TikTok users are once again combining familiar ingredients in fresh ways with a viral recipe that combines a salad and a sandwich. If you haven't seen the popular Grind Sandwich recipe on your "For You" page and are wondering what exactly it is, it's pretty much a sandwich with a coleslaw-like salad inside. The sandwich uses all the same ingredients as a classic Italian sandwich, but comes with a "grind slaw" made of mayonnaise, lettuce, onions and a customizable mix of dressings . Not only that, but it’s completely approved by Kylie Jenner.
On March 28, TikTok user @ohheyimgray posted a video of her boyfriend @joshcookswright making her a sandwich step- by-step, which she happily calls a "sando," The audience is affected. Since then, many people have begun recreating this flavor-packed sandwich. The #GrinderSandwich hashtag has been viewed more than 9.5 million times on TikTok, with users not only following the original recipe but also swapping it out with their own versions of grinder salad dressing and different types of bread. As @cookiterica said in an April 5 TikTok showing her take on the sandwich, "Sandwiches are deeply personal. You do what you love!"
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You can even serve the grinded salad as a separate dish or even as a chip dip if you don't have all the meat and cheese needed for a sandwich . FYI, cold cuts in this recipe can include turkey, ham, salami, capicola, prosciutto, and pepperoni. For cheese, you'll want to stock up on provolone, muenster, and freshly shredded parmesan. Of course, you can customize the sandwich to your liking and remove or substitute ingredients as needed. Although once you scroll through the tabs, you'll want to try this sub in full - including towers of gooey cheese and creamy slaw. Kylie Jenner even got in on the trend with a TikTok video posted on July 12. In the video, she serves ground falafel with a thick layer of salad and even extra mayonnaise. "I'm sure you either love mayonnaise or absolutely hate it," she wrote in the caption.
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Why is it called a grind sandwich?
This viral sandwich goes by many names, including: Italian grinder, grinder falafel, grinder sandwich, and grinder. No matter what you choose to call it, the heart of the classic grinder is an oven-baked meat and cheese sandwich topped with heaps of Italian bread toppings. According to a 2013 article in Bon Appétit , the sandwich gets its name from the fact that its contents are harder to chew than a typical sandwich—possibly due to the sheer number of layered toppings. Since your teeth basically have to grind to bite through all those layers of meat and iceberg lettuce, the name makes sense.
How to Make Italian Griddle Sandwiches
As mentioned before, TikTok users mostly stick to the basics of this sandwich recipe and then add certain ingredients based on personal preference. Feel free to do the same with your own sandwich, since it's actually made to order. The measurements below come from @cookiterica who tagged the original creator @ohheyimgray in the video. This is what you need:
raw material
1 loaf of soft bread (can be white, Italian or any bread of your choice)
Provolone cheese, thinly sliced
Muenster cheese, thinly sliced
Parmesan cheese, shredded
deli ham
salami
tomatoes, thinly sliced
lemon juice
olive oil
Note: The original TikTok included turkey, capicola, prosciutto and pepperoni in addition to ham and salami.
grind salad
1 iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Crush red pepper flakes, to taste
1/2 cup banana peppers
onions, thinly sliced for seasoning
process
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Cut the bread of your choice in half. Top with slices of provolone and muenster cheese and place in the oven until soft and melted.
Arrange sliced deli meats over the cheese and top with the optional pepperoni slices.
Shred the Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the meat. Place the sandwich back in the oven for a few minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Combine mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, garlic, banana peppers, shredded iceberg lettuce, and onions (not required) in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.
Get some tongs and transfer the salad to one side of the sandwich. You can add more Parmesan cheese if you like.
Slice tomatoes thinly and season with lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil. Arrange tomato slices over salad.
Assemble the sandwich together and you're done. Be sure to keep some extra slaw on the side to use as dipping sauce for the chips.
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Before you make a grinder sandwich, scroll through for more TikTok tutorials. Remember, fixtures can be adjusted as needed. You own this sub.
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Slices of turkey and brushed with rosemary garlic butter take this dish to the next level.
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That drizzle of balsamic vinegar at the end is the stuff of dreams.
