Make lunch the best meal of the day when you enjoy an Italian Hoagie! Capicola, salami, provolone cheese and more are layered in a hoagie roll to make the most satisfying bite. This is better than any hoagie you could grab at a sandwich shop!

An Italian hoagie is placed on a wooden cutting board.


Italian Hoagie

Calling all Sopranos fans! This sandwich is pretty much like if you took the best elements of gabagool and piled them high on a hoagie roll with red onions, provolone cheese, lettuce and more. Capicola and two different types of salami (Genoa and soprassata) are the meats in this Italian hoagie. While you may walk away from the sandwich with more potent breath than you bit into it with, it’s so worth the mint afterwards.

If you’re a charcuterie board lover, you’ll love this sandwich. You still get the meats and cheese elements you love, but sandwiched in a hoagie roll! To make this sandwich as flavorful as can be, grab some cherry pepper hoagie spread and spread it all along the top bun. It’s crunchy and just spicy enough to add a little heat to your Italian sandwich! Some pickled peppers also go a long way.

I love making these hoagies for lunch, but they also make a pretty great dinner too. Serve some up at your next party in slices with potato chips and watch them disappear! It’s hard to turn down a sandwich this good. Plus, they travel well, so feel free to toss one into your lunchbox to make all of your coworkers jealous. Just be ready to share this recipe – people will be asking what’s on your sandwich!

Italian hoagie sliced and placed in a white square sandwich tray.

What is a Hoagie?

Originating on the east coast, mainly Philadelphia, a hoagie is a sandwich made with deli meat, cheese and garnished like lettuce or sweet peppers all piled on a long roll. Much like a submarine sandwich, a hoagie is usually made on a firmer roll and is served cold. It’s my favorite sandwich ever!

A submarine sandwich can be served cold or toasted like a grinder and is usually on a long roll that’s been sliced all the way through.

Potato chips are placed on a serving plate with two hoagies.

How to Make an Italian Hoagie

You can toss these hoagies together in just a few minutes! Grab the ingredients out of the fridge and let’s get to work.

  1. Slice the hoagie rolls. Use a bread knife to slice the rolls in half lengthwise. Keep in mind that you want to create a pocket and NOT slice all of the way through.
  2. Assemble the sandwiches. Drizzle the insides of the bread with a little bit of oil and vinegar. Layer the cheese and meats, then top that off with the lettuce, onions and tomatoes. Spread the hoagie spread on the top side of the rolls.
  3. Enjoy! Cut the sandwiches in half. Serve them with pickled peppers, an extra drizzle of olive oil and a side of hoagie spread.

PRO TIP: If you’re hosting some friends over for lunch, consider making a hoagie bar! You could offer all of the toppings in an assembly line and let everyone make their own sandwich so everyone gets exactly what they want. Extra provolone on mine, please!

A small bowl of pickled peppers is placed behind a hoagie.

Tips and Variations to Try

Here are just a few easy ways you can make your Italian hoagies the very best that they can be!

  • Add more or less hoagie spread. The hoagie spread is traditionally served on the side, so you can add as much or as little as you want. 
  • Add more meats. There’s always room for more, right? Toss on some turkey, ham, proscuitto, or whatever else your heart desires.
  • Keep the oil and vinegar aside if making ahead. If you add oil and vinegar to your bread and plan on eating the sandwich later, you may not like how they soak into the bread and possibly make it soggy. Avoid that by keeping some oil and vinegar packets on hand if you can grab some from your local deli!
  • Use good bread. Grab some good freshly baked hoagie rolls from your local grocery store bakery. A sandwich is only ever as good as the bread it’s served with!
An Italian hoagie is placed next to a white bowl filled with peppers.

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An Italian hoagie is placed on a wooden cutting board.

Get the Recipe: The Best Philly Style Italian Hoagie Recipe

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
A Philly style Italian Hoagie is loaded with vibrant flavor. A long sub roll is layered with Italian meat and cheese then topped with a zesty hoagie spread, lettuce, onions, tomatoes or whatever your heart desires.
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Ingredients

  • 4 Long Italian Style Hoagie Rolls
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, optional
  • 1/2 pound thin sliced capicola or hot capicola
  • 1/2 pound soprassata salami or hot soprassata
  • 1/4 pound Genoa salami
  • 1/4 pound thinly sliced provolone cheese
  • 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup sliced romaine lettuce or iceberg lettuce
  • 3 tablespoons cherry pepper hoagie spread, optional
  • Sliced pickled sweet or hot peppers, optional

Equipment

  • 1 bread knife

Instructions 

  • Carefully slice the rolls lengthwise being mindful not to cut all the way through.
  • Open the rolls slightly and stand, open side up, on a flat surface or cutting board.
  • Drizzle the oil and vinegar, if using, on the cut side of the rolls.
  • Layer the cheese and meats on the bottom half of the rolls.
  • Top the hoagies with the lettuce, onions and tomatoes.
  • Spread the hoagie spread on the top side of the rolls and cut the sandwiches in half.
  • Serve with sweet and hot peppers, olive oil and hoagie spread.

Notes

The hoagie spread is traditionally served on the side so you can add as much or as little as you want.
You can change up the style of your hoagie by adding sliced ham, turkey or prosciutto but the way the recipe is written is how we love our Philly Hoagies.
Calories: 433kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 69mg, Sodium: 1878mg, Potassium: 250mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 298IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 122mg, Iron: 6mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Dinner, lunch
Cuisine: American, Philadelphia