Grinder Sandwich

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This Grinder Sandwich recipe went viral on TikTok last year, and for good reason. It’s loaded with various meats and cheeses and packed with flavor thanks to its signature creamy Grinder salad. This hearty sandwich is assembled atop a sliced Italian sandwich loaf with a spread of Calabrian chili paste and dressed up with slices of tomato, extra onion, and lots of freshly grated parmesan to take it over the top. Though it’s been popular for a while now, this Grinder Sandwich is still my obsession. 

Grinder Sandwich

A few years ago I came out with a sandwich series and it was VERY popular. I made everything from an amazing BLT to New York’s famous Chopped Cheese, a Tuna Melt and of course, this Grinder Sandwich.

WHAT IS A GRINDER SANDWICH? 

In essence, a grinder sandwich is a New England style of hero, which is a large sandwich that can be either hot or cold. My recipe for the grinder is hot. Every grinder has a lot of meat, cheese, and a crispy, tangy, and creamy salad. The TikTok Grinder salad sandwich usually has this tangy salad, along with a large amount of freshly grated parmesan as well as juicy slices of tomato and extra onion. 

Grinder Sandwich Salad Ingredients
Grinder Salad Prep
Grinder Salad Dressing

WHERE DOES THE NAME COME FROM?

The origins of the Grinder sandwich name are unclear but most say that it is due to the grinding your teeth and jaw need to do to consume such a large and loaded sandwich. However, others speculate that it was named after the Italian-American slang term for dockworkers who were grinding and sanding hulls of boats, aka grinders. Whatever the origin is, there is no doubt this is a deliciously large and loaded sandwich. 

Chopped Iceberg Lettuce for Grinder Sandwich
Meats and Cheeses in Grinder Sandwich

WHAT DOES THE SANDWICH CONSIST OF: 

While there are different recipes for the Grinder Sandwich floating around, the key components remain the same. Every Grinder sandwich has:

  • A mix of meats, usually Italian 
  • Cheese, oftentimes more than one type
  • Creamy Grinder Salad

The sandwich usually also has sliced tomato and onion and a mountain of freshly grated parmesan cheese.  

My Grinder Sandwich also has a generous spread of Calabrian chili paste for a nice kick. 

Assembled Grinder Sandwich Pre-Bake

HOW TO MAKE A GRINDER SANDWICH

  1. Make the Salad: Start by soaking the onions in water. This removes some of the bitterness from the onions. 
  2. Toss sliced Iceberg lettuce with a creamy dressing of mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, oregano, crushed red pepper, minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. 
  3. Add in sliced pepperoncini and sliced red onions.
  4. To Assemble the Sandwich: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Start with a sliced Italian sandwich loaf and add some Calabrian chili paste to both sides for a nice kick. 
  5. Next, layer salami, spicy pepperoni, and prosciutto on the top half and the Colby jack and Havarti cheeses on the other half. 
  6. Bake for 5 minutes or until the meats are warm and the cheese is melty. 
  7. Add the salad with the slices of tomato, more onion, and parmesan, slice it up, and enjoy your life.
Grinder Sandwich Halves in Hand

TIPS AND TRICKS

  • You might be asking yourself if you can make this ahead. And I say yes and no. You can assemble the sandwich and keep it in the fridge before hand. Then just pop it in the oven when you’re ready to serve it. The salad, however, gets pretty soggy if it sits for too long. I say that’s best fresh.
  • Can you make this without pork? Yes! Find salami made from beef. Skip the prosciutto and replace it with turkey.
  • I love the grinder salad itself. And I have actually made the salad by itself, a piece of protein (like chicken) and served them together. Bliss! Does it take the sandwich out of the equation all together? Yes, but it’s still good.
Grinder Sandwich Halved

More Sandwich Recipes

If you tried this Grinder Sandwich Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

5 from 5 votes

Grinder Sandwich

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 1 serving
This Grinder Sandwich recipe went viral on TikTok last year, and for good reason. It’s loaded with various meats and cheeses and packed with flavor thanks to its signature creamy Grinder salad. This hearty sandwich is assembled atop a sliced Italian sandwich loaf with a spread of Calabrian chili paste and dressed up with slices of tomato, extra onion, and lots of freshly grated parmesan to take it over the top. Though it’s been popular for a while now, this Grinder Sandwich is still my obsession.

Ingredients 

SALAD:

  • 1/4 thinly sliced red onion
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ground oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 3 minced garlic cloves
  • 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce
  • 3 pepperoncinis, sliced
  • Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

SANDWICH:

  • Italian loaves, (or you could use hoagie loaves)
  • Calabrian paste
  • 2 slices Havarti cheese
  • 2 slices Colby jack
  • 3 slices salami
  • 3 slices prosciutto
  • 3 slices spicy pepperoni
  • Fresh parmesan
  • 1 tomato
  • 1 white onion
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • Freshly grated parmesan, to taste

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add the red onion to a bowl, pour some cold water over it, and let it sit. This will take away some of the bitterness. Whisk the mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, oregano, red pepper, and garlic cloves. Add in the lettuce, onion, and pepperoncini, and give it a taste. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
  • Slice the bread in half and add Calabrian chili paste to both sides of the bread. Add the cheese to one of the halves. Add the meats to the other half. Transfer to the oven to bake for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the meat is warmed. Add the salad on top of the meat, along with a few slices of tomato, fresh onion, and parmesan cheese.
  • Slice in half and enjoy. #grindersandwich

Notes

TIPS AND TRICKS
  • You might be asking yourself if you can make this ahead. And I say yes and no. You can assemble the sandwich and keep it in the fridge before hand. Then just pop it in the oven when you’re ready to serve it. The salad, however, gets pretty soggy if it sits for too long. I say that’s best fresh.
  • Can you make this without pork? Yes! Find salami made from beef. Skip the prosciutto and replace it with turkey.
  • I love the grinder salad itself. And I have actually made the salad by itself, a piece of protein (like chicken) and served them together. Bliss! Does it take the sandwich out of the equation all together? Yes, but it’s still good.

Nutrition

Calories: 1525kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 139g | Saturated Fat: 42g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 54g | Monounsaturated Fat: 38g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 193mg | Sodium: 2365mg | Potassium: 955mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 2415IU | Vitamin C: 55mg | Calcium: 839mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Lunch
Cuisine: American, Italian, Italian American
Like this Recipe? Please Rate & comment below!

Cozy Latin-Inspired Comfort Food Recipes

Hi! I'm Adrianna and this is my cozy space on the internet that is super-charged by butter, flour and copious amounts of pasta. Stay awhile, will you!

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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Made this sandwich one night when my husband was asking for Italian subs and it delivered! He was so impressed by the salad alone and it was super easy!

  2. 5 stars
    We loved these so much Saturday night, I didn’t have time for a photo, but we’re having them again! And it’s only Monday!!
    Delicious