Porchetta Melt

When I made porchetta I ensured that I had plenty of leftovers to make some sandwiches. Succulent porchetta meat is mixed with broccolini, sautéed onions and provolone cheese then steamed with a little beer to serve this sandwich cheesesteak style. It is one beautiful, delicious mess piled into a crisp roll for a play on Philadelphia’s famous roast pork sandwiches. The flavorful roast Italian porchetta is a great substitute for classic roast pork.

You can get the recipe for homemade porchetta here. But if you don’t feel like making it yourself (it is fairly time consuming), then you can pick some up at some specialty stores or butcher shops. If you’re in LA then Gjusta in Venice has some great porchetta!

Porchetta Melt

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

• Broccolini – Broccolini, sometimes referred to as baby broccoli, looks similar to broccoli. They have longer, thinner stems with more sparse florets. The broccolini is blanched to cook it while retaining the bright green flavor.
• Porchetta – You can find thinner deli-sliced porchetta at some Italian delis though I typically make my own porchetta using my recipe here and make this breakfast sandwich using the leftovers.
• Provolone –  Provolone is a mild, semi-hard Italian cheese made of cow’s milk. It has a mild, nutty texture and creamy flavor. It’s also similar to havarti. You can use either deli-sliced or shredded cheese in this recipe.  

How to Make a Porchetta Melt

1. Prep the broccolini. Trim the dry ends of the broccolini, about ¼” to a ½” up the stalk and discard. In a large pot over medium heat, bring 3 quarts of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Have a large bowl of ice water ready on the side.
2. Blanch the broccolini. Add the broccolini and cook for about 2 minutes, until the broccolini is tender. Quickly drain the water and place the broccolini in the ice bath to stop the cooking process. When cool, drain the broccolini then chop into 1-inch chunks and set aside.
3. Sauté onions. In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the butter and heat through. Add the onions and sauté until tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
4. Toss broccolini, onions and porchetta together. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the remaining oil and heat through. Next, Add the garlic and sauté until just golden brown, about 30 seconds. Then add the broccolini, onions and porchetta and toss to combine.
5. Add cheese. Top with the provolone then add the beer and cover immediately. Let the mixture steam until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
6. Toss to combine and add to sandwich rolls. Toss to combine so the cheese is incorporated then divide the porchetta mixture among the rolls and serve immediately.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this roast pork sandwich recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

• Broccolini with Garlic and Red Wine Vinegar
• Meatball Subs with Spicy Beef and Pork Meatballs
• Italian Sloppy Joe Sandwich

Porchetta Melt

Print Pin

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Serves 4

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients:

• ½ pound broccolini
• 1 medium red onion, sliced
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound porchetta, thinly sliced
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ cup shredded provolone cheese
• 2 tablespoons beer
• 4 (6-inch) ciabatta rolls (or other crusty roll)

Instructions:

• Trim the dry ends of the broccolini, about ¼” to a ½” up the stalk and discard. In a large pot over medium heat, bring 3 quarts of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Have a large bowl of ice water ready on the side.
• Add the broccolini and cook for about 2 minutes, until the broccolini is tender. Quickly drain the water and place the broccolini in the ice bath to stop the cooking process. When cool, drain the broccolini then chop into 1-inch chunks and set aside.
• In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the butter and heat through. Add the onions and sauté until tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the remaining oil and heat through. Add the garlic and sauté until just golden brown, about 30 seconds. Add the broccolini, onions and porchetta and toss to combine.
• Top with the provolone then add the beer and cover immediately. Let the mixture steam until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
• Toss to combine so the cheese is incorporated then divide the porchetta mixture among the rolls and serve immediately.

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