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This Mortadella Sandwich is a daring, flavor-packed Italian panini stacked with creamy burrata cheese, layers of mortadella (an Italian chilly lower constituted of pork), and recent pistachio-basil pesto on toasted ciabatta. It’s what I make once I need a picnic-worthy, deli-style sandwich that tastes like summer time trip in Tuscany.

Well-known Italian Panini Sandwich
This sandwich is impressed by Florence’s legendary All’Antico Vinaio sandwich store and their well-known “La Paradiso”—a wildly common Italian deli panini filled with salty, creamy, and herby flavors. It brings collectively traditional components like Bologna’s prized pistachio mortadella (a sort of Italian chilly lower constituted of pork), Southern Italy’s beloved burrata, often known as stracciatella (creamy mozzarella cheese), and a savory pistachio cream or pesto.
For this sandwich, the standard bread is both ciabatta or schiacciata—a country Tuscan flatbread that’s crisp exterior and ethereal inside, made well-known by Florence’s All’Antico Vinaio. Should you can’t discover schiacciata, use ciabatta, focaccia, or one other crusty Italian bread.



What’s Mortadella?
Mortadella is an Italian chilly lower constituted of finely floor pork, cubes of pork fats, and spices—typically with pistachios. It’s gentle, barely candy, and has a clean, silky texture. Mortadella originates from Bologna and is one in every of Italy’s oldest and most iconic cured meats, courting again centuries.
Italian Mortadella vs. American Bologna
Mortadella and American bologna are associated, however they’re not the identical. Mortadella is the unique Italian sausage from Bologna, Italy—made with finely floor pork, cubes of pork fats, and typically pistachios or spices. It has a fragile, mildly spiced taste and an expensive, silky texture.
American bologna was impressed by mortadella however is normally blander, constituted of numerous meats, and lacks the cubes of fats and conventional taste. So, mortadella is the actual Italian traditional; American bologna is an easier, much less flavorful model.


What’s Burrata (Stracciatella)?
- Burrata is an Italian cheese constituted of mozzarella and cream. It appears like a ball of recent mozzarella, however once you lower it open, it’s full of tender, wealthy, creamy cheese curds and cream—this inside combination is known as stracciatella. Burrata is buttery, gentle, and very creamy.
- Stracciatella is the tender, shredded cheese combination contained in the burrata—primarily the perfect half!
- Each are gentle, buttery, and ultra-creamy, initially from Southern Italy and excellent for salads, sandwiches, or spreading on bread.
My #1 Tip for Mortadella Sandwiches
So as to add mortadella to this sandwich Italian-style, layer it generously and loosely—don’t simply slap on flat slices. Italians usually fold or ruffle the mortadella, piling up a number of skinny slices so that you get loads of ethereal, pillowy layers in every chew. This offers the sandwich peak, quantity, and that genuine, eye-catching look. Don’t press it down; let the mortadella keep tall and alluring, similar to they do in Florence.


The Components & Substitutions
- Various Meats: Swap mortadella with prosciutto, salami, or turkey.
- Cheese: Substitute burrata with recent mozzarella or stracciatella cheese.
- Nut Substitutes: Use pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds as an alternative of pistachios.
- Make it Vegetarian: Omit the mortadella and add grilled veggies similar to zucchini, bell peppers, or eggplant.
- Breads: Experiment with totally different breads like baguette, sourdough, or focaccia.
- Further Toppings: Embody sun-dried tomatoes, olive tapenade, or arugula leaves.


Learn how to Make Pistachio Pesto
- Mix basil, pistachios, and garlic in a meals processor till finely chopped.
- With the machine working, slowly drizzle in olive oil till clean, scraping down the perimeters as wanted.
- Add Parmesan and mix briefly, then season with salt and pepper to style.




What to Serve with Mortadella Sandwich
Extra Recipes with Burrata Cheese


Mortadella Sandwich with Burrata and Pistachio Pesto
This Mortadella Sandwich is a daring, flavor-packed Italian panini stacked with creamy burrata cheese, layers of mortadella (an Italian chilly lower constituted of pork), and recent pistachio-basil pesto on toasted ciabatta. It’s what I make once I need a picnic-worthy, deli-style sandwich that tastes like summer time trip in Tuscany.
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Directions
Make Pistachio Pesto:
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Mix the basil leaves, pistachios, and garlic in a meals processor or blender. Pulse the combination till the components are finely chopped and effectively mixed.
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With the processor working on low velocity, slowly drizzle within the extra-virgin olive oil. Proceed mixing till the combination turns into a clean and emulsified sauce, pausing often to scrape down the perimeters of the bowl with a spatula.
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Add the grated Parmesan cheese to the pesto and mix briefly to include it right into a cohesive sauce.
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Style and season with salt and pepper. Switch the pesto to a bowl and set it apart.
Assemble the Sandwich:
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Slice ciabatta rolls in half if not pre-sliced. Frivolously brush the lower sides with additional virgin olive oil.
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Warmth a skillet over medium warmth. Place the ciabatta halves lower facet down on the recent pan. Toast them for two to three minutes, or till the bread is golden brown and crispy.
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Generously unfold the pesto on the toasted sides of every ciabatta half.
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Divide the mortadella equally between the 2 sandwiches, layering beneficiant quantities over the pesto on the underside half of every roll.
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Tear the burrata cheese into items and distribute it evenly over the mortadella on every sandwich.
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Sprinkle a pinch of freshly floor black pepper over the fillings. If desired, drizzle on a little bit balsamic glaze.
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Place the highest half of the ciabatta roll over the fillings, pesto facet down.
Notes
- Make Forward: If you should put together the sandwiches forward of time, assemble them with out the pesto and burrata to forestall sogginess. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and retailer within the fridge for as much as 1 day.
- Leftovers: Devour any leftover assembled sandwiches inside 24 hours for the very best quality and security.
- Adjusting for Salted Pistachios: Because the pistachios and Parmesan cheese are salty, give the pesto a style earlier than including any additional salt.
- Pesto Consistency: In case your pesto is just too thick, you may skinny it out with a little bit extra olive oil or a splash of heat water. You can too use my creamy basil pesto as an alternative of pistachio pesto.
- Serving Strategies: Serve the sandwich with a easy facet salad (arugula salad works particularly effectively), kettle chips, strawberry mocktail, and even grilled peaches in the summertime.
Pesto Storage:
- Fridge: Place any leftover pesto in an hermetic container. Pour a skinny layer of olive oil on high to reduce air publicity and stop browning. Retailer within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
- Freezer: You can too freeze the pesto in ice dice trays. As soon as frozen, switch the pesto cubes to a freezer-safe bag or container. They are often saved for as much as 3 months. Thaw within the fridge earlier than use.
Vitamin
Vitamin Info
Mortadella Sandwich with Burrata and Pistachio Pesto
Quantity per Serving
% Each day Worth*
* P.c Each day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie food regimen.
Vitamin Disclaimer:
The dietary data on this web site is barely an estimate and is offered for comfort and as a courtesy solely. The accuracy of the dietary data for any recipe on this web site isn't assured. It shouldn't be used as an alternative choice to an expert nutritionist’s recommendation.

