9 Salami Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

Whether you're trying to build the best charcuterie board possible or want to make the Italian sub of your dreams, it's important to choose the right kind of salami. After all, this salty cold cut packs flavor into whatever dish it touches (like rigatoni with spicy salami and tomato), providing luscious fat, complex spices, and an umami touch. But if you're at your local grocery store trying to choose the best salami available, you may be left scratching your head. Which brands are worth trying out, and which aren't?

I tasted my way through nine different salami brands to give you the knowledge you need to make the most delicious decision. I've ranked these products according to both flavor and texture, including the thickness of the slices, when applicable, to give you a better idea of the brands you should seek out when you're shopping. Hopefully, the next time you use salami in a recipe, it'll taste better than ever.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

9. Trader Joe's Salame di Parma Mild Salami

If you're a regular Trader Joe's-goer, then it might make sense to snag yourself the Salame de Parma the next time you're there. This salami isn't the best of the bunch, but it'll do the job if you're not particularly picky about your Italian deli meat. You'll get that salty, meaty, and fatty flavor that you love from salami, but unfortunately, you won't get the same complexity you'll find in some better, more balanced brands. This may not be a big deal when you're eating a sandwich that's packed with a ton of other flavorful ingredients, but if you're looking for a salami that will shine all on its own (like on a charcuterie board), there are better brands to check out first.

I like the shape of the salami slices because they're long and thinner than normal, making them perfectly suited to go on an elevated Italian sub. Ultimately, though, if you're not already headed to Trader Joe's for your weekly grocery shopping, don't go out of your way solely to try this salami.

8. Applegate Naturals Uncured Genoa Salami

For a thicker-cut salami that has a chewier texture, turn to Applegate Naturals Uncured Genoa Salami. You can find this brand at a variety of grocery chains, which means it's pretty accessible to a wide range of shoppers. However, compared to some of the other brands on this list, Applegate Naturals' salami is a bit more expensive than I'd personally prefer to spend. 

The chewiness isn't ideal in a lot of contexts (particularly in a sandwich), which is one reason this brand ranks lower than many others. Flavor-wise, this wasn't the most exciting salami I tried. It's quite fatty — perhaps a bit too much so — and doesn't have quite the depth of flavor other brands on this list do. This salami isn't a bad option if it's what you can find at your local grocery store, but it's still not a product I'm super excited about. You might be more satisfied if you seek out one of the higher-ranked salamis on this list instead.

7. Del Duca Genoa Salami

Sometimes, the way salami is sliced can play a huge role in how it tastes, which certainly seems to be the case when it comes to Del Duca Genoa Salami. This brand of salami is cut incredibly thin, which makes for super soft, pliable pieces of meat, which is what earns this brand a higher spot over others so far. That texture makes this salami more delicious than its lower-ranking counterparts, since it works so well in a variety of contexts, including both sandwiches and charcuterie boards.

While this Del Duca salami has nice flavor, salty notes, richness, but not too much fattiness, with well-incorporated fat and lean pieces, it still wasn't my favorite. There's nothing wrong with it, but it doesn't have quite as much flavor as the salami I tasted from some of the upcoming brands. 

6. Veroni Salame di Parma

Veroni is another solid brand that offers good, store-bought quality that won't let you down in your most dire salami situations. The Salame di Parma tastes like a very classic salami. There's a nice balance of flavors, with various spices and plenty of salt, and a good balance of leanness and fattiness, giving the salami a velvety, luscious texture. It's a bit fattier than the Del Duca variety, but in a good way. Veroni's salami is cut quite thin, which makes for a less-chewy, softer slice. Again, this is the kind of salami that can be used quite versatilely in whatever kind of dish you need it for.

Was this the best salami I've tried? Not really. Much like some of the other brands on this list, it doesn't stand out from the crowd like a few varieties did. However, this will get the job done when you're just looking for a simple, staple salami to keep in the fridge.

5. Primo Taglio Italian Dry Salami

I generally like thinner-cut sliced salami, but I can get on board with a thicker cut when it comes to Primo Taglio's Italian Dry Salami. These slices are not as thin as most of the other brands on this list, but the thickness works here. The meat is still quite soft and pliable and doesn't have an aggressively chewy texture that can make it inconvenient for placing on an Italian sub sandwich with a bunch of mixed ingredients. However, I think this salami shines on a charcuterie board, where its bold flavor means it can be paired with powerful cheese that might overpower some other, less flavorful types of salami.

There is a bit more complexity in Primo Taglio's offering than I found in most of the lower-ranked brands on this list, although it doesn't promise the same intensity as the top few brands. That being said, this stuff is a step up from the most standard, pedestrian options listed here.

4. Rovagnati Genoa Salami

When it comes to super thinly sliced salami, it doesn't get better than Rovagnati Genoa Salami. To me, this seemed like the most thinly sliced meat of the bunch, which is why it snags the number four spot on this list. This is the kind of salami you can layer onto a sandwich, giving it a bouncy bite that makes it taste irresistible, regardless of whatever other ingredients you decide to include. It also has a lovely, light flavor, with a sweetness you won't find in some of the less-delicious brands on this list. That means it can pair well with a variety of other meats and salty accouterments that will make your sandwich or charcuterie board shine.

Are there salamis with more interesting flavor profiles on this list? Sure. But Rovagnati is absolutely going to be my next go-to salami for an especially texturally interesting bite.

3. Volpi Salami Stix

Volpi Salami Stix are in a category all their own. While all of the other salamis on this list are sliced, these sticks are more geared toward snacking. Yes, you can eat them with cheese and crackers or other ingredients if you happen to have them on hand, but they're also great alone. This is largely because they don't seem as fatty as most of the other varieties of salami on this list. That more dried-out texture makes eating a whole pouch of these sticks a flavorful, salty experience akin to eating a bag of chips vs. feeling like you're just eating too many cold cuts in a single sitting.

Although this product loses some points for its lack of versatility — they won't really work in sandwiches or even on a charcuterie board — the quality of this salami still earns it a place in the top three on this list.

2. Columbus Calabrese Salami

If you want a salami that packs a lot more flavor than average and even offers a hint of spice, look no further than Columbus Calabrese Salami. There's a lovely vegetal quality to this salami with ingredients like crushed red pepper and bell pepper. Admittedly, it's not very spicy — rather, you'll notice a hint of pepperiness that doesn't add much heat to the meat. If you're craving spicy salami specifically, there are hotter versions to be had, but when you want a delicious flavor that's approachable to about every salami lover, this selection from Columbus Craft Meats has you covered.

Thinly sliced and with a not-too-fatty flavor profile, this salami is delicious in basically all applications. I think it tastes best when it's served simply, such as with crackers or sourdough bread, which allows you to pick up on the nuanced flavor notes in each bite.

1. Brooklyn Cured Sweet Soppressata

If you're looking for the ultimate source for salami, look no further than Brooklyn Cured. This Brooklyn-based brand carries an extremely wide array of salami, both unsliced and pre-sliced, that features incredibly diverse flavors. However, if you're looking for an approachable, easy-to-eat salami with a hint of sweetness to counteract those savory, salty notes, then this brand's Sweet Soppressata is ideal. The meat is incredibly tender and flexible, even though it's not as thinly sliced as others, and it has an almost buttery texture to it. The recipe is seasoned with black pepper and garlic, but that simplicity means that it can be used in endless applications.

Brooklyn Cured may not be as widely available as some of the other brands on this list, but if you can get your hands on any of its salami offerings, you absolutely should. From the Sweet Soppressata to its cocktail-inspired salami offerings, you can't go wrong here.

Methodology

I received promotional samples from Volpi and Brooklyn Cured, and I chose the other brands based on availability at local grocery stores in my area. I ranked these salamis according to both flavor and texture, generally highlighting more complex, thinner, or more pliable salami varieties. I tasted each of these salami varieties on their own and with plain snack crackers during the taste-testing process.

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