Review: Arby's - Smoked Italian Porchetta Sandwich

Arby's Smoked Italian Porchetta Sandwich features sliced smoked pork loin porchetta, banana peppers, Italian seasoning, red onion, tomato, lettuce, smoked provolone, a red wine vinaigrette, and garlic aioli, on a toasted Italian roll.

I picked one up for $5.99.

There was a fairly generous amount of porchetta in my sandwich for the most part, but it was spread a little unevenly. The meat was sliced thicker than is typical for Arby's (especially compared to the paper-thinness of their roast beef) and gave the porchetta a more textured, satisfying mouth feel (which is to say it felt more like eating a cut of meat and less like chopped ham or a thin-sliced hot dog).

Taste-wise, the porchetta delivered a very enjoyable seasoned and porky flavor that stood out well against the other ingredients in the sandwich. The Italian seasoning added a slight herbiness.

The cheese was nicely melted but otherwise just disappeared into the sandwich.

The veggies were fresh with the banana peppers standing out with the occasional burst of tanginess, while the onion and lettuce provided a light crispness. They were a bit stingy with the tomato and onions though. I got two small slices of tomato and, maybe, two strands and two rings of onion.

Between the veggies, the garlic aioli, and red wine vinaigrette, my particular sandwich was a tad on the wet side. Not so much that the bread was soggy but it made for some pretty messy eating. I don't recommend eating it in your car.

The bread was soft, chewy, and resilient. It could have stood to have a bit more toasting.

When it comes down to it, Arby's Smoked Italian Porchetta Sandwich made for a tasty eating experience largely on the strength of the porchetta itself. It would probably be better with a bit more onion and tomato and a lot less vinaigrette though (although that probably varies from location to location).

Nutritional Info -Arby's Smoked Italian Porchetta sandwich (334g)
Calories - 690 (from Fat - 380)
Fat - 42g (Saturated Fat - 14g)
Sodium - 2190mg
Carbs - 46g (Sugar - 4g)
Protein - 30g