You know those people who cringe at the sight of an olive? We’re definitely not those people. In fact, we find olives quite addicting when presented to us on a cheese platter or served as a bar snack. Still, we have on occasion found a jar of ‘em languishing in our fridge for a long time because, well, we’re not always sure what to do with them. If you’re in the same boat, you’ll be pleased to know that we scoured the internet for the best and most innovative olive recipes around. Read on and prepare to be inspired (and maybe unexpectedly hungry).
52 Olive Recipes That Will Change the Way You Use Them Forever
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Published May 27, 2022
Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott/Nothing Fancy
1. Alison Roman’s Swordfish With Crushed Olives And Oregano
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, high protein, special occasion-worthy
Tender and juicy swordfish steaks are drizzled with vinaigrette and topped with crushed olives for a foolproof meal that looks oh-so fancy.
Christopher Hirsheimer/Canal House Cook Something
2. Chicken Thighs With Pancetta And Green Olives
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, high protein
Finally, a chicken thigh recipe that delivers the crispy skin we crave. (The pancetta and olives are just icing on the cake.)
Ed Anderson/Food of the Italian South
4. Insalata Di Rinforzo
- Time Commitment: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion
Because cauliflower is tastier when paired with pickled veggies in a colorful salad than when passed off as a pizza crust.
Quentin Bacon/Cook Like a Pro
5. Ina Garten’s Updated Chicken Marbella
- Time Commitment: 8 hours 55 minutes
- Why I Love It: high protein, crowd-pleaser
Here, prunes, olives, capers and copious amounts of garlic make a swoon-worthy marinade for chicken.
Photo Courtesy of Jake Gartland
6. Bruschetta With Olive Rosemary Tapenade
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, one bowl
This jalapeño-spiked olive tapenade is a baguette’s best friend—though, to be honest, we’d eat it with a spoon.
Feed Me Phoebe
7. Penne Pasta Salad With Zucchini, Olives And Chickpeas
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, gluten-free
Serve it with seafood for dinner, enjoy it solo at lunchtime, or bring it to a potluck to impress your friends; there are just so many ways to enjoy this classy pasta salad from Coterie member Phoebe Lapine.
Foodie Crush
8. Marinated Olives
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
These marinated olives, courtesy of Coterie member Heidi Larsen, are a welcome addition to charcuterie and cheese platters and a tasty anytime snack, to boot.
Well Plated by Erin
9. Greek Mac And Cheese
- Time Commitment: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead
An exciting new take on the classic comfort food, this veggie-packed and Mediterranean-inspired mac deserves to be part of your regular rotation.
10. Greek Chicken Pita Bowls
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, high protein
This protein-rich chicken bowl is creamy, flavorful and tasty all by its lonesome, but pop some pita in the air fryer or microwave and you’ve got a next level meal in your future.
Feasting at Home
11. Rosemary Olive Sourdough Bread
- Time Commitment: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegan, <10 ingredients
For folks who have taken up sourdough as a hobby, this roasted garlic and kalamata olive bread is a must-try. (Breadmaking novices might want to keep scrolling.)
Confessions of a Fit Foodie
12. Mediterranean Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Boats
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, make ahead, low carb
Tzatziki dressing, chicken and veggies combine to make a filling low carb meal that’s pretty enough to serve at a party.
The Creative Bite
13. Greek Freak Meatballs
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: low carb, keto-friendly, <10 ingredients
Perfectly seasoned and deliciously juicy meatballs that our keto friends can enjoy in a salad bowl (and the rest of us can serve atop a heaping pile of spaghetti or rice).
Foodie Crush
14. Mediterranean Kale Salad
- Time Commitment: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, Mediterranean diet
This combo of creamy chickpeas, tender artichoke hearts and salty kalamata olives is guaranteed to up your kale salad game.
Feed Me Phoebe
15. Homemade Chicken Sausage Patties With Olive And Oregano
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly
Lean, mean and loaded with Mediterranean flavor—these chicken sausage patties put the store-bought competition to shame.
Well Plated by Erin
16. Greek Layer Dip
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
As the name suggests, this appetizer boasts layers of goodness (think: hummus, Greek yogurt, veggies, olives and feta). Serve it up at a party and it will be the star of the spread.
Jon Cospito/Styling: Erin McDowell
17. Baking Sheet Pizza With Olives And Sun-dried Tomatoes
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
This sheet pan pizza is a cinch to make and tastes, well, as good as it feels to only have one dish to wash.
A Classic Twist
18. Chicken Souvlaki Salad Bowl
- Time Commitment: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
Ditch the kabobs and get your souvlaki fix with a side of greens instead. Bonus: If you plan ahead and marinate the chicken in advance, you’ll be rewarded with a healthy and oh-so satisfying 30-minute lunch.
Butter Be Ready
- Time Commitment: 51 minutes
- Why I Love It: one pan, crowd-pleaser
A one-pan chicken-and-orzo dinner featuring spicy, smoky harissa and buttery Castelvetrano olives. Count us in.
Cookie Named Desire
20. Greek Tuna Wraps
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, high protein, crowd-pleaser
Tired of poultry? Opt for chicken of the sea at lunchtime instead with an easy and kid-friendly tuna wrap that’s chock full of Greek flavor.
Simply LaKita
21. Greek Chicken Salad
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, ready-to-go
The always colorful and veggie-packed Greek salad gets a welcome protein boost from chicken in this heartier take on a classic.
Dude That Cookz
22. Mexican Taco Pizza
- Time Commitment: 33 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Why have taco night and pizza night when you can kill two birds with one stone?
Two Peas and Their Pod
23. Pasta Salad With Sun-dried Tomatoes, Artichokes, And Olives
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian
Three cheers for a fresh, light and crave-worthy pasta salad that comes together with nothing more than a handful of pantry and refrigerator staples.
Foodie Crush
24. Nicoise Pasta Salad
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, Mediterranean diet, gluten-free
Here, the classic niçoise salad gets an update with shredded chicken in place of tuna and egg noodles for a carb fix. Just try to complain.
Feasting at Home
25. Warm Olives With Rosemary, Garlic And Almonds
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy, vegan
Sweet and buttery Castelvetrano olives commingle with rosemary, cumin, fennel seed and almonds to make a warm appetizer that tastes as sexy as it sounds.
This Silly Girl’s Kitchen
26. Doritos Taco Salad
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
If you want your kids to eat some lettuce once in a blue moon, just score a bag of Doritos and serve the main event in salad form on Taco Tuesday.
Salt Pepper Skillet
27. Seared Tuna With Olive Sauce
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, high protein, special occasion-worthy
Tomatoes, olives and red wine are sautéed to make an elegant sauce for ahi tuna. Suffice it to say, the end result is begging to be the star of a romantic dinner at home.
The Modern Proper
28. Baked Eggs With Swiss Chard And Green Olives
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Creamy baked eggs, bitter greens and meaty Castelvetrano olives are what brunch dreams are made of.
Posh Journal
29. Chicken Enchiladas
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Chicken enchiladas get a salty (and budget-friendly) boost from canned black olives in this family favorite.
My Forking Life
30. Cauliflower Pizza Casserole
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, low carb
Cauliflower decided to settle for casserole status instead of subpar pizza crust that requires way too much effort to make. Needless to say, we’re all for it.
Cookie and Kate
31. Broccoli Pesto Pasta With Green Olives
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, kid-friendly
This broccoli pesto is the best—and possibly the only—way to get a picky toddler to eat a green vegetable. Blend some up and give yourself a pat on the back, ‘cause this parenting victory is one for the books.
Upstate Ramblings
32. Healthy Tuna Salad With Pickles And Olives
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
Gherkin pickles and olives breathe new life into the tried-and-true tuna salad recipe—you know, so your brown bag lunch can be a little more exciting.
Cooking With Janica
33. Campfire Pizza Nachos
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser
You don’t *have* to eat these by the campfire, but doesn’t that make it so much more fun?
The Modern Proper
34. Sheet Pan Chicken Marbella
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: gluten-free, dairy-free, low carb, sheet pan
Another chicken Marbella update that combines tangy, herby flavor with ‘80s nostalgia to great effect.
Recipe Tin Eats
35. Tomato Salad With Olive Tapenade
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, gluten-free
It turns out that salty, tangy olive tapenade is the perfect companion to plump and sweet summer tomatoes. (Sorry, burrata.)
Feasting at Home
36. Moroccan Salad With Blood Oranges, Quinoa, Olives, Almonds And Mint
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegan
Fresh mint, sweet blood orange and (you guessed it) olives sing in this healthy and eye-pleasing Moroccan-inspired salad.
The Endless Meal
37. Tomato Lentil Soup With Manzanilla Olives
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, gluten-free
Smoky paprika and Manzanilla olives are the secret to turning a standard tomato and lentil soup into a five-star recipe.
Girl Gone Gourmet
38. Loaded Pizza Sandwiches
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, high protein
Skip the greasy slice and customize this sandwich with all your favorite toppings instead for a fun-to-eat twist on homemade pizza.
Two Sleevers
39. Greek Shrimp Saganaki
- Time Commitment: 22 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, Instant Pot recipe
This easy Instant Pot recipe features perfectly cooked shrimp swimming in a flavorful tomato broth with olives, feta and herbs. Best of all, it requires nothing more than roughly twenty minutes of your time (and some toasty bread for dipping, of course).
Fork and Beans
40. Penguin Crackers
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
Cream cheese, olives and crackers come together to make one seriously cute afternoon snack for the under ten set.
The Domestic Dietician
41. Baked Cod With Olives
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, Mediterranean diet, one pan
Presenting the pinnacle of Mediterranean diet deliciousness in a single pan.
Cook at Home Mom
42. Easy Keto Charcuterie Board
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, keto
We’ve hinted at this already, but let’s be clear: When crafting a perfect charcuterie board recipe, olives are a must.
Real and Vibrant
43. Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegan, gluten-free
This crowd-pleasing quinoa salad is loaded with veggies and boasts a beautifully balanced lemon herb dressing that tastes great on pretty much everything.
Feed Me Phoebe
44. Mediterranean Wild Rice With Olives And Tomatoes
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: paleo-friendly, gluten-free, <10 ingredients
Attention gluten-free friends: This wild rice dish does double duty as a flavorful side and a filling, vegetarian main course.
The Endless Meal
45. Olive Salsa Mixed With Spanish Olives
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, gluten-free, vegan
Traditional salsa gets a run for its money with this recipe, which creates snacktime magic with little more than a pinch of oregano, a hint of sweet cherry tomato and a trio of gourmet Spanish olives.
The Mediterranean Dish
46. Orecchiette With White Beans, Tomatoes, And Olives
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegan
Melty white beans are the plant-based protein in this healthy, vegan pasta dish, which gets an extra flavor boost from peppery arugula, sweet tomato and (wait for it) olives.
Two Sleevers
47. Mediterranean Shrimp With Feta And Olives
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, Mediterranean diet
Feta cheese and olives lend a pleasantly tangy, salty bite to the tender shrimp in this mouthwatering Mediterranean dish that you can prep and plate in 15 minutes flat. (Yes, you read that right.)
Cooking With Janica
48. Bacon Ranch Mushroom Snowman
- Time Commitment: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, special-occasion worthy
Holiday movie nights are so much more festive when your pizza looks like Frosty the Snowman and tastes like bacon and olives.
The Modern Proper
49. Sausage And Cheese Breakfast Egg Muffins
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: gluten-free, kid-friendly, low carb
A low-carb muffin sounds implausible—and to be fair, this isn’t really a muffin. It’s more of a souffle of fluffy eggs with olives, breakfast sausage and cheese…but with an ingredient list like that, who really cares about nomenclature?
Skinny M’s
50. Spaghetti With Tomatoes, Olives, And Capers
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
Puttanesca: a boldly-flavored pasta dish that never disappoints when you’re hungry late night and working with pantry staples.
Cookie and Kate
51. Roasted Cauliflower And Farro Salad With Feta And Avocado
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegan, vegetarian, high fiber
Farro, one of our favorite hearty grains, gets dressed up with leafy greens, sun-dried tomatoes and kalamata olives in this winning salad. Feel free to experiment with the mix-ins and be sure to pack it for lunch.
Half Baked Harvest
52. Garlic Herb Roasted Olives With Burrata
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: one pan, special occasion-worthy
This combo of warm, creamy burrata and garlicky roasted olives has us weak in the knees. Plus, we had no idea olives could be roasted, so this one is pretty neat.
