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Roasted Mediterranean Veg with Sopressa Salami Focaccia
Roasted Mediterranean veg with sopressa salami focaccia is hearty, colourful, and packed with bold savoury flavour. Soft focaccia is piled with sweet roasted vegetables, salty sopressa salami, and plenty of Mediterranean-inspired goodness for an easy lunch that feels much more exciting than an ordinary sandwich. It’s satisfying without being fussy, and works beautifully served warm while the focaccia is still soft and the vegetables are just out of the oven.
Roasted Vegetable and Sopressa Salami Focaccia
This roasted vegetable and sopressa salami focaccia sandwich is my idea of a perfect lunch. I layer garlicky roasted veg, thin slices of spicy sopressa, and a slice of provolone between fluffy, golden focaccia. It’s salty, juicy, full of texture, and completely satisfying. Ideal for picnics, work lunches, or weekend treats, it’s the kind of sandwich that makes you pause and savour every bite. Honestly, it’s messy - but worth it.
Ingredients
- 1 focaccia, sliced in half
- Salted butter
- 1 slice provolone cheese
- 2 slices Sopressa salami
- Grilled eggplant
- Sundried tomatoes
- Roasted red peppers
- Kalamata olives, sliced
Instructions
- Lightly toast the cut sides of the focaccia, then spread with a little salted butter.
- Layer the provolone, Sopressa salami, grilled eggplant, sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers and sliced Kalamata olives over the bottom half of the focaccia.
- Top with the remaining half of the focaccia.
- Preheat a sandwich or panini press, then carefully transfer the focaccia to the hot plate.
- Close the press and cook until the cheese has melted and the focaccia is lightly toasted and crisp.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- Lightly toasting the inside of the focaccia before assembling helps stop the bread becoming soggy once the vegetables are added.
- Sopressa salami has plenty of flavour, so a couple of slices are enough to give the sandwich richness without overpowering the roasted vegetables.
- Provolone works particularly well because it melts beautifully while still bringing a little sharpness to the filling.
- Drain the sundried tomatoes and roasted red peppers well before adding them to the focaccia. Too much oil or liquid can make the bread soft.
- Grilled eggplant adds softness and a slightly smoky flavour. If you're using eggplant packed in oil, blot away any excess before assembling.
- Kalamata olives bring plenty of saltiness, so there's no need to add extra salt to the filling.
- Don't overfill the focaccia. A slightly restrained layer of each ingredient makes it much easier to press and keeps everything tucked neatly inside.
- If your sandwich press is particularly heavy, close it gently rather than pressing down firmly so the filling doesn't squeeze out.
- Serve immediately while the provolone is melted and the focaccia is crisp.
- This is best made fresh rather than stored or frozen, as the focaccia will soften once assembled.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 529Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 1840mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 4gSugar: 9gProtein: 18g
Please note, this nutrition information is to be used as a guide only. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
Serve this with
- Serve with my Caprese Salad for a fresh, simple side. Juicy tomatoes, basil and bocconcini work beautifully with the salty sopressa, provolone and roasted Mediterranean vegetables.
- Pair with my Roasted Red Pepper and Chorizo Soup for a hearty lunch. The smoky pepper soup fits naturally with the salami and roasted capsicum flavours in the toasted focaccia.
- Add a spoonful of my Sundried Tomato Pesto inside the focaccia for an extra punch of tomato, Parmesan and herbs. It works especially well with the provolone, olives and grilled eggplant.
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The Wee Cafe Back in Livo
The Roasted Vegetable with Sopressa Salami Focaccia sandwich is a trip down memory lane, straight back to those days spent wandering around Spotlight with my mum. She was a sewing MACHINE, and I adored choosing fabrics and patterns with her. I always loved the fact she’d always support whatever wild fashion idea I came up with.
Every month like clockwork, we’d head off to the massive Spotlight store in Liverpool, hunting for bits and bobs for her latest home decor masterpiece or one of my dodgy teen fashion experiments. Once we’d finished browsing (and inevitably buying more than we needed), we’d make our way to the small cafe perched by the escalators.
It wasn’t anything fancy, in fact, you couldn’t even sit inside. It was more of a takeaway counter with a few wobbly tables out front. But they did the most incredible toasted focaccias. Every single time, we’d order the same thing – salami, provolone, roasted capsicum, grilled eggplant, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes, all crammed into warm, crusty focaccia. Occasionally we’d add baba ghanoush, because obviously. The combination of flavours was pure Mediterranean magic. Even now, two decades later, I can still taste that sandwich. I might not live in Liverpool anymore, but I’ve brought the memory with me, and every now and again, I bring it to life in my own kitchen, toasting up a gluten-free version and letting nostalgia do the rest.
The Surprise Salami Focaccia
I went to visit Mum recently. She’s been going through a rough time since Dad fell ill, so I wanted to bring her something special. I brewed her a proper cup of tea, got her settled, and told her I was making lunch. And just like that, I recreated our old favourite – the Roasted Vegetable with Sopressa Salami Focaccia. Watching her take that first bite was like witnessing time fold in on itself. Her face lit up, and I could tell she was remembering those same moments I was. It’s funny how food has that power, because it’s never just about taste, it’s about time travel, connection, and comfort.
Growing up in Liverpool gave me the best kind of food education. It wasn’t about posh ingredients or anything remotely bougie. It was about flavour, culture, and curiosity. Within just a few blocks, I could try Chinese dumplings, Vietnamese rolls, Turkish gozleme, and Italian pastries. In Livo, it’s completely normal to be surrounded by that level of diversity, and I think it shaped my cooking more than anything else. When I moved to Brisbane, it was a massive of a culture shock to realise how different things were. It was harder to find the same breadth of flavours, and you definitely had to work a bit harder to source specialty ingredients. But thankfully, things have changed a lot since then.
These days, whether I’m shopping at my local supermarket or strolling through a market, I can find almost everything I need to recreate my favourite dishes. That focaccia sandwich, for instance, is no longer something I miss – it’s something I make. And it still tastes just as good, even if the backdrop has changed from the Spotlight escalators to my own kitchen bench.
Gluten-Free Sandwiches
Being diagnosed with coeliac disease was a real blow to my sandwich-loving soul. For years, I avoided bread altogether because the gluten-free alternatives were honestly awful. They were dense, dry, far too sweet, and they made me feel like I was missing out on something very basic – a decent sandwich. But the gluten-free landscape has changed dramatically in recent years, and now I can confidently say that sandwiches are back on the menu. With options like croissants, Turkish bread, focaccia, and panini now available in gluten-free varieties, I don’t feel like I’m compromising anymore.
I tend to stock up from both Coles and Woolworths, and I have a few favourites I swear by. The Turkish bread and panini from Coles are beautifully textured and toast up a dream. Woolworths has some solid options too – their gluten-free bagels are particularly good. Sure, it’s a bit more expensive, but I’m no longer throwing out half a loaf because it tastes like cardboard. Instead, I get to enjoy sandwiches that actually satisfy the craving, like this Roasted Vegetable with Sopressa Salami Focaccia.
So if you’re coeliac or gluten-intolerant and you’ve been steering clear of sandwiches, it might be time to dip your toe back in. Things have come a long way. And honestly, having a go-to sandwich like this one makes weekday lunches feel a little bit indulgent, a little bit nostalgic, and totally worth it.
Frequently asked questions
Why toast the inside of the focaccia before assembling it?
Giving the cut sides a quick toast creates a light barrier between the bread and the vegetables, which helps stop the focaccia becoming soggy. This is particularly useful with ingredients like roasted peppers, eggplant and sundried tomatoes, which can all carry a little extra moisture or oil.
Do I need to drain the jarred vegetables first?
Yes. Grilled eggplant, sundried tomatoes and roasted red peppers from the deli or a jar can all carry quite a bit of oil or liquid. Let them drain well, or blot them lightly with paper towel before assembling, so the focaccia stays crisp rather than becoming oily or soft.
How do I stop the filling from squeezing out in the sandwich press?
Keep the layers fairly restrained and drain or blot any oily vegetables before assembling. Close the press gently rather than pushing down firmly, particularly at the beginning when the cheese is just starting to melt and the filling can shift around more easily.
Ingredient breakdown
Focaccia
Focaccia gives this sandwich a soft, airy centre with enough structure to hold the substantial filling. Lightly toasting the cut sides before assembling helps protect the crumb from the moisture and oil in the vegetables, while the final press crisps the outside and warms everything through.
Salted butter
A light layer of salted butter adds richness to the toasted focaccia and gives the inside a little extra flavour before the filling goes in. You only need a small amount because the salami, cheese, olives and vegetables already bring plenty of richness and seasoning.
Provolone cheese
Provolone melts smoothly and gives the sandwich a mild sharpness that works particularly well with the salami and roasted vegetables. One slice is enough to bind the filling together as it melts without overwhelming the other ingredients.
Sopressa salami
Sopressa brings richness, spice and savoury depth to the focaccia. Because it has a fairly pronounced flavour, a couple of slices are enough to make its presence felt while still allowing the roasted vegetables to remain a major part of the filling.
Grilled eggplant
Eggplant adds a soft, substantial texture and a gently smoky flavour that makes the sandwich feel more substantial without relying entirely on meat and cheese. If you’re using grilled eggplant packed in oil, blot away the excess before adding it so the bread stays crisp.
Sundried tomatoes
Sundried tomatoes provide concentrated tomato flavour with a slightly sweet, tangy edge. Their intensity works well against the creamy provolone and salty salami, but drain them thoroughly if they’re packed in oil so they don’t make the focaccia greasy.
Roasted red peppers
Roasted red peppers add sweetness, softness and a fresh vegetable flavour that balances the stronger salami and olives. Drain them well before assembling, particularly if you’re using jarred peppers packed in liquid.
Kalamata olives
Kalamata olives bring a salty, slightly fruity bite that ties the Mediterranean flavours together. Slicing them helps distribute that flavour evenly through the sandwich rather than leaving you with whole olives in individual bites. They’re naturally quite salty, so no additional seasoning is needed.
