Types of Deli Meats

Sausage, salami, ham — all those savory, meaty delights you can munch on all day are grouped together as deli or lunch meats. They are prepared by curing and processing the meat to make them easy to prepare and enjoy. Often referred to as sandwich meats or cold cuts, they are so popular that March 3rd is celebrated as National Cold Cut Day in the United States.

The most common and versatile way to enjoy cold cuts is by putting them in a sandwich. Some, like salami, pepperoni, and smoked meats, are good to go straight from the package – no cooking required. After all the curing and processing, they’re no longer ‘raw’ and perfectly safe to eat.

List of the Different Types of Lunch Meats

The group extends beyond typical choices like sausage and roast beef, with numerous types of meats and preparation methods existing all over the world. While these traditional preparations often involve the use of nitrates and nitrites, often linked to an increased cancer risk, there are safer alternatives. The best one would be to choose fresh deli meats straight from the counter as they rely on simple salt for preservation, ensuring lower sodium levels and no nitrates or nitrites. Or go for products with a no-nitrates tag.

Here are some well-known and readily available types of cold cuts. The nutritional information is provided per ounce for each type, considering that the usual serving size for deli meats is 2-3 oz., regardless of the type or preparation method.

	Name	What is it	How to Eat	Calories/oz.	Protein/oz.
1	Sausage	Seasoned and cured ground meat in casing	Grilled, fried, or used in casseroles, stews, pastas	Varies	Varies
i	Bologna	Smooth-textured sausage, generally made from pork	Classic addition to Bolognese sauce and sandwiches	90 kcal	4 gm
—	Lebanon Bologna	Smoked and fermented bologna with beef and spices	Enjoyed sliced on sandwiches or with cheese	50 kcal	5 gm
ii	Braunschweiger	Smoked pork liver sausage from Germany, not to be confused with liverwurst. Varieties include Mettwurst and Brühwurst	Often spread on crackers, bread, or used in sandwiches	90 kcal	6 gm
iii	Chorizo	Spicy Spanish or Mexican sausage	Fried, grilled, and used in various dishes like paella and tacos	120 kcal	6 gm
iv	Liverwurst	Spreadable sausage made from liver	Enjoyed on sandwiches, crackers, or with pickles	90 kcal	4 gm
v	Morcilla	Spanish blood sausage, seasoned and cooked	Often served grilled or in a tapas dish	70 kcal	4 gm
vi	Summer Sausage	Seasoned and cured sausage, often made with beef	Sliced for sandwiches, crackers, or cheese plates	80 kcal	6 gm
vii	Salami	Cured and fermented sausage, usually pork or beef. Varieties include Italian and Jewish styles	Most varieties can be eaten raw. Great on sandwiches, charcuterie boards, or pizzas	80 kcal	6 gm
—	Capocollo	Italian cured meat, often made from pork neck	Sliced thin for sandwiches, salads, or antipasto	70 kcal	5 gm
—	Finocchiona	Italian salami flavored with fennel seeds	Enjoyed sliced thin on sandwiches or in salads	80 kcal	6 gm
—	Pepperoni	Spicy bright red Italian-American sausage	Commonly used as a pizza topping or in sandwiches	140 kcal	6 gm
—	Soppressata	Italian dry salami, available in cured and uncured varieties	Perfect for charcuterie boards, sandwiches, or pizzas	80 kcal	6 gm
2	Ham	Cured and smoked pork leg; Varieties in preparation include baked, boiled, smoked, and more	In sandwiches, salads, omelets, and pasta	50 kcal	6 gm
i	Jamón	Spanish dry-cured ham. Serrano and ibérico are two common varieties, with the first being the most popular	Enjoyed on its own, with bread, or in tapas	55 kcal	6 gm
ii	Presunto	Portuguese dry-cured ham	Best served thinly sliced with cheese and bread	30 kcal	6 gm
iii	Prosciutto	Italian dry-cured ham	Perfect wrapped around melon or in sandwiches	55 kcal	6 gm
3	Meatloaf	Ground meat mixture, typically made with beef or pork. Other meats like lamb, veal, and poultry can be used to make variations	Sliced for sandwiches or served as a main course with side dishes	Varies	Varies
i	Olive Loaf	Meatloaf with chopped olives	Ideal for sandwiches or appetizers	70 kcal	4 gm
ii	Pimento Loaf	Meatloaf with pimento peppers	Enjoyed sliced in sandwiches and wraps	60 kcal	4 gm
4	Head Cheese	Meat jelly or terrine containing various parts of the head of a pig or calf (except eyes, ears, and brains)	Used in sandwiches, charcuterie boards, or salads	44 kcal	4 gm
i	Salceson	Polish head cheese with many varieties based on the organs used	Often enjoyed on sandwiches or with mustard	Varies	Varies
5	Corned Beef	Beef brisket cured in brine	Classic in sandwiches or served with cabbage	60 kcal	5 gm
6	Turkey Breast	Lean white meat from turkey	Ideal for sandwiches, salads, or wraps	30 kcal	5 gm
7	Pastrami	Cured and seasoned beef, usually smoked	Classic in deli sandwiches or as a topping	50 kcal	6 grams
8	Roast Beef	Slow-roasted beef, thinly sliced	Staple in sandwiches, salads, or as a main dish	35 kcal	7 gm
9	Roast Lamb	Roasted lamb meat, thinly sliced	Great in sandwiches, gyros, or with mint sauce	60 kcal	7 gm
10	Roast Pork	Roasted boneless pork meat, thinly sliced	Perfect in sandwiches and tacos	30 kcal	6 gm
11	Chicken Breast	Lean white meat from chicken	Great for sandwiches, salads, or wraps	35 kcal	7 gm
12	Cotechino	Pork sausage, seasoned and cured	Often used in stews or served with lentils	70 kcal	6 gm
13	Chicken Loaf (Chicken Roll)	Ground chicken, seasoned and cooked	Sliced for sandwiches or diced in salads	50 kcal	5 gm
14	Mortadella	Italian sausage or lunch meat with pistachios	Classic in sandwiches or antipasto platters	80 kcal	7 gm
15	Pork Roll	Processed pork product, usually available in slices	Commonly used in sandwiches or breakfast dishes	90 kcal	6 gm
16	Bresaola	Air-dried, salted beef	Can be eaten raw. Ideal for antipasto platters or sandwiches	30 kcal	5 gm
17	Dutch Loaf	Cooked and seasoned lean pork and beef mixture	Sliced for sandwiches or cubed in salads	70 kcal	5 gm
18	Tongue	Beef tongue, cooked and sliced	Served sliced in sandwiches, tacos, or salads	40 kcal	7 gm
19	Pancetta	Italian bacon, cured and seasoned pork belly	Eaten raw or used in cooking, salads, or as a topping for different dishes	100 kcal	6 gm

Branded canned meats like SPAM and Treet are some of the most popular deli meat products in the US, having been around since the 1940s. Due to their long-standing presence, they often find a spot on deli meat lists.

If you buy your deli meats from supermarkets, lean meats, such as turkey and chicken, and lean cuts of beef and pork are healthier options. Brands like Applegate Naturals, Dietz & Watson, and 365 by Whole Foods Market offer products with minimal preservatives and additives.

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