Mortadella is a fairly popular type of meat that is used as an important ingredient in all sorts of different recipes. This includes things like sandwiches, appetizers, homemade combinations which act as snacks, and more.
It is also delicious when eaten without any other ingredients. In fact, raw mortadella itself is also a fairly popular snack among some people. This specifically refers to raw mortadella which is cut into relatively thin slices.
In short, people like mortadella as it is a great versatile ingredient that can be used for all sorts of different things.
Mortadella often comes in the shape of a large Italian sausage. It is primarily made of freshly ground pork. It also contains fat from the neck of the pig.
But as pork is not eaten by Muslims, Mortadella made of other meats is also available in the market. Beef mortadella is also made from freshly ground meat.
Chicken mortadella is also available in some countries. But mortadella made of pork is not a very common item. You can’t find it in a grocery store easily.
If you live in a Muslim country, there’s no chance you will ever get pork mortadella. But there are plenty of alternatives that are just as good.
If you are making something that requires mortadella but forgot to get some, you don’t have to panic at all.
Substitute for Mortadella
Many people don’t eat pork. Some don’t even eat beef. Whatever the reason, there are many instances where people might need a substitute for mortadella.
Fortunately, there are always multiple substitutes for each ingredient so you don’t have to put a stop to your cooking plans if you can’t get your hands at mortadella.
With the help of a substitute, you can make your dish taste as close to the original as possible. One thing to remember when choosing a substitute is that it should be close to the original.
You can’t use chicken in a pork-based dish and expect to get the same results. Although you can still make that dish with chicken, it just won’t have an authentic taste.
So, it is important to go for a substitute that is as close to the original in taste and texture as possible.
You’ll be pleased to learn that there are a lot of different substitutes for Mortadella. These substitutes are mainly for specific dishes and you should be able to try out at least one of them depending on what you’re trying to make.
We’ve mentioned a few of the best mortadella substitutes below, along with a bit more information about them. Just take a look at the list below if you wish to use an alternative ingredient for mortadella regardless of the reason.
1. Bologna
Bologna is pretty much the best alternative that you can use for mortadella. Both bologna and mortadella are the same things in essence, with the only main difference being the chunks of fat.
While mortadella has those small chunks of fat in it which some people like, bologna doesn’t feature anything of the sort. Regardless of this, both the meats are very similar in other aspects.
For example, their overall texture is quite similar. The taste of both mortadella and bologna can also be quite similar depending on the cooking method.
This is pretty much the exact reason why Bologna is considered one of the best mortadella alternatives.
As both of them have the same texture and mainly feature the same taste, you can easily use bologna as a replacement for mortadella in just about any meal.
You will surely love well-made bologna if you’re a fan of mortadella and wish to try out something similar. You can never go wrong when trying to use it as a substitute for mortadella in any of your recipes.
Bologna is not an uncommon type of meat, which is why you won’t have any trouble finding it. Mortadella, on the other hand, is not common. So, if you can’t find mortadella, bologna is the best option.
But due to the fat content difference between the two types of meat, if you use bologna, your dish will taste different than if it was made with mortadella.
2. Salami
Salami is one of the best options for those that like the texture and chunks of fat found inside of mortadella. Salami also features a similar type of chunks of fat and is very common, meaning you should be able to get some easily.
It is another type of cured sausage and mainly consists of pork or beef, along with a few other types of fermented meat.
Salami is a good replacement for mortadella inside of sandwiches, but it must be said that the overall taste of the two types of meat is quite different.
However, you should still try salami as an alternative for mortadella if you’re looking to try something new and like the texture as well as the chunks of fat in the latter.
If you are going for the authentic taste when making a dish, then salami won’t be much helpful since it tastes different than mortadella.
But if you just want to try a new type of meat or make a dish for yourself and your family, you can try making it with salami and see whether you like it or not.
3. Olive Loaf
The olive loaf is another good option for those that need a good alternative to mortadella. It is pre-cooked and cut into multiple thin slices which are then added to different types of food, just like mortadella.
The olive loaf is a somewhat unique type of meat, as it features olives scattered all around its insides. These olives give the olive loaf a strong olive-like taste. They also help the meat to develop a juicy and delicious taste.
If you’re a fan of both mortadella and olives, you should definitely try using olive loaf as an alternative for it.
The good thing about olive loaf is that it comes in pre-cooked slices, so you don’t have to worry about cooking it. But there are a lot of people who don’t like the taste of olives.
As a result, they cannot use olive loaf meat as a substitute for mortadella. If the olive loaf is used in a recipe, then the resulting dish will also have a strong taste of olives. So, this is not the kind of substitute that everyone can use.
4. Land Jager
Land Jager is another very good option for those interested in substitutes for mortadella. It is a type of sausage that originated from Europe.
It is commonly used as a material for snacks, much like mortadella itself. It is generally made with beef and/or pork by preparing them with a wide range of spices and smoking them.
Its overall taste is quite similar to that of pepperoni, but it is still an effective substitute for mortadella in a wide range of meals.
Due to the smokey taste of Land Jager, it is a favorite type of meaty snack of many people. But if you haven’t tried it in a dish before, it might take you a while to get used to its taste.
If you don’t like using Land Jager in a recipe, you can always eat it as a snack or serve it to guests at a party.
Conclusion:
Mortadella is a unique type of meat. It comes in a beautiful round shape. But it is not easily available everywhere. If you have come across a recipe that you want to try desperately, you would want to get all the ingredients for it.
But if you need mortadella for the recipe and it is not available, you can always go for a substitute. You can pick one of the four substitutes we have mentioned above and we can assure you your dish will turn out to be delicious.