Chopped Italian Sandwich: a cozy home-cooked favorite with big flavor, practical prep, and servings worth fighting over—in a friendly way.
All the Deli, Slow-Simmered
Salami, ham, provolone and pepperoncini get the slow-cooker treatment so the torn Italian bread soaks up every savory, tangy drop—an easy, hands-off comfort dinner worth coming home to.
Cam Torres of Ember Pot takes the best parts of a chopped Italian sandwich and turns them into a cozy, spoonable meal. You start by sweating yellow onion and red bell pepper in olive oil until they’re sweet and soft, add smashed garlic, then briefly brown the roughly chopped salami and ham so they render flavor. Everything goes into the slow cooker with crushed tomatoes, low-sodium chicken broth, a splash of red wine vinegar, dried oregano, and pepperoncini for a bright, briny kick.
Torn Italian bread is tucked into the bubbling liquid so it soaks up juices and breaks down into pillowy, bread-and-sauce bites; small cubes of provolone melt into creamy pockets among the meat and softened vegetables. The result is a satisfying mix of textures—chewy meat, tender soaked bread, silky cheese—and a flavor profile that balances rich, cured-meat depth with vinegar lift and pepperoncini tang.
This is the kind of make-ahead, low-effort dish Ember Pot is built for: about 20 minutes of prep and four hours in the slow cooker. It’s perfect for relaxed weeknights or casual family-style dinners, and it holds up beautifully as leftovers when flavors have time to meld—easy to reheat and serve with extra bread for dunking.
Ingredients
How to Make Chopped Italian Sandwich
- Roughly chop the salami and ham into bite-sized pieces (about 1/2-inch) and cut the provolone into small cubes; tear the Italian bread into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the chopped onion and sliced red bell pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, then add smashed garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the chopped salami and ham to the skillet and cook, stirring, 3–4 minutes to render a bit of fat and develop color; transfer the whole skillet contents to the slow cooker.
- To the slow cooker add crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, pepperoncini, dried oregano, red wine vinegar, kosher salt, and black pepper; stir to combine and nestle the torn bread into the liquid so it begins to absorb the juices.
- Set the slow cooker to Low and cook 3 to 4 hours (or High for 2 to 2.5 hours) until flavors meld and the bread has mostly broken down to thicken the stew.
- About 20–30 minutes before serving, stir in the provolone cubes so they soften and partially melt into pockets throughout the stew; taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or vinegar if needed.
- Ladle the chopped-Italian stew into bowls and garnish each serving with torn fresh basil and an extra sliced pepperoncini if you like more heat/acidity.
- Serve hot with additional crusty bread on the side for dipping; leftovers keep well refrigerated for 3–4 days and reheat gently on the stove or in a slow cooker on Low.
Recipe Card
Chopped Italian Sandwich
Chopped Italian Sandwich: a cozy home-cooked favorite with big flavor, practical prep, and servings worth fighting over—in a friendly way.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 4 hr
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
Instructions
- Roughly chop the salami and ham into bite-sized pieces (about 1/2-inch) and cut the provolone into small cubes; tear the Italian bread into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the chopped onion and sliced red bell pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, then add smashed garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the chopped salami and ham to the skillet and cook, stirring, 3–4 minutes to render a bit of fat and develop color; transfer the whole skillet contents to the slow cooker.
- To the slow cooker add crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, pepperoncini, dried oregano, red wine vinegar, kosher salt, and black pepper; stir to combine and nestle the torn bread into the liquid so it begins to absorb the juices.
- Set the slow cooker to Low and cook 3 to 4 hours (or High for 2 to 2.5 hours) until flavors meld and the bread has mostly broken down to thicken the stew.
- About 20–30 minutes before serving, stir in the provolone cubes so they soften and partially melt into pockets throughout the stew; taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or vinegar if needed.
- Ladle the chopped-Italian stew into bowls and garnish each serving with torn fresh basil and an extra sliced pepperoncini if you like more heat/acidity.
- Serve hot with additional crusty bread on the side for dipping; leftovers keep well refrigerated for 3–4 days and reheat gently on the stove or in a slow cooker on Low.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 20
- Saturated Fat
- 11
- Sodium
- 1780
- Fiber
- 2
- Unsaturated Fat
- 18
- Protein
- 26
- Fat
- 29
- Cholesterol
- 77
- Trans Fat
- 0.3
- Calories
- 500
- Sugar
- 6