Classic Italian-Ish Club Sub Sandwich Recipe
When it comes to iconic sandwiches, the classic club and sub are both tasty and nostalgic. One of my favorite food memories from childhood was eating lunch with my grandparents at a Bob Evans restaurant when visiting them in Michigan. Bypassing the kids' menu, my grandpa ordered us both the club sandwich, a towering triple decker packed with turkey, bacon, fresh veggies, and plenty of mayo. Just the magnificent sight of layer upon layer of toast and fillings held together with fancy frill picks made me feel like I was eating something exclusive and special. This classic Italian-ish club sub sandwich recipe takes the characteristics of a classic club and translates them into an Italian deli-style sub. Toasted Italian rolls, smoked turkey, crisped prosciutto, and Italian cheeses combine with a zesty caper and basil-infused mayo dressing. In addition to the standard tomato slices and shredded lettuce, I layer in some thinly sliced cucumber, radishes, and fennel to add extra crunch and freshness. The result is a comforting yet complex reminder of how great a sandwich can be.
For the best classic Italian-ish club sub sandwich results, don't skimp on the fillings. Select the best-quality and most flavorful components you can find, and make sure that the bread is bakery-fresh. These sandwiches are perfect to wrap up and take to a picnic, outdoor concert, or a gathering of friends. The recipe is easy to double or triple, and fun to make with others.
Gather the classic Italian-ish club sub sandwich ingredients
To assemble your classic Italian-ish club sub sandwiches, choose the freshest ingredients you can find — this is what makes the sandwich extra tasty and special. Start with a couple of soft Italian sub rolls. After slicing, you will press down the soft insides and brush on a bit of olive oil before toasting. This adds an authentic crispy texture that is characteristic of a classic club. Next, you will bake some thinly sliced prosciutto until it is crispy. The remaining sandwich fillings include smoked deli turkey, fontina and provolone cheeses, vine-ripened tomatoes, thinly sliced English cucumber and radishes, shaved fresh fennel bulb, and shredded romaine. To make the club sub dressing, you will need mayo, capers in brine, fresh basil, fresh lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, a clove of garlic, and freshly cracked black pepper.
Step 1: Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Step 2: Slice the rolls
Slice the Italian rolls lengthwise and gently press down the interior.
Step 3: Brush on the olive oil
Brush the olive oil on the rolls.
Step 4: Toast the rolls
Toast cut-side-up on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 8-10 minutes until light golden brown.
Step 5: Arrange the prosciutto slices on the baking sheet
Remove the rolls from the baking sheet to cool, then arrange the prosciutto slices on the parchment.
Step 6: Bake the prosciutto until crispy
Bake for 10 minutes until crisped but not starting to burn. Set aside to cool.
Step 7: Make the dressing
To make the dressing, whisk together the mayo, capers, basil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, and pepper in a small bowl.
Step 8: Spread dressing on the rolls
Spread some of the dressing across the top and bottom interiors of both rolls.
Step 9: Add the smoked turkey
On the bottom halves, loosely fold the smoked turkey.
Step 10: Add the crispy prosciutto
Add the crispy prosciutto on top of the turkey.
Step 11: Layer on the cheese
Arrange the fontina and provolone slices over the prosciutto.
Step 12: Add the tomato
Add the tomato slices.
Step 13: Top with cucumber and radish
Top the tomatoes with the cucumber and radish slices.
Step 14: Add the fennel and lettuce
Heap the fennel and lettuce on top.
Step 15: Slice and serve the classic Italian-ish club sub sandwiches
Close the sandwiches, slice diagonally and add sandwich picks, if desired, and serve.
What can I serve with a sub sandwich?
Classic Italian-ish Club Sub Sandwich Recipe
This Italian-ish club sub sandwich is piled high with smoked turkey, crispy prosciutto, Italian cheeses and fresh veggies with a lemony basil dressing.
Ingredients
- 2 soft Italian sub rolls
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 ounces paper-thin prosciutto
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon capers in brine, drained
- 1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 small clove garlic, finely minced
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 6 ounces smoked deli turkey, thinly sliced
- 2 ounces fontina cheese, sliced
- 2 ounces provolone cheese, sliced
- 2 small vine-ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup thinly sliced English cucumber rounds
- 2 small radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced into rounds
- ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh fennel bulb
- 1 cup finely shredded romaine lettuce
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Slice the Italian rolls lengthwise and gently press down the interior.
- Brush the olive oil on the rolls.
- Toast cut-side-up on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 8-10 minutes until light golden brown.
- Remove the rolls from the baking sheet to cool, then arrange the prosciutto slices on the parchment.
- Bake for 10 minutes until crisped but not starting to burn. Set aside to cool.
- To make the dressing, whisk together the mayo, capers, basil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Spread some of the dressing across the top and bottom interiors of both rolls.
- On the bottom halves, loosely fold the smoked turkey.
- Add the crispy prosciutto on top of the turkey.
- Arrange the fontina and provolone slices over the prosciutto.
- Add the tomato slices.
- Top the tomatoes with the cucumber and radish slices.
- Heap the fennel and lettuce on top.
- Close the sandwiches, slice diagonally and add sandwich picks, if desired, and serve.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 1,002 |
| Total Fat | 70.7 g |
| Saturated Fat | 19.4 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.1 g |
| Cholesterol | 158.5 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 38.7 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.6 g |
| Total Sugars | 5.6 g |
| Sodium | 2,324.0 mg |
| Protein | 52.0 g |
How is a club different from a sub sandwich?
Although the origins of the club sandwich are a bit contested, the basic structure is fairly well-known. 3 layers of toasted white bread spread with a generous amount of mayo, turkey or chicken stacked with crispy bacon, sliced cheese, juicy tomatoes, and lettuce. The club is both impressive in stature and challenging to eat all at once. Just wrapping your mouth around the triple stack while trying to keep the bacon and tomato slices from slipping out requires skill. Enter the sub — a more secure modality for holding together the many layers that a classic club exhibits.
A sub sandwich gets its name because its shape resembles that of a submarine, being both slender and elongated. Fillings are vertically stacked inside the partially sliced sub roll, and can be virtually any combination of meats, cheeses, veggies, and condiments. A classic Italian sub features Italian meats and cheeses along with a vinaigrette-style dressing, pickled vegetables, and dried Italian herbs and chile flakes. The "club sub" integrates all of these delicious sandwich elements for an intensely flavored and structurally complex sandwich that's just a little easier to eat.
How could I switch up this Italian-ish club sub sandwich?
The recipe for this classic Italian-ish club sub sandwich takes traditional club elements and gives them a bit of an Italian twist, using prosciutto, fontina, provolone, balsamic vinegar, and fennel. To pump up the Italian taste even more, consider using some freshly made basil pesto in place of the dressing. You can experiment with other Italian cheeses such as Taleggio, smoked scamorza, asiago fresco, or a generous spread of burrata. Consider adding an additional layer of Italian meats such as mortadella, capocollo, salami, or soppressata. Slip in some roasted red peppers or pepperoncinis, and add a few dashes of dried oregano.
If you want to go in the direction of a more traditional club sandwich feel, consider using chicken in place of the smoked turkey and thick-cut smoked bacon in place of the prosciutto. You can really go with any sort of sliced cheese that you prefer, but don't skimp on perfectly ripe tomatoes and crisp romaine lettuce.