Making a New York Style Italian Sub (aka hero or hoagie) doesn't have to be difficult. It's all about the ingredients: crispy, seedy Italian bread, layers upon layers of paper-thin capicola, salami, pepperoni and ham, vinegar-drenched shredded lettuce, fresh tomatoes, sliced onions, and cherry peppers. Plus some [not so] top-secret deli hacks to tie it all together. Bookmark this recipe - it's a good one!
There is nothing quite like unfolding a parchment-wrapped Italian hero from a NY deli. Well except for maybe a New York pizza.
The heavenly smell hits you even before you take your first bite.
And when you finally do, the combination of flavors and textures come alive, beckoning you to continue eating, even long after you're full.
As you take your last bite, wiping the oil from your lips, you ask yourself, "how do they do it?"
After working in NY delis for years, and having made (and eaten) hundreds of Italian heroes, I'm here to help demystify the many nuances of the beloved Italian Sub.
Although let's be honest here, if we're in the NY metro area, we're calling it a hero!
Quality Cold Cuts
The type of cold cuts you use may vary. I prefer to use a few different types.
For this recipe, I used Boar's Head boiled ham, imported capicola (the deli meat Tony Soprano lovingly referred to as "gabagool"), Genoa salami, and pepperoni.
All sliced ultra thin. You can also throw mortadella into the mix, though most places will use the first 4 I mentioned above.
I also used provolone cheese. Provolone is non-negotiable. You simply cannot use American, cheddar, muenster, or really any other type of cheese on a NY-style Italian sub.
The only cheese that might be an alternative is sliced mozzarella, and that is really a "break in case of emergency" type situation.
Let's Talk Lettuce
Ok, so you may think lettuce is the least important ingredient in an Italian sub, and while it probably isn't as important as the cold-cuts, you certainly can't have an Italian sub without it.
But there are a few things you should consider doing with your lettuce.
First off, it needs to be iceberg lettuce. Romaine, arugula, and other green leafies are all wonderful, but they have no business being in an Italian hero.
The success of the Italian sub depends not just on the type of lettuce, but how you prepare it.
- Pro tip: You need to shred the iceberg for this sandwich. Then, you need to toss it in vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. I also like to add dried oregano to the mix. Toss the lettuce right before assembling the hero so that it doesn't get soggy. I discovered this nugget of information years ago, and trust me - it is worth your while.
Best Condiments for an Italian Sub
In addition to the iceberg lettuce, any proper Italian hero or sub will also have onions, sliced paper thin.
- Pro tip: To take the bite out of your onions, soak them in water for a bit. This will help if you like your onions less pungent. Just be sure to dry them very well so they don't add water to your sub. Most of the time I like my onions just fine without soaking in water.
You'll also need tomatoes, sliced thin.
- Pro tip: When layering the ingredients, do not place the tomatoes next to the cheese. Both are very slippery and once combined, there is a chance that one or both ingredients will wind up sliding right off.
I love adding peppers to my Italian subs. I like heat, so I will typically use sliced cherry peppers or Cento's hoagie spread as pictured below. Tuscan peppers can also add a nice kick.
If heat is not your thing, you can definitely add some roasted red peppers.
What Bread to use for an Italian Sub
If you order an Italian hero in a NY deli, you are going to get it on an Italian hero roll, which is a 12-inch oblong-shaped roll. It will either be seeded with sesame seeds or plain.
While these are the gold standard, they aren't readily available in many parts of the country.
You could use a baguette, but I'm afraid it might be too crusty and dense. Another option is to buy a full loaf of Italian bread and use a portion of it for your sub.
Alternatively, you can also make the bread yourself. I will have a recipe up on how to make Italian bread very soon.
- Pro tip: After slicing your hero loaf, if there is too much bread, scoop some of it out so the meat can easily nestle within the cavity. This is common practice here in New York. Many customers will request the bread be scooped out. They have been asking for this long before carbs and gluten were a public concern. I think many people just want more meat on their sandwich!
How to make it
- Begin to prep your condiments, including slicing your onions, tomatoes and decide which cherry (vinegar) peppers you plan to use. Note: prepared hoagie spread is basically just chopped up cherry peppers and perfect for when you're in a rush.
- Remove the seeds and stems from the whole cherry peppers and slice. If soaking your onions, now is a good time to do that.
- Mix your olive oil and vinegar in a shaker bottle. Shred your lettuce and season with oregano, salt, and pepper, to taste. Drizzle a bit of the oil and vinegar mixture onto the lettuce and give it a quick toss, reserving most of the vinegar mixture for the sandwich (see step 7).
- If needed, scoop the bread out to create a cavity within which the meat and other ingredients can nestle.
- Begin to layer the meat, starting with the thinly sliced ham.
- Pile on your salami, pepperoni, capicola (gabagool), and provolone.
- Add your condiments, including the lettuce/oil/vinegar mixture, cherry peppers, onions, and tomatoes, taking care to not layer the tomatoes on top of the cheese, unless you enjoy slippery ingredients. Add a healthy dose of the oil and vinegar to the bread to further dress the sub.
- To close the sandwich, lay your knife, length-wise, on top of the ingredients and press down. While applying pressure fold over the top layer of the bread to close it all together. If you want to make this really legit, wrap in parchment paper before slicing half-way. Eat immediately!
Why You Should Make this Italian Sub
A better question is why shouldn't you make this?
- This is the iconic Italian hero that is found in every NY deli, and for good reason: it showcases each of the ingredients, is full of flavor, and beloved by many!
- It's super easy to make for a weeknight dinner.
- It's filling! And since it basically has a salad on top, you don't really need to serve it with anything.
Other Amazing Sandwiches
Much like that kid in Bad Santa, I have a thing for sandwiches. Working in delis for many years, I've made many.
Some of my favorites I've already shared here on the blog. Others will eventually make their way here. There are more sandwiches on the YouTube channel. Here is a full Italian sandwich playlist.
- Sausage and peppers hero
- Pepper and egg sandwich
- Meatball parm hero
- Instant pot pulled pork sandwich
- Broccoli rabe Italian sausage roll
What are your favorite sandwiches, and what would you like me to make here on the blog, or on the YouTube channel? Drop me a comment below and let me know!
If you’ve enjoyed this New York Italian hero recipe, or any recipe on this site, we want to know so give it a star rating and tell us in the comments below.
We would love to hear how you did and it’s nice to show others as well. Thanks!
Watch the video below where Jim will show you how to make this recipe with easy-to-follow instructions.
Some people learn by watching. If you're that type of person, you can find most of our recipes on YouTube and our Facebook Page.
Ingredients
- 1 large sub roll
- 1/10 pounds capicola thin sliced
- 1/10 pounds Genoa salami thin sliced
- 1/10 pound boiled ham thin sliced
- 1/10 pounds pepperoni thin sliced
- ⅕ pound provolone cheese
- 1 medium tomato sliced
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 4 medium cherry peppers destemmed, seeded, and sliced
- 1 ¼ cup iceberg lettuce shredded
- 4 ounces red wine vinegar
- 3 ounces olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Mix the oil and vinegar in a shaker bottle. Shred the lettuce and season with the oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle a bit of the oil and vinegar (save most of it for the sandwich) onto the lettuce and set aside.
- Layer the meat, then the cheese onto 1 large hero (sub, hoagie) roll.
- Top with the seasoned lettuce, cherry peppers. Add as much sliced tomato and onion as you like.
- Soak the bread and meats with the oil and vinegar mix.
- Eat quickly so the sandwich doesn't become too soggy. Enjoy!
Notes
- Ingredient amounts are for one large (approximately 12" hero/sub/hoagie) roll.
- Just increase the ingredient amounts for the number of sandwiches you need.
- A typical New York style hero uses ⅓ to ½ pound of deli meat and a thin layer of cheese. Round deli sandwiches typically have a ¼ pound of meat and one thin layer of cheese. Use these amounts as a general rule.
- Combining the oil and vinegar in a plastic squeeze bottle makes it easy to distribute just the right amount to each sandwich. Pass the bottle around to let individuals add as much oil and vinegar as they like.
Awesome sandwich! Looks delicious but why no mayo or spicy mustard? Is it do to authenticity?
Thanks! You can put on whatever you like. But yes, most Italian heroes in New York will be made with just oil and vinegar. You could also make an Italian vinaigrette with more ingredients, but I like to keep it simple with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and oregano.
Thank you so much for sharing. I have been searching for an authentic recipe. My mom and we use to share some of our best times and conversations over these sandwiches. So it is actually more than a sandwich it is part of my childhood. Cant wait to share this with my family!!!
Hi Regina! I'm happy that this sandwich brings you back to good times. It does the same for me. Enjoy sharing the sandwich with your family!
I definitely intend to make this! Can I use your pizza dough recipe to make an Italian bread? If so can you give me some tips on how I can do that? Would it make sense to use the lloydpan to bake the Italian bread, or should I use my pizza stone? Thanks!
Hey thanks! So you can make bread with the pizza dough but to get that authentic seeded Italian bread you buy at the bakery, you will probably have to use a water bath and a couple of other techniques. For example, to get the shape, you have to bake it in a mold. I intend to make some bread videos in the fall on YouTube, but I need to do some testing first. I really want bread that tastes and looks exactly like the neighborhood bakery!
It's true, I've been on a mission to gather the ingredients to make an Italian Hero after seeing your youtube video and have had trouble finding Italian bread. Just french bread or bolillo rolls everywhere.
Hi Jen, I wouldn't worry too much as long as the bread is really fresh. You might want to warm it up a bit in foil with a sprinkle of water. Then remove some of the inside bread and make your sandwich. I hope you enjoy it!
Hello. I was wondering where you get the cold cuts sliced so thinly? From a local Italian deli? Does Costco do it?
Hey Chris. I mostly buy them at a deli. Costco's pre-sliced pack of salami and soppressata is pretty thin. Costco doesn't slice here in New York but in other states they might. I'm not sure where you live but BJ's does have a deli counter and sells Boar's Head.
Great Recipe! I moved to the Pacific Northwest from Boston and have yet to find decent Hoagie. They all seem to believe that boiled ham is the main meat ingredient and the rest is just a wish. So I make my own very similar to yours with just a hint of boiled ham. I like the pepperoncini on mine. I'm 71 y.o. and I am a 3rd generation, San Francisco Italian family, from the Mission district.
Hi Kathi. I agree it's the marriage of all the ingredients. Pepperoncini are great on it. Thanks for the comment.
The best sub I ever ate and I can’t believe I made it! I never thought to put seasoning in the lettuce and I think that is the secret as the peppers. Thanks for sharing/ teaching
Hi Judy. Really glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the comment.
Growing up Italian, my Dad owned a second generation Italian Grocery Store (Superette) in Pittsburgh. I went to a predominantly Italian Catholic Grade School, my lunches were almost always on Italian Bread and had gaabocol or Salami. I used to beg for an "American" sandwich of Chipped Chopped Ham (famous in Pittsburgh) or Chicken Roll (which I now say ewww to!). My favorite Sammy - a number of years ago, while climbing Mt. Vesuvius in Italy, half way up is a small restaurant. We stopped for a sandwich. A fresh Italian roll, piled on with Prosciutto, fresh tomato, and cheese. Nothing else - simple and plain - delish! A side note, after we sold the family store and Dad passed away, if I were back in Pittsburgh visiting - after Church on Sunday my Mom would ask me to stop at the Italian Deli. We would buy great cold cuts and bread, and marinated eggplant. Feasting on the sandwiches she would always say "you don't want me to cook dinner do you?" The pot of sauce that was on for years before Church was long gone and reserved for our family get togethers. She was just as content with a good sandwich!
Hi, Gene. Thanks for sharing. Sounds like you've got some great memories!
My husband is from Suffolk County but we live in the midwest. I will prepare this for him. I have been watching and preparing your Italian recipes because I am from southern roots. Our gravy is very different.
Thank you for the help!
Hi Reanne, thank you for your comment, and happy you're enjoying the recipes!
I was a liitle skeptical at first because the ingredient list seemed incomplete. MAN WAS I WRONG!!! I made it exactly like the recipe said with the addition of a thin layer of mayo in bottom half of roll as a moisture barrier. One of the best subs i ever ate, thanks.
Hi Steven, I'm so happy you enjoyed it and thank you for the comment and rating!
Hi,
What's a good red wine vinegar that you would recommend? And with the olive oil.. do you prefer regular or extra virgin. I've heard of some people mixing extra virgin with vegetable oil, but not sure how that would taste. Love your videos as well.. definitely want to try the roast beef with onion jam!
Hi Renee, I usually just buy whichever large red wine vinegar is at the store (Cento or Asti). You don't need to spend a lot. As far as mixing olive oil and vegetable oil, it's very common for delis to do this. When I'm making the sandwich myself though I do just use regular olive oil (no vegetable oil). Thanks for the comment!
Excellent !!
Thanks, Joe! Happy you enjoyed it!
In no way am I trying to ruin this amazing sandwich, but I was just wondering if this was one that could be heated/baked/toasted and if so and direction on this ?
Hi April, this is normally served cold but if you want to toast it a bit you can. I'd advise toasting it prior to putting on the lettuce, tomato, etc.
Another primo recipe. Now I just need the bread as it is the most important factor, and anyway you have an Italian hot dog bread recipe have been looking for years, the one I miss about Jersey is the food and this is one of them along with the rest of your stuff. Great recipes and plentiful
Thanks for the comment Ileen and so happy you're enjoying the recipes!
I love your videos! They are simple to follow and delicious !
Hi Darlene, thanks for the comment and so happy you're enjoying the videos!
Hey Jim,
I always love a legit. Italian hero that tastes like home (Nassau County, L.I.). Left years ago and no longer get back there much.
My initial search was for an Italian sub roll recipe and luckily came across this page. I live on my own and or course, cook if I don't want to starve. I can fiddle oround until I mirror a hometown favorite such as diner home fries.
You mention a sub roll recipe so, I'm going to bookmark your page(s) and look forward to making your recipes and digging in. Living alone means I don't have to share with anyone but sometimes I give in and show my friends what real NY recipes are like.
Thanks, be well and stay safe!
Greg
Hi Greg, so happy you enjoyed and really appreciate the comment!
You’re leaving out one thing —-GRATED ROMANO CHEESE MIXED WITH WHITE WINE AND EVOO TO MAKE A PASTE TO SPREAD ON THE BREAD .
Sounds like a good addition!