Loaded Muffaletta Hawaiian Roll Sliders

Here are my muffaletta Hawaiian roll sliders, with a tangy olive salad packed with three types of olives, giardiniera, and pepperoncinis, layered with Italian meats and provolone cheese on buttery Hawaiian rolls.

These sliders are my go-to for game day or any time I need to feed a crowd. They’re so easy to throw together, and everyone always goes back for seconds. Plus, you can make them ahead and just pop them in the oven when you’re ready!

What Kind of Hawaiian Rolls Should I Use?

King’s Hawaiian is the classic choice for these sliders, and honestly, it’s what most people reach for because they’re sweet, soft, and available at pretty much every grocery store. That said, if you can’t find King’s Hawaiian or want to try something different, any brand of sweet dinner rolls will work just fine. Just make sure you buy them in the connected pack rather than individual rolls – you want that pull-apart style so you can slice the whole thing in half at once. If your store has a bakery section, sometimes they make their own version of Hawaiian-style rolls that can be even fresher than the packaged ones.

Options for Substitutions

These sliders are pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Kings Hawaiian Rolls: If you can’t find Kings Hawaiian, any soft dinner rolls will work. Just look for something slightly sweet and soft – potato rolls are a solid choice.
• Italian meats: Feel free to mix and match your deli meats based on what you like or have available. Prosciutto, pepperoni, or even roast beef can step in. Just keep the total amount around 3/4 pound of meat.
• Provolone: Mozzarella works great as mentioned, but you could also try Swiss cheese or a mix of both for extra flavor.
• Olive mix: You don’t need all three types of olives – use whatever you have on hand or prefer. A jar of pre-made olive tapenade can save you time too.
• Giardiniera: If you can’t find giardiniera, chopped pickled vegetables, banana peppers, or even roasted red peppers will give you that tangy crunch.
• Red wine vinegar: White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar will work just fine in the olive spread.
• Sesame seeds: These are optional for topping, but if you don’t have them, poppy seeds or even everything bagel seasoning adds a nice touch.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making these sliders is over-processing the olive salad – you want a chunky relish texture, not a paste, so pulse your food processor just until the ingredients are chopped but still have some bite.

Skipping the resting time after you add the top buns is another error that’ll cost you, since those 10 minutes allow the flavors to meld together and make the sliders much easier to cut without everything sliding apart.

Don’t forget to really press down on the assembled sliders before that rest period, which helps compress everything into neat, cohesive sandwiches instead of messy piles of meat and toppings.

One more tip: if your olive salad seems dry, add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to help it spread more easily and keep the bread from drying out during baking.

What to Serve With Muffaletta Sliders?

These sliders are packed with Italian meats and that tangy olive salad, so they pair perfectly with simple sides that won’t compete with all those bold flavors. A basic pasta salad with Italian dressing or a crispy Caesar salad works great to balance out the richness of the sandwiches. I also love serving these with kettle-cooked potato chips or a light antipasto platter with fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and marinated artichokes. If you’re feeding a crowd, consider adding some pickles on the side and maybe a cold pasta dish like tortellini salad to round out the meal.

Storage Instructions

Store: These sliders are best enjoyed fresh from the oven, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The rolls will soften a bit as they sit, but they’re still tasty! You can also prep the olive salad ahead and keep it in the fridge for up to a week, which makes assembly super quick when you’re ready to bake.

Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing these after they’re baked since the bread can get a bit mushy when thawed. However, you can assemble them completely (before baking), wrap tightly in foil, and freeze for up to a month. Just bake straight from frozen, adding about 5-10 extra minutes to the baking time.

Reheat: Pop leftover sliders in a 350°F oven for about 8-10 minutes until warmed through. You can also microwave them for 30-45 seconds, but the oven method keeps them from getting too soft and helps crisp up the tops a bit.

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: Prepare the Olive Salad Base

• 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: Prep and Assemble the Roll Base

• 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: Layer the Cured Meats and Cheese

• 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: Bake Until Cheese Melts

• 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: Finish and Press the Sliders

• 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: Rest and Portion into Sliders

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.