minced)
• 1/4 cup pepperoncinis
• 1 tbsp capers
• 3 garlic cloves (freshly smashed and minced)
• 2 tsp italian seasoning
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

For the sandwiches:

• 1 package King’s Hawaiian sweet rolls
• 1/3 lb capicola or ham (sliced paper-thin)
• 1/3 lb genoa salami
• 1/3 lb mortadella
• 8 slices provolone cheese
• 2 tbsp butter (melted to brush over the tops)
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Step 1: Chop the Olive Mixture

• 1/2 cup green olives
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives
• 1 cup black olives
• 1/2 cup giardiniera
• 1/4 cup pepperoncinis
• 1 tbsp capers
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp italian seasoning
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Combine the green olives, kalamata olives, black olives, drained giardiniera, pepperoncinis, capers, smashed garlic, and italian seasoning in a food processor.

Pulse until you achieve a chunky relish consistency—you want texture here, not a smooth paste.

Transfer to a bowl and stir in the extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar.

Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

I prefer to make this ahead so the flavors meld together, but it’s ready to use immediately if you’re short on time.

Step 2: Slice and Spread the Rolls

• 1 package King’s Hawaiian sweet rolls
• olive salad from Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Remove the package of Hawaiian sweet rolls and carefully cut the entire slab horizontally in half using a serrated knife, creating a top and bottom piece.

Place the bottom piece on your prepared baking sheet, cut-side up.

Spread half of the olive salad from Step 1 evenly across the bottom piece, leaving about a quarter-inch from the edges.

Step 3: Build the Savory Layers

• 1/3 lb capicola or ham
• 1/3 lb genoa salami
• 1/3 lb mortadella
• 8 slices provolone cheese

Layer the capicola, genoa salami, and mortadella in thin, overlapping layers directly over the olive salad.

The paper-thin slicing is key here—it allows these delicate flavors to shine through without overpowering the sandwich.

Top with the provolone slices, overlapping them slightly to ensure every bite has cheese.

The slight warmth from the oven will help meld everything together beautifully.

Step 4: Warm and Melt the Base

• 2 tbsp butter

Place the assembled bottom piece with all toppings into the preheated 350°F oven.

Bake for 15-16 minutes, just until the cheese is melted and begins to bubble slightly at the edges.

You’re not looking for browning here—the goal is to gently warm everything through and soften the rolls slightly.

While this bakes, brush the cut side of the top piece with melted butter and set it aside.

Step 5: Assemble and Press the Tops

• olive salad from Step 1
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Remove the baked bottom piece from the oven and immediately spread the remaining olive salad from Step 1 over the melted cheese.

Place the buttered top piece on the sandwich and press down firmly but gently—this helps the flavors marry together.

Brush the top surface with any remaining melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds and dried oregano.

I find that pressing while everything is still warm helps the sandwich hold together better when you cut it.

Step 6: Let Rest and Slice

Let the assembled sandwich rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

This resting period allows the bread to firm up slightly and makes cutting cleaner.

Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the sandwich into individual slider portions—typically 6-8 sliders depending on your preferred size.

Serve warm while the cheese is still slightly melted and the flavors are at their peak.

Loaded Muffaletta Hawaiian Roll Sliders

Delicious Loaded Muffaletta Hawaiian Roll Sliders recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 57 minutes mins

Servings: 12 sliders

Calories: 2100

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the olive salad:

• 1/2 cup green olives (pitted and roughly chopped)
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives
• 1 cup black olives
• 1/2 cup giardiniera (drained and finely minced)
• 1/4 cup pepperoncinis
• 1 tbsp capers
• 3 garlic cloves (freshly smashed and minced)
• 2 tsp italian seasoning
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

For the sandwiches:

• 1 package King's Hawaiian sweet rolls
• 1/3 lb capicola or ham (sliced paper-thin)
• 1/3 lb genoa salami
• 1/3 lb mortadella
• 8 slices provolone cheese
• 2 tbsp butter (melted to brush over the tops)
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Method

 

1. Combine the green olives, kalamata olives, black olives, drained giardiniera, pepperoncinis, capers, smashed garlic, and italian seasoning in a food processor. Pulse until you achieve a chunky relish consistency—you want texture here, not a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. I prefer to make this ahead so the flavors meld together, but it's ready to use immediately if you're short on time.
2. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the package of Hawaiian sweet rolls and carefully cut the entire slab horizontally in half using a serrated knife, creating a top and bottom piece. Place the bottom piece on your prepared baking sheet, cut-side up. Spread half of the olive salad from Step 1 evenly across the bottom piece, leaving about a quarter-inch from the edges.
3. Layer the capicola, genoa salami, and mortadella in thin, overlapping layers directly over the olive salad. The paper-thin slicing is key here—it allows these delicate flavors to shine through without overpowering the sandwich. Top with the provolone slices, overlapping them slightly to ensure every bite has cheese. The slight warmth from the oven will help meld everything together beautifully.
4. Place the assembled bottom piece with all toppings into the preheated 350°F oven. Bake for 15-16 minutes, just until the cheese is melted and begins to bubble slightly at the edges. You're not looking for browning here—the goal is to gently warm everything through and soften the rolls slightly. While this bakes, brush the cut side of the top piece with melted butter and set it aside.
5. Remove the baked bottom piece from the oven and immediately spread the remaining olive salad from Step 1 over the melted cheese. Place the buttered top piece on the sandwich and press down firmly but gently—this helps the flavors marry together. Brush the top surface with any remaining melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds and dried oregano. I find that pressing while everything is still warm helps the sandwich hold together better when you cut it.
6. Let the assembled sandwich rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. This resting period allows the bread to firm up slightly and makes cutting cleaner. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the sandwich into individual slider portions—typically 6-8 sliders depending on your preferred size. Serve warm while the cheese is still slightly melted and the flavors are at their peak.