Are you ever in the mood for a savory snack? Instead of reaching for those pre-packaged snacks, make some spicy olives!

These spicy olives have that briney, salty flavor with an added kick from some crushed red peppers. The paprika adds a nice smokiness to the olives, too! They are great to make in the morning for that afternoon snack, to top a salad, to serve as part of a charcuterie board, or just to have as an appetizer.

Types of olives

In this recipe, you can use any type of olive that you like! Below we will go over the flavor profiles of a few so that you can choose one that you would like best.

Kalamata Olives

Kalamata olives are native to Greece.1 Kalamata olives are slightly sweet, yet they still have that bitterness component to them. These olives are purple in color.2 

Nicoise Olives

Nicoise olives are black olives native to France.3 They are often described to have a nutty flavor, however still with that bite of bitterness, since olives are naturally bitter.4

Arbequina Olives

Native to Spain, arbequina olives, similar to nicoise, have a bit of a nutty flavor.3 Arbequina olives have a nice purple hue to them.3

Castelvetrano Olives

Castelvetrano olives are a lovely green color.5 Native to Italy, these olives have a sweet and mild flavor.5 

Olives often need to be fermented in order to produce their delicious flavors.6 Most olives, prior to this processing, do not have a favorable taste.6

Preparing the spicy olives

This might be the easiest dish on my entire website! To make these spicy olives, just add the olives, sun dried tomatoes, crushed red pepper and paprika in a small bowl, stir to make sure all of the ingredients are submerged in the olive oil and let them sit. I recommend letting the olives marinate for at least 30 minutes, but the longer they sit, the better!

Health benefits of olives

Olives are a fruit, known as a drupe (similar to a plum or cherry!).6 What differentiates olives from fruit like your banana or plum, is their unsaturated fat content. According to the International Olive Council, olives contain anywhere from 12-30 percent oil.6

In addition, olives are also a source of vitamin E.7 Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant in the body, which has benefits such as reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer.8

Note, because of how olives are processed, they tend to be high in sodium.7 If you are watching your salt intake, be sure to limit the amount you consume and/or rinse the olives with water prior to consumption. 

With their health benefits and delicious flavor, these spicy olives are sure to please everyone! If you try them, be sure to post on Instagram and tag me @ChefAbbieGellman.

Similar Pages

If you liked these spicy olives, check out other appetizers like my Air Fryer Kale Chips, my Pickled Red Cabbage, and my Instant Pot Beets!  

Resources

1. Hatanaka M. Kalamata olives: Nutrition facts and benefits. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/kalamata-olives#benefits. Published May 18, 2020. Accessed April 28, 2021.
2. Marshall C. Black olives and kalamata olives: What is the difference? The Kitchen Community. https://thekitchencommunity.org/kalamata-olives-vs-black-olives/#:~:text=very different flavors.-,Kalamata Olives Taste,associate with olives in general. Accessed April 28, 2021.
3. Fuller JR. All the different types of olives, explained. Epicurious. https://www.epicurious.com/ingredients/different-types-of-olives-how-to-buy-store-cook-recipes-article. Accessed April 28, 2021.
4. Get to know: Niçoise olives. DeLallo. https://www.delallo.com/blog/get-to-know-nioise-olives/#:~:text=An intense black olive with,notes of almonds and hazelnuts.&text=Pair up Niçoise olives with,and a bold red Merlot. Accessed April 28, 2021.
5. Howard H. A beginner’s guide to olives: 14 varieties worth seeking out. Serious Eats. https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/09/guide-to-olive-varieties.html#:~:text=Castelvetrano&text=Castelvetrano olives are Italy’s most,flesh, and a mild flavor. Published March 6, 2019. Accessed April 28, 2021.
6. About olives. International Olive Council. https://www.internationaloliveoil.org/olive-world/table-olives/#about-olives . Accessed April 28, 2021.
7. Bjarnadottir A. Olives 101: nutrition facts and health benefits. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/olives#nutrients. Published May 21, 2019. Accessed April 28, 2021.
8. Vitamin E. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-HealthProfessional/. Accessed April 28, 2021.

Spicy olives

3.75 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Keyword: appetizers, hors d'oeuvres, olives, snack, spicy olives

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Chef Abbie Gellman RD

Ingredients

• 1 cup brined pitted olives drained (any kind you like)
• 3 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes thinly sliced
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

• In a small bowl, add olives, tomatoes, red pepper, and paprika. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Video