Italian Sandwich Fried Rice

When you are thinking of fried rice, the last thing you think would be Italian sandwich fried rice, but this crazy combination actually works! Just imagine taking a huge fork full of fried rice, and instead of tasting the usual pork, veggies, and soy sauce, you get hit with Italian meats, veggies, and even a little fried cheese! One of the bet things about an Italian grinder is that bright and fresh salad on top. I think that’s why the Italian grinder salad has been so popular lately. Some lettuce, banana peppers, roasted red peppes, and oil and vinegar really make the sandwich pop. I wanted to make sure I didn’t leave that important element out, so I put it right on top!

Inspiration for Italian Sandwich Fried Rice

I was in New York last week and had the best Italian sandwich. As usual it got me thinking about what makes a good sandwich, and what all the elements of the best sandwiches are. One of my favorite recipes I made recently is this Italian sandwich deep dish pizza, so I started thinking how else I could use the elements of an Italian sandwich in an unexpected way. After coming up with a handful of ideas, I narrowed it down to fried rice.

Let’s make it!

All the ingredients you might expect in an Italian sub. (plus a few you would find in fried rice)

• salami
• mortadella
• ham
• onion
• red pepper
• banana pepper
• lettuce
• basil
• onion
• cheese
• egg
• rice

I really wanted to add cheese but I almost gave up because I thought cheese would give the fried rice a gross texture. Finally at the last minute I realized a “grill-able” cheese like halloumi would be perfect. It could brown up with the other ingredients but wouldn’t melt and create a strange texture. It worked! just look at that nicely browned cheese in the picture below.

Onions in first, then the cheese, and then the meats. I used salami, ham, and mortadella. If you prefer things like capicola or prosciutto, definitely add them to your Italian sandwich fried rice, but these are my favorite meats to use.

Rice in next, then the egg. I like to cook the egg by itself in the middle for a bit, otherwise I don’t like how it coats some rice. A wok would obviously be better for this but I work with what I have and I do not have a wok at the moment.

My philosophy when combining recipes like this

When I make mash-up recipes, I am always looking for the “bridge” ingredients. The things that would be in both versions of the dish separately, really help a mash-up come together. For this Italian sandwich fried rice, ham is one, but the true bridge is basil. Sure, basil is not on every Italian sandwich, nor is it in every fried rice, but it definitely plays both sides on this one and feels right at home.

For the liquids, I used soy sauce, sesame oil, and balsamic, then after I plated it, I finished it with a drizzle of balsamic and a really good olive oil.

So good! For me, the banana peppers and lettuce are so important in an Italian sandwich, and they really shine in this fried rice. It’s very meaty of course, but the overall ratio is fantastic.

Twists on Italian Sandwich Fried Rice

I mentioned earlier you could put whatever your favorite meats for an Italian sandwich in this rice. You could also use your favorite toppings! Maybe some olives? Tomatoes?

How about turkey sandwich fried rice? I think if I did that it would be pretty similar to this, using turkey as the meat, and lettuce, tomato, and banana peppers as the veggies.