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Easy Italian hoagies are the ultimate crowd-pleasing recipe! Deli meats, cheeses, hot cherry pepper spread, and veggies fill long rolls, and create the most delicious sub. This recipe is inspired by the hoagie sandwiches I grew up eating at hoagie shops in and around Philly!
Italian Hoagie: The Ultimate Submarine Sandwich
Although I now call the Hudson valley home… I’m originally a PHILLY girl! I spent my entire childhood there and lived there well into my 20’s. And while my time living there didn’t turn me into a Philly sports team fanatic… it did turn me into a Philly food fanatic.
Philly has the best tomato pie, meatball subs, sausage and peppers, and of course, Italian hoagies! Between the cities Italian immigrant history – and population – Philadelphia has a vibrant Italian-American food scene.
Inspired by Famous Hoagie Shops
Philly has so many famous hoagie shops… but Ricci’s hoagies, Jack’s Place, and Lee’s hoagie house are my family’s favorite spots. But honestly, you can even get a fine hoagie at wawa or Primo hoagies. When I lived there, I had no need to have a “recipe” to make my own.
But after moving, I realized there is a true art to making a killer Italian sub. With no hoagie shops anywhere near my new home, I set out on a mission to create the most delicious submarine sandwich ever! Below are my tips and tricks!
What is an Italian Hoagie?
- In the simplest terms, a hoagie is a sandwich made on a long roll.
- Traditionally, workers filled them deli meats, cheeses, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and peppers.
- You can use one variety of deli meat, or you can use a few different ones like I do.
- Some people prefer a dry sub, while others like mayo, olive oil, cherry pepper spread, or vinegar.
- Many people argue a classic sub is best dry or with a little olive oil. But personally I grew up eating them with olive oil, vinegar, and cherry pepper spread. So that’s what I suggest. You can adapt this to suit your taste buds!
Make the BEST Italian Hoagie Sandwiches: Ingredients
- Long Rolls: The best hoagie starts with the best bread! You’ll need to use long rolls for this recipe. If you’re in Philly, grab rolls from Corrpolese hoagie rolls or Amoroso’s rolls. If you’re not, you can order long rolls online or check out your local Italian market/Italian bakery.
- Deli Meats: I use a combination of prosciutto, capicola, genoa salami, and soprassata salami. You can use ham instead of prosciutto if desired. And cut down on the meat portions for thinner subs. I like to ask my grocer to slice the deli meats and cheeses extra thin.
- Cheese: Thinly sliced provolone cheese is a must! I don’t suggest subbing this for another variety of cheese.
- Veggies: Romaine lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and onions. I use red onions, but you can use white or yellow onions.
- Dressing: Red wine vinegar, dried oregano, olive oil, and hot cherry pepper spread. This is the Hot Cherry Pepper Spread I use. You can order it online or look for it at your local grocery store or Italian grocery store.
Hog Island: Hoagie History
- Growing up in Philly, I heard lots of stories on how and where hoagie sandwiches originated. After some research, I’ve found that the most widely accepted version involves a shipbuilding yard, known as Hog Island.
- During Hog islands prime, it employed over 36,000 people. Many of these people were Italian immigrants.
- For lunch, the Italian workers often brought long rolls filled with deli meats and cheeses. They also added vegetables like lettuce, tomato, onion, and peppers.
- Obviously these delicious sandwiches attracted attention from co-workers, and they started calling them “the Hog Island sandwich”. Over time, the Hog Island sandwiches earned the nickname of “hoggies”.
Italian Hoagie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar optional
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 Tablespoons Italian olive oil
- 2 long Italian hoagie rolls
- 1/4 lb prosciutto
- 1/4 lb capicola
- 1/4 lb genoa salami
- 1/8 lb hot soprassata salami
- 1/4 lb sharp provolone cheese, thinly sliced
- 1 large juicy ripe tomato thinly sliced
- 1 small onion red or white, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup iceberg or romaine lettuce finely shredded
- 1/4 cup hot cherry pepper hoagie spread
Instructions
- Slice the rolls lengthwise, cutting only half way through. Remove the thick, fluffy dough center of the bread and discard it. Set rolls aside.
- In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar and oregano; slowly add in the oil, whisking as you pour to emulsify the mixture.
- Drizzle a small amount of the oil/vinegar mixture on the rolls, then layer the cheese and meats.
- Top with the tomatoes, onions, lettuce, then peppers. Drizzle with additional oil/vinegar, cut in half, and serve!
So easy and absolutely delicious!
Just like Mr. Woodland I too am from Philly. Instead of hot cherry pepper hoagie spread, I use sliced hot cherry peppers (Centro). They make the hoagie have a much better taste and don’t take over the whole sandwich.
I’m from Philly now living in central Carolina, that hoagie looked so good I almost licked my cpu screen. The only deli here can close to making a hoagie is Jimmy John’s, the problem is I have to watch them and instruct them with the mechanics of doing it correctly, b/c they are just kids and it is just a pay check, but to me it is an art to it. I once ordered a sandwich at a Subway in Raleigh, NC owned by people from India, as I monitored the process I became aware that the woman owner put less meat on my sandwich than white people’s order; when I got to the cash register, I unwrapped the sandwich and showed it to her husband and announced I am not paying for a “bread sandwich” so you eat it and walked out. I’m still fighting for my rights !
Just don’t put the vinegar on it and it’s a true hoagie
Jason, I do not care for mayo, so a little vinegar & oil with Italian seasonings is okay with me. Nothing against people in Chicago but mayo on a hot dog is way out of line, it’s either yellow or brown mustard, but never, ever mayonnaise !!!.
Really? Its not a true vinegrette w/out vinny?
I’ve tried making this and we devoured it like crazy! So yummy!
The best hoagie recipe!! Miss the Italian flavor so much and this recipe is really authentic.
I’ve tried making this and we devoured it like crazy! So yummy!
I have my dough on the rise for homemade Hoagie Rolls. 109 temps in Arizona, these will hit the spot!
GRET RECIPE! An Italian Hoagie is THE BEST sandwich on Earth. I am from Boyertown PA and we always went to Talarico’s (Closed now). They drizzled or dabbed olive oil on the inside of the roll before putting the ingredients in it. Try it, it makes a difference.
My Mom, a Boyertown girl, taught me when making any sandwich you intend to put tomato on: Before doing anything else, slice tomatoes, add salt, pepper, and Oregano. Then let the Oregano work into the tomatoes for about 15 mins . Any sandwich, even bologna, will taste gourmet if you put oregano on the tomato first.
Eat a Hoagie and it will lift your spirits. God Bless You All!
Ha! “Eat a hoagie and it will lift your spirits” might just be the best thing I’ve read all day 😉
Haven’t made this yet, but as one who grew up and lives just outside Philly, the name “hoagie” comes from Hog Island in the Delaware River. On Sundays, people would buy these sandwiches, which serve several people, from Italian delis in Philly and picnic on Hog Island – hence “hoagie”.
But let me emphasize that the roll makes the hoagie! It’s not just the ingredients of the sandwich, it’s the roll as well that takes it to a whole new level! When I was young, there was a certain type of Italian long roll for hoagies that had a thin but very crisp crust that was shiny and looked like it was glazed (but not with a sweet glaze). I’m guessing it was maybe olive oil suffused with oregano, but I’m not sure, and maybe just brushed on the surface of the dough before baking. I only know I can’t find them anymore and they were amazing! Ashley, do you know what the secret was? I’d love to know it because I can’t find this type of hoagie roll anymore.
Just apropos of Philly cuisine, what made the Philly Cheesesteak was not any of its ingredients, not even the roll. It was the grill on which it was cooked. Cheesesteak joints had certain grills that they used over and over again for hamburgers and steaks. They NEVER cleaned them with detergents – they scraped the residue off with spatulas. This left a thin patina on the grill (which was a solid piece of metal) of rendered steak flavor that incorporated into the outer layer of the meat each time it was cooked on it. Whenever a long-time hamburger/cheesesteak joint shut down there was a bidding war for its grills, and customers would try to find out who got them so they could go there for their hamburgers/cheesesteaks. At home, I would recommend you keep one pan for your hamburgers and steaks and only clean it minimally by scraping with a metal spatula, as you would keep a patina on a cast iron skillet.
I know the roll you mean, Amoroso’s (spelling?) It made the sandwich.
I’m originally from a suburb of philadelphia and really miss the real deal hoagies and cheesesteaks!
100% Amoroso rolls! It’s incredible how it makes a difference!!
I was told they were made with water from the Skukyll (?) river!
Thank you for the hoagie recipe. I’m all over this one!