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    Home » Recipes » Lunch Recipes

    Published: Jul 22, 2021 by Nicole This post may contain affiliate links.

    Giant Sub Sandwich

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Whether you're looking for a party sub, a cold dinner idea or simply wanting an easy to pack picnic lunch, this giant sub sandwich is perfect for them all! Made with just a few ingredients this recipe is both easy and frugal!

    a large sub sandwich that has been served into 4 large slices and fresh flowers in the background

    I'm sure we've all seen a giant sub sandwich before. One giant party sub that can feed a small army if you try. Well, this giant sub may not feed an army, but it will feed a family of 4 or 5 just fine.

    We often slice it into 4 sections and allow everyone to fill up on their quarter sub for a cold dinner during hot summer days because it's pretty filling. To stretch the sandwich out to feed even more people, it can be cut into 8-10 pieces about 2 inches wide and several inches tall.

    Serve it up with a side of Creamy Orange Fluff Salad for a cold summer meal that everyone will enjoy!

    Why This Recipe Works

    1. It's frugal. We like grabbing our Italian loaves of bread from Walmart's clearance rack so that they are marked down to $.49 instead of $1, but either way, this large sub recipe is pretty cheap to pull together.
    2. It's easy. Everyone knows how easy it is to make a sandwich, but making sandwiches for everyone in the family at one time can take a while, especially when you have a big appetite. This one sandwich is a lot easier to prep and serve than individual sandwiches.
    3. It's customizable! What do you like on your sandwiches? Put them on the loaf! You can change out the condiments, meats, and veggies to suit your own tastes.
    Jump to:
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🍽 Equipment Needed
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 🍴 Recipe Tips
    • 💭 FAQs
    • 📖 Recipe
    ingredients needed to make a giant sub sandwich at home

    🥘 Ingredients

    Italian loaf of bread- You could use french bread if desired, but we like Italian loaf because the bread is softer and less chewy, which is much easier for the kids to bite into.

    Lunch meat- You can't beat the classics like turkey and ham, but feel free to add roast beef, salami, or any other meats you'd enjoy.

    Condiments- Adding your favorite condiments like mustard and mayo is a great way to add flavor and moisture to the bread. You can always leave the condiments off of a section of the sandwich or omit it entirely if desired.

    Lettuce- for added freshness and crunch, we like to use iceberg lettuce or pre-shredded lettuce.

    Pickles- My husband introduced me to bread and butter pickles on sandwiches, and I have never looked back!

    Sliced Cheese- Use your favorite sliced cheese if desired. We like to use cheddar, American, or munster.

    For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.

    🍽 Equipment Needed

    BeeyondCereal is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.

    • Bread knife
    • Butter knives
    • Cutting Board

    🔪 Instructions

    Check out how to make giant sub sandwich with these simple step-by-step instructions:

    Lay your loaf of Italian bread onto a cutting board and use a large bread knife to cut the sandwich along the side/middle area so that it creates a top and bottom half.

    Lay the two halves side by side with the cut sides facing up. On one, spread your mayo over the top. Spread the mustard over the top of the other half. Coat the tops well to avoid blank spots but use more or less of the condiments as desired.

    Cover the top of one half with cheese slices and arrange the lettuce leaves over the top of the other half.

    Fit and fold the lunch meat slices as needed to cover the top one of the halves.

    Add your additional topping to the top of the other half. This is your pickles, tomatoes, onions, olives, etc.

    Take the half that doesn't have the topping and place it over the top of the half with the toppings. Then flip the whole sandwich over so that it is upright if needed.

    an angled view of a giant sub sandwich with fresh flowers and a checkered towel to the sides

    Use a large bread knife to slice the sandwich into serving-sized pieces.

    Serve with any side dishes desired. Potato chips, cold fruit, and lemonade are all good suggestions.

    three cut pieces of a giant sub sandwich

    🍴 Recipe Tips

    When traveling with your sandwich, we often bag ours up in serving-sized pieces or if going on a picnic, we slice the sub up and place it back into the bread bag that the loaf originally came in and close the end. It makes it much more convenient for traveling.

    By cutting the sandwich before leaving the house, it prevents you from tearing the sandwich apart at your destination or carrying around a large knife in public. Neither option sounds great.

    You can customize your huge sub sandwich to your own liking. No mayo, no mustard, add tomatoes, onions, black olives, salami, etc. The possibilities are endless for a customized and unique sandwich experience.

    💭 FAQs

    Can I make a giant sub with French Bread?

    You can use French bread if desired, but we personally prefer the softer Italian bread loaf as it's much less chewy. French bread is a great option if you want the thicker crust and chewiness though! (We love French bread, but not for this).

    How long are giant subs good for?

    This sandwich is best eaten within 2 hours of making but can last up to a day or two if stored in an airtight container in the fridge. You don't want to leave the sandwich sitting out too long at room temperature due to the condiments and cheese. Mayo doesn't do well with heat. But thanks to the thickness of the bread, it can be placed in the fridge for even longer storage if you don't finish it all at once.

    Does a giant sub travel well?

    Yes, we really enjoy making these large sandwiches before we go out to a park for a picnic. The bread and sandwiches feel much more sturdy, and less like to get squished by other foods in the cooler. This has definitely been our go-to meal for the past few years. Cheap, easy, filling, and easy to store.

    giant sub sandwich that has been cut into large slices

    More great lunch recipes to try

    • Momma’s Easy Egg Salad Recipe
    • Air Fryer Club Sandwich
    • Pepperoni Pizza Sticks
    • Mac and Cheese Quesadilla
    • Cheesy Bean and Rice Burritos
    • Microwave Grilled Cheese
    • Air Fryer Turkey Sandwich

    📖 Recipe

    an upclose view of 4 slices of a giant sub sandwich with one in the background on a white plate
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Giant Sub Sandwich

    Whether you're looking for a party sub, a cold dinner idea or simply wanting an easy to pack picnic lunch, this giant sub sandwich is perfect for them all! Made with just a few ingredients this recipe is both easy and frugal!
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 0 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Servings: 8 slices
    Calories: 215kcal
    Cost Recipe $4.74 / Serving $0.59
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Bread knife
    • Butter knives
    • Cutting Board

    Ingredients

    • 1 loaf Italian Bread ($1.00)
    • 4 ounces Sliced Turkey Lunch Meat ($1.16)
    • 4 ounces Sliced Ham Lunch Meat ($1.16)
    • 6 slices Cheddar Cheese ($1.02)
    • ⅛ cup Yellow Mustard ($0.05)
    • ¼ cup Mayonaise ($0.10)
    • Pickles ($0.05)
    • Iceberg Lettuce ($0.20)

    Other optional toppings

    • Sliced Tomatoes
    • Sliced Onions
    • Sliced Black Olives
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Lay your loaf of Italian bread onto a cutting board. Using a large bread knife cut the sandwich along the side/middle area so that it creates a top and bottom half.
    • Lay the two halves side by side with the cut sides facing up. On one, spread your mayo over the top. On the other, spread the mustard. Spread well to coat so that there are no blank spots on the bread. You can use more or less as desired.
    • Top one half with your slices of cheese so that it's well covered. Arrange leaves of lettuce on the other.
    • Take your meat and fold the slices as needed to cover the sandwich well.
    • Add any pickles, tomatoes, onions, or olives over the top of the other half.
    • Take the half that doesn't have the additional toppings and turn it and place it on top of the others, so that the fillings are touching and the bread is on the outside. Then flip the whole sandwich so that the top is facing up.
    • Using a large bread knife, cut the sandwich into serving sized pieces. I find it best to cut the sandwich in half and then repeat by cutting each half in half until I get to the desired slice size.
    • Serve with any potato chips, cold fruit, or lemonade as desired.

    Notes

    Recipe Tips

    • When traveling with your sandwich, we often bag ours up in serving-sized pieces or if going on a picnic, we slice the sub up and place it back into the bread bag that the loaf originally came in and close the end. It makes it much more convenient for traveling.
    • By cutting the sandwich before leaving the house, it prevents you from tearing the sandwich apart at your destination or carrying around a large knife in public. Neither option sounds great.
    • You can customize your huge sub sandwich to your own liking. No mayo, no mustard, add tomatoes, onions, black olives, salami, etc. The possibilities are endless for a customized and unique sandwich experience.
    •  You can use French bread if desired but we personally prefer the softer Italian bread loaf as it's much less chewy. French bread is a great option if you want the thicker crust and chewiness though!

    Storage

    • This sandwich is best eaten within 2 hours of making but can last up to a day or two if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
    • You don't want to leave the sandwich sitting out too long at room temperature due to the condiments and cheese. Mayo doesn't do well with heat. But thanks to the thickness of the bread, it can be placed in the fridge for even longer storage if you don't finish it all at once.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 1slice | Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 14.1g | Fat: 11.7g | Saturated Fat: 4.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 47.8mg | Sodium: 370.8mg | Potassium: 141.7mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2.4g | Vitamin A: 77.1IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 171.5mg | Iron: 0.9mg
    Author NicoleDurham
    Course lunch, Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Tried this recipe?Mention @BeeyondCereal on Instagram and hashtag it #BeeyondCereal
    To view how this recipe was calculated you can visit my Pricing Disclosure Page for more information.

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    I'm Nicole and I am the owner and recipe developer here at Beeyond Cereal. I love saving money and one of the best places to trim expenses is in the kitchen. With this site, we are serving up tasty and frugal homemade dishes that the whole family will enjoy.

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