We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Food

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Mortadella?

Tricia Christensen
By
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 171,949
Share

Mortadella is an Italian cured sausage, resembling bologna in size and appearance. It is made of pork that is first ground and then mashed into a paste, and may get its name from the Roman word for "mortar." A mortar and pestle were once commonly used to crush meats, fruits, and grain.

In addition to meat, mortadella is studded with fat taken from the throat of the pig. It is spiced with pepper, and may also contain myrtle berries and coriander. In Italy, the sausage is often studded with pistachios or pine nuts. As prepared in Italy, it is cooked for several hours at a low temperature, with low humidity. After baking, it must be refrigerated, but can keep for up to eight months.

Mortadella was and is still most frequently produced in Bologna, Italy, and it's mentioned in records dating as far back as the 14th century. An estimated 160,000 tons are consumed in that country each year.

In most cases in the US, mortadella is sliced as thick as bologna, but Italians prefer to serve it very thinly sliced. Even though the fat pieces may look ominous to dieters, this sausage does not contain an overwhelming amount of saturated fat. Each slice has approximately 9% saturated fat, but an overall 28% fat content.

In Italy, mortadella is a popular sandwich ingredient, often combined with provolone cheese in a panino. It's also used as one of the meats in antipasto dishes, where it may be topped off with a thin layer of olive oil. Most US submarine sandwich restaurants use mortadella, along with Genoa salami, ham and provolone cheese, to produce the well-loved Italian sub. Europeans outside of Italy use the sausage frequently and are its largest consumers outside of Italy. It's also popular in Brazil and Argentina, and its market in the United States is experiencing significant growth.

Most gourmets avoid American-made mortadella, unless it is made in the Italian style. Part of this may be due to the US tendency to serve the sausage in thick slices, where the spice and fat may be overbearing. Throughout the US, Italian and other European markets and delis often offer more traditional styles.

If a shopper cannot find mortadella that appeals to him or her locally, it can be ordered from various American suppliers online. The Internet also provides the opportunity to order the classic sausage straight from Bologna. Chefs my find that it's necessary to invest in a slicer to achieve the classic serving style.

Share
DelightedCooking is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Tricia Christensen
By Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a DelightedCooking contributor, Tricia Christensen is based in Northern California and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her writing. Her wide-ranging interests include reading, writing, medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion, all of which she incorporates into her informative articles. Tricia is currently working on her first novel.
Discussion Comments
By anon163710 — On Mar 28, 2011

You can eat mortadella from the pan (fried). I also grew up with that. A couple of eggs over easy over a mortadella slice tastes very good. Of course you have to have good bread (solid, not sodium).

By coreys — On Dec 07, 2010

Wow, I have grown up with mortadella, as my father is of Spanish origin, yet i never knew what was in it. But now i know how tasty and delicious pig throat fat is, mmmmmm.

Thank you wise geek, you are my hero!

By anon117470 — On Oct 10, 2010

I was so ticked when I went into this deli/bakery and asked for a simple Mortadella sandwich and they come back with a fried sandwich. No, no, no! Mortadella is not meant to be fried. I am from an old town in Italy and if anyone were to do such a thing you'd get chased with a rolling pin lol. Italian is about simplicity -- nothing more.

By anon112279 — On Sep 19, 2010

when I was a kid growing up in Brazil we would have mortadella sandwiches. Just a few thin slices of mortadella, butter or margarine, on a french sour dough bread and that's all we needed. later, we adopted a less fatty version in it, which doesn't have the lard blobs in it, because it is healthier - and, in that, it is similar to American bologna.

By anon111278 — On Sep 15, 2010

Hard mortadella salami on french white bread. maybe little olive oil warp in paper and you're good to go!

By anon87696 — On Jun 01, 2010

In Sicily, Mortadella is made from Donkey & Pork meat & spices.

By anon74206 — On Mar 31, 2010

Um, I don't see any mention of peppers or olives in the making of mortadella: "...In addition to pork meat, mortadella is studded with pork fat taken from the throat of the pig. It is spiced with pepper, and may also contain myrtle berries and coriander. In Italy, mortadella is often studded with pistachios or pine nuts."

American or not, (and fried or not) I think anon55405 has this meat confused with olive loaf? Or perhaps they didn't read the whole article.

By anon55405 — On Dec 07, 2009

Come on! Fried mortadella? that's plain wrong. Why do you americans want to fry everything? Mortadela should be eaten with a good pan flauta (kind of like your italian bread) alone, to give the taste buds a good sample of the spices, peppers and olives. And if you are worried about your cholesterol, you might want to stay away from any italian cold cut.

By anon39341 — On Jul 31, 2009

Wouldn't eat it everyday with a cholesterol issue. Once a week is fine. I love it.

By anon37152 — On Jul 17, 2009

I went to the deli and asked for mortadella. They didn't know if it was a cheese or a meat. We assumed it was cheese. We were wrong. It was called for in a recipe for muffaletta salad by Emeril. I'm going to make it anyway with the mortadella omitted. We'll probably never miss it.

By anon28727 — On Mar 21, 2009

Is mortadella bad for you if you have high cholesterol?

By 6pack — On Mar 26, 2008

fried mortadella sandwiches is also a great way to eat mortadella!

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a DelightedCooking contributor, Tricia...
Learn more
Share
https://www.delightedcooking.com/what-is-mortadella.htm
Copy this link
DelightedCooking, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

DelightedCooking, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.