The Infamous BIG Sandwich
This french bread sandwich has been doing the absolute most in our house for as long as I can remember. It is big, messy, feeds a crowd, and somehow there are never leftovers. Around here, we just call it the Big Sandwich, and it has been a staple long before sliders and fancy “grinder” sandwiches were having their moment.
Ingredients
- 1 whole french loaf (from the bakery at your grocery store)
- 2 tbsp deli or dijon mustard
- ½ red onion, sliced
- 4 tablespoon deli sandwich dressing (find this in the deli section at your grocery store)
- ½ lb sliced turkey
- ½ lb sliced hard salami
- ½ lb sliced ham
- ½ lb sliced provolone cheese
- Lettuce
- Sliced Pickles
- Sliced Tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
- Marinate your sliced onions in a separate bowl with 2 tablespoons of the deli dressing. Set aside.
- Slice your french loaf in half, and spread mustard across one side.
- On the other side of the loaf, coat with remaining two tablespoons of deli dressing.
- Begin layering your meats on top of each other. I like to layer cheese between the meats, which makes it extra tasty and melty.
- Layer remaining cheese on side of loaf opposite of the meats.
- Bake on a parchment lined sheet pan for 12-15 minutes until the top of cheese starts to bubble.
- Once you take it out of the oven, top with marinated onions, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, etc....
- Slice into individual sized sandwiches and serve.
Notes
This sandwich has been doing the absolute most in our house for as long as I can remember. It is big, messy, feeds a crowd, and somehow there are never leftovers. Around here, we just call it the Big Sandwich, and it has been a staple long before sliders and fancy “grinder” sandwiches were having their moment.
This came straight from my Mom’s kitchen. I could not tell you where she got it because she is the kind of cook who does not need recipes. She just knows what works, and makes it happen. This was one of those meals she could throw together on a random Tuesday night just as easily as she could for a house full of people on game day. It did not matter the occasion. If this sandwich hit the table, everyone showed up.
Growing up, this was the kind of dinner that felt like an event without actually being one. There was no extra fuss and no complicated steps, just something warm and filling that brought everybody into the kitchen. Plates were in hand, and everyone hovered a little too close, waiting for it to be cut. Someone always tried to grab the first piece before she said it was ready.
Now it is the same story in my house. It is still a go-to for game days and tailgates, but it shows up just as often on regular weeknights when I need something easy that I know everyone will eat without complaints. That says a lot. My kids’ friends even request it, which feels like the highest level of approval you can get.
There is just something about it. It is simple, but it hits every time. It is the kind of food that does not try too hard but still steals the show. If you are thinking this is a “maybe I will share” situation, you may want to rethink that. This is the kind of sandwich you guard with your life, or at least make two.
Some recipes come and go, but this one stuck. If your house is anything like mine, once you make it, it is not going anywhere either.
