Top 27 Italian Sandwiches

Panino col polpo is a traditional sandwich originating from the Bari area. This simple sandwich is made with a combination of octopus, bread rolls, olive oil, parsley, salt, and black pepper. The octopus is washed, brushed with olive oil, and grilled slowly over embers while being brushed with a mixture of olive oil, salt, pepper, and parsley as it cooks. Once done, the octopus is placed into a split bread roll, and the sauce is drizzled over the top of the octopus. This tasty sandwich is common during Apulian festivals and it can often be bought on street stands.Expand

Panino con la porchetta is a popular type of sandwich from central Italy made with slices of porchetta that are tucked in between two slices of homemade bread. The sandwich is especially popular among Italian-Americans and in Rome, with both Umbria and Lazio claiming to be the birthplace of its main ingredient, porchetta. Traditionally, no other ingredients are needed, as porchetta is very greasy and has lots of herbs and seasonings, which is also why homemade bread is preferred since it soaks up the fat from the meat well without falling apart. Also, the crispy skin on the porchetta should not be removed. However, there are variations that include other ingredients, most typically cheese and different sauces and are made with various kinds of bread, like ciriola, ciabatta, and rosetta.Expand

Mozzarella in carrozza (lit. mozzarella in a carriage) is an Italian fried sandwich that's especially popular in Campania, although it's eaten in various parts of Italy. The sandwich is made with crustless, slightly stale bread, mozzarella cheese (ideally di bufala variety), flour, milk, and beaten eggs. Apart from this version, there's also a version with added anchovies. Once assembled, the sandwiches are dipped in flour and cold water (so that the cheese doesn't leak out), then in the beaten eggs, and they're finally fried until nicely browned and crisp on the exterior. This sandwich was invented by housewives in Southern Italy who wanted to make use of leftover mozzarella and stale bread. Nowadays, its popularity has crossed borders, so it's even popular in a few eateries in New York City.Expand

Created in the 1970s at a bar in Ischia Ponte, zingara di Ischia is a grilled sandwich traditionally consisting of two slices of pane cafone (Neapolitan peasant bread), fior di latte, prosciutto crudo, tomatoes, and mayonnaise. Today, the sandwich will also include some type of a salad. Expand

Panino con mortadella is an Italian sandwich that has mortadella as its main ingredient. There is no set recipe, and there are many variations. The bread can be any kind of bread, but most often, you will see rosetta, a bulbous, slightly hollow bread perfect for holding the filling, focaccia, and ciabatta, or, if in Rome, pizza bianca. As far as filling, as stated earlier, it can be a mortadella-only filling, but it will usually have additional ingredients, typically some kind of sauce, cheese, and vegetables. Expand

Puccia Pugliese is a type of panini from Salento and Taranto that is made with puccia bread and is usually filled with local cured meats and cheeses such as giuncata, capocollo di Martina Franca or a copious amount of vegetables. The puccia bread is round bread, about 20-30 cm (8-12”) in diameter, and can be made with pizza or bread dough. It has very little crumb, making it perfect for filling with various ingredients. However, there are other kinds of puccia bread as well, such as the uliate, which are smaller and interspersed with cured black olives, and the puccia that is made with semolina. When it comes to the filling, there are no rules. Anything goes, from local cured meats and cheese to hamburger patties, uccelletti (smoked scamorza wrapped in prosciutto)i, and horsemeat ragù.Expand

Tramezzino is a popular Italian triangular sandwich made with chewy, crustless white bread and various fillings such as mayonnaise, tuna, prosciutto, and cheese. It is believed that the first tramezzino was invented in 1925 at Caffè Mulassano in Turin. It soon became incredibly popular, especially in Venice, where it's often enjoyed with a glass of Spritz. Today, there are numerous varieties of tramezzini, and they can be found in cafés throughout Italy, although pre-packed varieties that can be bought in supermarkets are also quite common. Coined by Gabriele D'Annunzio, the name tramezzino is a diminutive of the term tramezzo, which refers to a period between breakfast and lunch. Expand

These delectable chickpea fritters are believed to have been introduced to Sicily by the Arabs who dominated the area between the 9th and the 11th century. Today, panelle are one of the most popular street foods on the island, especially in Palermo where they are traditionally served in a round bun with sesame seeds on top. Best enjoyed warm, the crunchy fritters are typically drizzled with lemon juice and, for a more substantial snack, they can be topped with fresh ricotta cheese.Expand

Tramezzino Veneziano is the Venetian version of the famous tramezzino sandwich. The sandwiches are made with two thin, soft, and triangular slices of crustless white bread that are generously stuffed with rich fillings, resulting in a puffy and domed shape that looks similar to a smile. Mayonnaise is always used as a base, accompanying classic fillings such as tuna and hard-boiled eggs, ham and mushrooms, ham and cheese, mozzarella and tomatoes, or rocket and crab or shrimp. Modern versions also exist, such as salmon and avocado. The humid climate of the city keeps the Venetian tramezzini extremely soft. The sandwiches are enjoyed as street food, usually in mid-morning or mid-afternoon. It's recommended to pair them with a glass of Spritz.Expand

Cuzzetiello is a Neapolitan sandwich that consists of the end part of a rustic bread loaf called pane cafone that is typically stuffed with either Neapolitan sausage and fried friarelli, Genovese sauce, homemade ragù with meatballs, eggplant parmigiana, or a stew of beef and potatoes. In the Neapolitan tradition, cuzzetiello is considered a marrena, a type of substantial snack during lunch break created to use up leftovers from Sunday’s lunch. Today, even more fillings are on offer, including vegetarian ones with vegetables only and sweet ones with Nutella. For those extra hungry, at some joints, there is also the option of ordering cuzzetiello maxi, which is a whole loaf of stuffed bread.Expand