The Jimmy John's Italian Night Club Copycat That's Even Better Homemade

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If you've ever been to Jimmy John's, you'll know there's no shortage of menu options. From Billy Clubs to Country Clubs, there's a sandwich out there for just about any flavor preference under the sun. And, for those who prefer a meaty sandwich with an Italian flair, the Italian Night Club is the way to go. But not everyone lives near a Jimmy John's, so developer Patterson Watkins created this copycat Jimmy John's Italian Night Club recipe to fill that void.  

"Jimmy John's is known for fast service, hand-sliced deli meats, and super fresh ingredients, plus oodles of customization," Watkins says. All of these quintessential Jimmy John's quirks are captured in her copycat version of the Italian Night Club, down to the array of meats — salami, capocollo, and smoked ham — to the simple toppings — lettuce and sliced onion — and the final drizzle of olive oil and white balsamic vinegar. The resulting sandwich is one that's every bit as loaded and juicy as Jimmy John's version — as Watkins so aptly puts it, "It's big. It's meaty. It's chock-full."

To make these copycat Jimmy John's Italian Night Clubs, you'll start with long hoagie rolls. Next, you'll need to round up the meats — salami, capocollo, and smoked ham. This recipe also requires a variety of toppings — provolone cheese, iceberg lettuce, beefsteak tomato, yellow onion, and mayonnaise. To finish the sandwiches, you'll need olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, dried oregano, and dried basil.

Slice a hoagie roll horizontally and gently pull out the soft, inner bread with your hands, leaving a border around the edge. Discard the ripped pieces or save for later use. Repeat with the remaining rolls.

Spread the inside of each roll with mayonnaise.

Divide the tomato slices between the rolls, placing three on one side of each roll.

Top the tomato slices with salami and capocollo.

Layer smoked ham and provolone over the salami and capocollo.

On the plain side of each roll, pile on the lettuce and onion.

Drizzle the lettuce and onion with olive oil and vinegar.

Season each sandwich with a hearty pinch of dried oregano and basil.

Close the sandwiches and serve.

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Any bona fide bread lover might find the act of hollowing out a perfectly fluffy hoagie roll to be nothing short of a crime, but there is a method to the madness. "Jimmy John's does this cool thing with their rolls ... they remove the centers!" Watkins explains. "Removing that fluffy stuff allows for more filling and, frankly, an easier sandwich to bite into." She goes on to note that the practice is somewhat standard for sandwich shops local to her in Philadelphia, and it does make for a better experience all around. However, if the thought of gutting a perfectly good hoagie is too much to bear, simply skip the hollowing step altogether, but know that your finished sub will be quite the mouthful.

You'll find yourself with a plethora of bread chunks after hollowing out the rolls, but don't be so quick to throw them away. Instead, use them to make breadcrumbs. To do so, spread the bread chunks out on a baking sheet and bake at 250 F until they feel dry. Then, turn them into fine crumbs in the food processor. Once the breadcrumbs have cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for one to two days or in the freezer for a longer period.

If you've been a Jimmy John's frequenter for years and years, then you may remember a (not so distant) time when the sandwich chain solely offered cold subs. Times have changed, however, and in March 2025, Jimmy John's began offering a select few toasted sandwiches on its menu, as well as allowing customers the toasted option for any of its Favorite Sandwich items, including our beloved Italian Night Club. 

Just as you can order a toasted Italian Night Club at Jimmy John's, it's entirely possible to toast this copycat version, too. Watkins says, "The trick is to oven toast your sandwiches before adding the veggies and condiments — lettuce, tomato, onion, and mayo." This means that you'll have to build the sandwich in a slightly different order. Start by preheating your oven between 400 F and 425 F and place the sandwiches topped with meat and cheese only onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toast the sandwich for 5 minutes, or until the cheese melts and the rolls are warm to the touch. From there, slather on the mayo, add the veggies, and top off your sandwich with oil, vinegar, and seasonings as written in the recipe.

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