Joshua’s Recipe for Anthony Bourdain’s “Mortadella and Cheese Sandwich”
Can Joshua Weissman make Anthony Bourdain's “Mortadella and Cheese Sandwich” even better?
Joshua Weissman•
Aug 27, 2025
Ingredients (21)
“Russian Dressing" Sauce
Sandwich Ingredients
Individual Sandwich Assembly
Directions
Make The Russian Dressing: In a small bowl, add mayonnaise (1 cup), ketchup (⅓ cup), Worcestershire sauce (2 tsp), paprika (½ tsp), hot sauce (1 Tbsp), mustard (2 Tbsp), chives (1 Tbsp), horseradish (1 Tbsp), and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk to combine.
Heat a 10-inch non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Lightly grease the hot pan using canola oil or cooking spray and add your folded pieces of mortadella (1 ½ lb) into the pan. Add thinly sliced onion (1) to the mortadella (1 ½ lb) and press into the pan with a weight for 2-3 minutes, or until crispy and brown.
Flip the mortadella (1 ½ lb), keeping the onions (1) below the meat. Reduce the heat to medium low, add provolone cheese (8 slices) to the mortadella (1 ½ lb) and cover with a lid or overturned bowl until the cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes.
Remove the cheesy mortadella (1 ½ lb) from the pan and set to the side on a warmed plate or small baking sheet. Add half your butter (8 Tbsp) to the pan and increase heat to medium. Once melted, place one piece of bread (8 slices) in the pan to toast, 1-2 minutes.
Spread sauce (8 Tbsp) on the untoasted side facing up and place cheesy mortadella (1 ½ lb) on the bread (8 slices).
Immediately transfer back to your warmed plate or baking sheet. Add remaining butter to the pan. Once melted, toast your other slice of bread. Remove bread (8 slices) from the pan and spread sauce (8 Tbsp) on the untoasted side followed by additional sauce (8 Tbsp) on your melted cheese. Slice, serve, and enjoy.
