The Classic Deli Meat That Makes Italian Subs 99% Tastier Isn't Salami

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Nothing hits like an Italian sub — except for maybe a better Italian sub. To instantly elevate your sandwich game, look no further than one transformative ingredient swap. That thin-sliced "regular" salami typically behind deli counters is called Genoa salami, but you can trade it in for soppressata — the deli meat your Italian sub has been missing. For the unacquainted, soppressata (sometimes spelled with a single "p") is a traditional dry-cured pork salami hailing from Southern Italy.

Not to be confused with capicola, it features a much bolder, distinctive flavor than comparatively mild Genoa salami. Texturally, soppressata can be thin sliced just like deli salami or formed into a denser chub tube and sliced on the bias for a more earthy mouthfeel. Either way, soppressata is distinguished by its coarse grain. The pork is customarily a combination of fatty shoulder cut and leaner, flavorful haunch, which gets seasoned and chopped into large chunks for a generous, allover marbling of visible fat pieces.

A splash of red wine gives the meat its signature bright red to purplish hue. To make it, the soppressata is flattened, which creates a richly concentrated flavor and toothy chew. From there, the meat is salted and hung to air-dry over a period of weeks or months, a slow-cure fermentation that creates that distinctive funk on the palate. When it's stuffed into your sandwich, soppressata instantly delivers a toothier, denser, more robust bite with a bolder flavor and more character than what Genoa salami alone can achieve.

Soppressata can be purchased from specialty Italian grocery stores and often found in the deli section at many major grocery stores. A six-ounce Columbus Charcuterie Trio Tray of sliced soppressata, prosciutto, and uncured copa currently goes for $7.96 at Walmart. To make it work for your next Italian sub, simply layer those flattened ovals of soppressata across the bread and load them up with your favorite toppings.

For specific directions, you could swap the Genoa salami for soppressata in our classic Italian sub sandwich recipe, which gets stacked with mortadella, prosciutto, milky provolone, beefsteak tomato, shredded lettuce, and pickled pepperoncini peppers for a kick of briny acidity to cut through the richness of the meat. Feel like branching out? Try swiping your Italian sub with honey, fig jam, or creamy ricotta for a counterbalancing sweet element. Or, to lean into that soppressata funk, add blue cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and a swipe of Calabrian chile paste, keeping with the Southern Italian ingredient motif.

Opting for hot or sweet soppressata will customize the flavor of your Italian sub even further. Hot (piccante) soppressata is infused with dried Calabrian chilis, giving your sandwich a kick of spiciness. Alternatively, sweet (dolce) soppressata is a tad milder, seasoned with some combination of garlic, cinnamon, clove, black peppercorn, cardamom, rosemary, or fennel. Either option has the robust flavor and coarse, rustic texture to take your Italian sub to flavorful new heights (and perfectly funky depths).