The Best Grinder Sandwich You’ll Ever Eat (Viral TikTok Recipe)

While it made its debut on TikTok, this famous Grinder Sandwich will live forever in our hearts.

This grinder isn’t just made with deli meats and cheeses, but an incredible mayo-based chopped salad loaded with everything from iceberg lettuce and tomato to pepperoncini peppers and red wine vinegar. Creating this grinder salad is part of the fun, but it also gives your sub a creamy yet crisp, zippy edge that will have you craving it for… well, forever. (You’re welcome.) All of the grinder goodies are piled between two halves of a crusty, bakery-fresh hoagie roll for quite possibly the best grinder sandwich you’ll ever eat.

You are most definitely going to fall in love. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

JUMP TO RECIPE

What Is A Grinder Sandwich?

A grinder sandwich is a New-England-style Italian sub made on a long hoagie roll and topped with meats and cheeses. The grinder is a staple of pizza shops and delis, where it can be served hot or cold. This style of sandwich has Italian-American root and, but has evolved regionally in name and ingredients. Some other names for a grinder sandwich include hoagie, sub or submarine, and hero. This grinder sandwich recipe features meats and cheeses along with one key ingredient: a creamy, tangy, mayo-based grinder salad that gives it an unforgettable zip.

Why You’ll Love This Grinder Sandwich Recipe

There is so much to love about this grinder sandwich. First, it’s great for feeding a crowd. Its large, shareable format makes it a fun meal for game day parties, tailgating, picnics, poolside gatherings and the like. It’s the perfect satisfying summer meal that you can create without heating up the kitchen. This loaded grinder is hearty and fulfilling, so you won’t need to prepare a ton of sides if you’re feeding a group. Above all, this recipe is easy to make and easy to love. So many great flavors and textures are sandwiched between two halves of a crusty hoagie roll: cured deli meats, provolone cheese, Granino cheese (a nutty hard cheese in the style of Parmesan cheese) and that creamy grinder salad. This grinder sandwich recipe is sure to make the meal rotation.

The Ingredients You Will Need To Make A Grinder Sandwich

Hoagie Rolls: The fresher the rolls the better! If you prefer, you can also use a large loaf of crusty Italian bread instead of 4 sub rolls.

Meats: Our grinder sandwich calls for Genoa salami, pepperoni and deli ham for the perfect balance of spicy, savory and salty. You can mix it up here to include your favorite deli meats.

Cheeses: Creamy, mild provolone cheese is the cheese star of this grinder sandwich. If you prefer a hot grinder sandwich, it melts beautifully. Don’t forget the generous sprinkle of Granino. It’s a lot like Parmesan cheese and it adds the perfect salty, nutty flavor to the sandwich.

Fresh Veggies: Iceberg lettuce, tomato and red onion are the crisp, fresh texture and flavor of this grinder salad.

Mayonnaise: Mayo is the base of the creamy grinder salad.

Vinegar: Red wine vinegar gives this grinder salad a tangy kick along with the mayo.

Pickled Peppers: This recipe includes a trio of tangy, vinegary, spicy pickled peppers to brighten up this grinder recipe. We use Mild Pepperoncini Peppers, Red Hot Cherry Peppers and Crushed Calabrian Chili Peppers. You can also use Banana Peppers.

Olives: Calamata olives bring a bold, tart flavor to this grinder salad. If you prefer a buttery green olive, go for Castelvetrano olives. Just be sure you select pitted olives. If you don’t love olives, you can opt out altogether.

Garlic & Seasonings: We used minced garlic, salt and pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning. If you don’t have an Italian seasoning mix, you can use dried oregano, basil and thyme from your spice collection.

How To Make A Grinder Sandwich

Create the grinder salad. On a large cutting board, chop all of the veggies, pickled peppers and olives.

Dress the salad. Place the salad in a large mixing bowl. Add in the mayo, vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Toss it all together until everything is creamy and coated.

Arrange the sandwich. Cut the hoagie rolls in half lengthwise. Layer the bottom with cured meats and the provolone cheese. Sprinkle with Granino cheese. Next, top it with the creamy grinder salad. Place the other half of the hoagie roll on top. Serve!

Top Tips for the Best Grinder Sandwich

Pick the best bread. When it comes to this grinder sandwich, opt for fresh hoagie rolls (or sausage rolls). The bigger the better, too. There is a lot going on in this sandwich, so make sure you have room for all of the goods.

Make your own Italian seasoning. No spice jar labeled “Italian Seasoning”? Create a simple one of your own using dried basil, oregano and thyme.

Don’t skimp on the quality. Choosing the best quality of deli meats and cheeses ensures the best sandwich.

Get it toasty. If you like a hot grinder sub, use the oven on a broil setting or your toaster oven. Toast it until the bread and cheese just begins to turn golden brown. Toast each sub open-faced before adding the creamy grinder salad.

Storing the Grinder Sandwich

This sandwich is best served fresh. The hoagie rolls should be fresh, or else they will become too hard. The grinder salad should be enjoyed soon after it is made. It cannot be made ahead of time. If you do this, the veggies in the salad will become soggy. Luckily, it’s a super easy recipe, so making it ahead of time isn’t as necessary.

To store any leftovers, we recommend separating the sandwich from the grinder salad. The sandwich can be wrapped tightly in plastic and refrigerated for 1-2 days. The grinder salad doesn’t store well. You will need to make a new batch of this when you are ready to enjoy the rest of the sandwich.

This grinder sandwich should not be frozen.

Substitutions And Additions

The great thing about this grinder sandwich recipe is that it is so easy to change it up and make it your own.

Change up the meats and cheeses. Some other popular grinder meats and cheeses include Mortadella, capicola, prosciutto, soppressata, Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. Honestly, the sky's the limit.

Spice things up. You can increase the heat with more red pepper flakes or more pepperoncini peppers.

Include more flavorful add-ins. Try out some of your favorite Mediterranean flavors like sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, bruschetta, Castelvetrano olives—to name a few!

Upgrade your toasted hoagie roll. Before creating the grinder, slice the hoagie roll in half lengthwise and toast cut-side-up brushed with extra virgin olive oil and garlic.

What To Serve With A Grinder Sandwich

This loaded grinder sandwich is hearty enough to serve on its own, but if you want to make it a bigger meal to share, serve it with another shareable side like Potato Salad or colorful Antipasto Salad. You can also serve it with roasted veggies, potatoes, fresh cut veggies or alongside an antipasto platter of pickled veggies and olives. We would be remiss to mention the classic lunch pairing of a cold-cut sandwich and crispy, salty potato chips.

Grinder Sandwich: FAQ

Why Is It Called A Grinder Sandwich?

New England legend has it that the name “grinder” comes from the sandwich’s heartiness. It was said that the layered meats, cheeses and thick Italian bread required a lot of chewing or teeth grinding to eat it. Another reason may be that “grinders” was the Italian slang for New England dockworkers, amongst whom the sandwich was popular. Depending on where you are from, the same Italian hoagie may be called something different: submarines or subs, hoagies, heroes, etc. Grinder is just a regional name for a long, thick-breaded sandwich of deli meats, cheeses, toppings and a dressing or sauce.

What Is A Grinder Salad?

A grinder salad is the heart of this viral TikTok recipe. It’s sort of like coleslaw with a mayo and red wine vinegar base. It’s tangy, creamy and crisp. This grinder salad, however, features iceberg lettuce, tomato, onion, pepperoncini peppers, garlic, olives, etc. The salad is added to the sandwich like a topping or a dressing. Its tangy, zippy flavor and creamy yet crisp texture is a great contrast to the layers of bread, meats and cheeses.

Who Calls A Sandwich A Grinder?

This style of sandwich is called a “grinder” in the New England region.

Is a Grinder Sandwich Served Hot?

A grinder sandwich can be served cold as well as hot (or toasted). Toppings are usually added after so as to not get them soggy.

Can I Use Banana Peppers Instead Of Pepperoncini Peppers?

Yes, you can use banana peppers instead of pepperoncini peppers in this grinder sandwich recipe. Both are vinegary pickled peppers just of a different variety. You can also choose between mild or hot peppers depending on your tastes.

What Is The Difference Between A Grinder Sandwich And Submarine Sandwich?

There is no real difference between a grinder sandwich and a submarine sandwich. Grinder sandwiches are just a New England style submarine sandwich. Other regions have different names for their submarine sandwiches… like hoagies, heroes and subs.

What Is The Difference Between A Grinder Sandwich And Hoagie?

Again, there is no real difference between the terms “grinder” and “hoagie” other than location. In New England, an Italian hoagie is called a grinder. In New York, for example, the same sandwich is called a hero. Typically, these submarine-style sandwiches include deli meats, cheeses, fresh vegetables, toppings and a dressing of some sort.

The Best Grinder Sandwich You’ll Ever Eat (Viral TikTok Recipe)

Ingredients

Grinder Salad:

1 head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
½ red onion, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 (16-ounce) jar DeLallo Whole Mild Pepperoncini Peppers, drained with stems removed
4 DeLallo Hot Cherry Peppers, stems removed
2 tablespoons DeLallo Crushed Calabrian Chili Peppers
1 (5.3-ounce) jar DeLallo Pitted Calamata Olives, drained
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons DeLallo Red Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon DeLallo Minced Garlic
½ teaspoon dried DeLallo Italian Herb Seasoning
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Sandwich:

4 hoagie rolls
½ pound sliced deli ham
1 package DeLallo Sliced Genoa Salami
1 package DeLallo Uncured Pepperoni Slices
12 slices DeLallo Provolone Cheese
Freshly grated DeLallo Granino Cheese

Directions

To create the grinder salad, combine the lettuce, red onion slices, sliced tomato, pepperoncini peppers, hot cherry peppers, Calabrian peppers and olives. Finely chop on a large cutting board.
Place the salad in a large mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red peppers flakes, salt and pepper to the bowl. Toss to combine.
Cut the hoagie rolls in half lengthwise. Layer the bottom half of each roll with ham, salami, pepperoni and provolone cheese. Sprinkle with freshly grated Granino cheese.
Top with the chopped grinder salad. Place the top half of the roll on top and enjoy.