Last Updated on March 21, 2024 by Share My Kitchen
TikTok’s latest trend is the Tiktok Sandwich or more aptly called the Italian Grinder Sandwich, and it is about time you learn how to make it! This sandwich is stuffed with Italian meats and uses thick-crust bread. Then, it’s topped with a creamy dressing. It will put all the other hoagies to shame.
What Is An Italian Grinder Sandwich?
Although there are many theories about where the name grinder comes from, it is more likely due to the thick, hard, and crusty bread. Simply put, the sandwich is quite tough to eat, so you will need to “grind” your teeth to consume it.
Others also speculate that the term may be New England-based, where people interchangeably use the word “hoagie” too. There are a lot more interesting and fun facts about the history behind the grinder .
However, you have likely seen clips of the grinder being manufactured if you have been scrolling on TikTok recently. It is a beautiful combination of thick, crusty bread, your preferred sliced cheese, Italian-style meats, like salami and prosciutto, then toasted and topped with creamy grinder salad.
What Is A Grinder Salad?
The grinder salad, when combined with the Italian Grinder, is what makes this hearty and crusty hoagie complete. When the creamy “grinder salad” is added, it changes the texture of the bread, making it more crunchy but soft and pleasing to the palate.
In order to make this salad, start with a mayonnaise-based dressing. You only need to toss iceberg lettuce, pepperoncini peppers, and thinly sliced red onions until they are coated. This hoagie topped with premade “salad” may be different from what you are familiar with, but you will not be disappointed when you try this recipe!
Ingredients You Need for the TikTok Sandwich
Feel free to add or remove ingredients based on your preferences. Get creative and experiment with different fillings to see what you like best. The key is to have fun and enjoy the process.
For Grinder Salad
You will need easy-to-find items in every market to make the grinder salad. These are the items you’ll need:
- Mayonnaise
- Garlic Paste: You can skip this ingredient, but it adds great flavor. Minced garlic also works well.
- Red Wine Vinegar: This adds a “zing” to your salad, and it is commonly used as a sauce for most hoagies.
- Seasoning Blend: Prepare salt, pepper, oregano, Italian seasoning (optional), and red pepper flakes (optional).
- Pepperoncini Peppers: This adds a little heat, and also another “zing” to your salad. But, you can substitute it with banana, cherry, Anaheim, or bell peppers.
- Red Onion
- Iceberg Lettuce: This lettuce is best suited to withstand the thick dressing.
- Parmesan: Only use the best. You can use pre-shredded cheese or grated cheese, but good quality cheese is best used to get that maximum flavor.
For Italian Grinder Sandwich
This sandwich/recipe has a great pro: you can use any ingredients that you have readily in your kitchen. Also, you are free to modify the recipe to suit your tastes and what you have on hand. These are the ingredients that you can use:
- Deli Meats: Honey Roasted Turkey Breasts, Salami, Prosciutto, and Capocollo.
- Crusty Bread: You can use any kind of hard crusty hoagie-style sandwich bread.
- Tomatoes: Make sure they are thickly sliced!
- Sliced cheese: It is recommended to use a Colby Jack mix, provolone, or spicy pepper jack. HOWEVER, you are allowed to use what you have in your kitchen!
- Parmesan Cheese: Quality works best. For best results, thinly grate the cheese.
Step-by-Step Directions
This sandwich can be made in less than fifteen minutes if all the ingredients are ready before you start. First, prepare the grinder salad.
For Grinder Salad
In a large bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. Add the mayonnaise, garlic paste, seasoning blend, parmesan, pepperoncini, and red wine vinegar. Stir the ingredients until well combined.
Then, add the shredded iceberg salad, and toss with tongs until the salad is well coated. Set aside for later use.
For Italian Grinder
Preheat your oven, toaster oven, or air fryer to 425° while the grinder salad continues to marinate. If necessary, cut the hoagie roll in half. Then, layer the sliced cheese and deli meats, and toast for 8-10 minutes. Or, until the cheese bubbles and the bread is toasted.
Finally, take the hoagie out of the oven, and set it aside until you are ready to assemble.
How to Assemble
Once every component of the Italian Grinder is complete, it’s time to assemble your sandwich and have a good time.
First, get the sliced tomato, and place it on top of the baked deli meats. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper. Then, add the grated parmesan and the grinder salad on top of the seasoned tomatoes.
Finally, fold the top of the bread over the grinder sandwich, and “smush” it for good measure. Enjoy!
Reason to Fall In Love With This Tiktok Sandwich Recipe
It can be fun and interactive to test out trending recipes via social media. Most often that not, the food is delicious and enjoyable to eat. Like other popular recipes, you will be impressed with the new ways you can create food.
The Italian Grinder Sandwich is definitely tasty and fun to eat. The toppings, in typical hoagie-style sandwiches, are layered, so they can be difficult to eat all at once. However, using this style of sandwich preparation allows you to enjoy every ingredient in every bite, even though it can be considered “messy.
Tiktok Sandwich: Italian Grinder Sandwich
Ingredients
GRINDER SALAD
- ½ cup Mayo
- ½ tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- ½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 tsp Garlic Paste
- ⅓ cup Pepperoncini Peppers
- ⅓ cup Parmesan Cheese
- 3-4 cups Iceberg Lettuce
ITALIAN GRINDER
- 1 Large Loaf Crusty Italian Bread
- 4 oz Sliced Colby Jack Cheese
- ¼ lb Salami
- ¼ lb Capocollo
- ¼ lb Honey Roasted Turkey Breast thinly shaved
- 4 oz Prosciutto
- 1 medium Beefsteak Tomato
- ⅓ cup Parmesan Cheese thinly shaved
Instructions
FOR GRINDER SALAD
- In a large bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. Add the mayonnaise, garlic paste, seasoning blend, parmesan, pepperoncini, and red wine vinegar.
- Stir the ingredients until well combined.
- Then, add the shredded iceberg salad, and toss with tongs until the salad is well coated. Set aside for later use.
FOR ITALIAN GRINDER AND ASSEMBLY
- Preheat your oven, toaster oven, or air fryer to 425° while the grinder salad continues to marinate.
- If necessary, cut the hoagie roll in half.
- Then, layer the sliced cheese and deli meats, and toast for 8-10 minutes. Or, until the cheese bubbles and the bread is toasted.
- First, get the sliced tomato, and place it on top of the baked deli meats.
- Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper.
- Then, add the grated parmesan and the grinder salad on top of the seasoned tomatoes.
- Finally, fold the top of the bread over the grinder sandwich, and “smush” it for good measure. Enjoy!
Tips to Get Best Results from the TikTok Sandwich
- Make sure to prepare all the ingredients you need separately, and assemble them in order before you use them. This style of hoagie is best to eat when it’s freshly assembled, as the bread can get soggy from the grinding salad.
- Not a fan of mayonnaise? You can substitute Greek yogurt or miracle whip.
- Use white wine or balsamic vinegar if you don’t have red wine vinegar on hand.
- This salad is best made with Iceberg lettuce, as mentioned above. However, you can use butterhead, romaine, or any leafy green with a slightly thick texture.