Review: Spicy Pepperoni from Subway
Bottom Line: While the Spicy Pepperoni from Subway seems to be on the slim side, it still delivers on taste and heat.
America’s biggest sandwich chain has several spicy options on its menu, including the Spicy Italian as well as the new hot honey menu (more on that here). I recently stopped by and noticed yet another selection that promises some heat, which is their new Spicy Pepperoni. And as a plus, that is one of their value sandwiches, selling for $3.99 in my area. Here is the rundown on that from the website:
Spicy pepperoni, Pepper Jack, lettuce, roma tomatoes, red onions, jalapeños and Creamy Sriracha on our freshly baked Artisan Italian bread.
When I ordered mine, the Italian bread was still cooking in the oven, so I swapped it for the Italian Herbs and Cheese. Still a good option.
To start off with, I will say that it looks like shrinkflation has hit Subway because this was one of the thinnest sandwiches I ever remember getting from them. Maybe that was just a glitch with the particular batch of bread, but I know these big companies are trying to save money wherever they can (to assure that the bosses are paid well), so it wouldn’t surprise me if they have downsized the sandwich size.
Despite that, I did rather enjoy this new offering. The pepperoni is the same as what what you get in their Spicy Italian, which does have a nice kick to go along with its rich and savory meatiness, and they give you a decent portion. The pepper jack cheese does not stand out too much, but it does bring some creaminess and a slight boost to the heat. The jalapeños have a nice vinegar pop along with a good kick. The Creamy Sriracha has some mayonnaise tang and a bit of a peppery taste, but it does not stand out too much. The veggies were all fresh enough, with the lettuce and onions adding a bit of a crunch. And I was rather glad I got the Italian Herbs and Cheese bread because it brought everything together quite well (you can sub it for the regular Italian bread at no extra charge).
As for the heat, this sandwich does have a nice kick, especially for something that comes from one of the major chains. Between the pepperoni, the pepper jack cheese, the jalapeños, and the spicy sauce, this got up to Medium on my scale, maybe even a tick higher. Pepperoni is not something I generally eat as the sole meat on my sandwich, but it sure worked quite well here, and I would certainly get this again.
As for the calories, this comes in at 520 for the six-inch, which is not too bad (they don’t provide a further breakout of the nutrition). That is higher than the “healthier” sandwiches they sell, and it is going to have its share of fat and sodium from the pepperoni. But you could do much worse in the drive-thru. If you grab a bag of Miss Vickie’s Jalapeño chips as a side, that only adds 210 cals, and you’re still not breaking the calorie bank at that point.
At $3.99 for the six-inch sandwich, this one joins three other similarly priced items on the menu (Cold Cut Combo, Ham & Salami, and BLT). But I still remember the days before companies used COVID as an excuse to jack up all their prices, when quite a number of the six-inchers were under four bucks and they often ran the twelve-inch special at five bucks. That was a different world, though, and nowadays fast food is typically not cheap food.
This is a new selection, and I don’t see any indication that it is limited-time-only (they already have all of the ingredients to make it), but there’s no telling how long it will stay at the lower price. It is certainly a good sandwich for the money, and while I don’t visit Subway too often, this one might get me back in the doors a little more often if it stays in this price range.
