Super Bowl 2019 food: Monster sandwiches feed a hungry crowd

Mark Graves | The Oregonian/OregonLive

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Super Bowl Sunday has evolved over the years into an unofficial national food holiday. While no single snack has become as synonymous with the big game as, say, turkey is to Thanksgiving, they all have that salty, spicy, fatty thing in common. After all, it's a mid-winter excuse for a bit of overindulgence.

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Mark Graves | The Oregonian/OregonLive

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The key to any successful Super Bowl buffet is having at least one item that acts as a centerpiece. Ideally, it's something that can be made ahead and be fuss-free. For many people, that's a slow cooker of hearty chili. But that can get messy, and dealing with bowls, soup spoons and tending to a condiment bar of grated cheese, lime wedges, etc., can be a hassle.

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Mark Graves | The Oregonian/OregonLive

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To simplify things, consider making mega sandwiches. Made with large loaves of Italian bread, they can be piled high with combinations of cheese, high-quality deli meat and a rainbow of pickled veggies. And these crowd-pleasing can be assembled and cut up in advance, keeping you out of the kitchen so you can actually enjoy the game.

Recipe included with this story: Monster Super Bowl Sammies.

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Mark Graves | The Oregonian/OregonLive

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For our Monster Super Bowl Sammies, we created a mash-up of a classic Muffuletta and an Italian-style sub. It's loaded with salami and hot capicola, and topped with a tangy olive and roasted red pepper salad. The pieces are held together with bamboo skewers, which makes them easy to handle. You can serve them side-by-side on a wood cutting board, or on a large sandwich platter for a little visual drama.

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Watch: Our mega sandwich comes together in 25 seconds

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Each slice is practically a meal unto itself. But it's Super Bowl Sunday, so you'll still want to round things out with game-day favorites like chips, salsa, guacamole, and so on.

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Collage by Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive

Need more inspiration for your Super Bowl party? Here are more recipes worth checking out:

-- Grant Butler

gbutler@oregonian.com

503-221-8566; @grantbutler

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