Olive Salad
Updated
Updated
I love this Homemade Olive Salad as itโs the perfect topping for everything from a classic muffuletta sandwich to pasta salads, crackers, or even pizza. Itโs zesty, quick to prepare, and adds a burst of flavor to all my favorite dishes.

Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItThis post may contain affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
Easy Olive Salad Recipe
I’ve prepared this classic muffuletta sandwich topping with giardiniera, kalamata olives, pepperoncini, marinated onions, and capers in oil and vinegar. Each bite is a true explosion of flavor!
And whatโs even better is that this recipe is quick and easy to make, and there are numerous ways to use it. The original use is to top the New Orleans muffuletta sandwich, but since I always have leftovers, I’ve discovered so many other ways to use it. Olive salad is now a common topping on crackers, salads, mixed with cream cheese for a dip, and more in my house.
Olive Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounce jar Giardiniera, , drained and diced, or store bought
- ยผ cup kalamata olives, , drained and diced
- ยผ cup pepperoncini peppers, , drained and diced
- 5 marinated cocktail onions, , drained and diced
- 1 tbsp capers, , drained
- ยผ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ยผ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp canola oil
Instructions
- Finely dice the Giardiniera, olives, pepperoncini, and onions so they're all approximately the same size. You want the pieces small like the capers.
- In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix together and transfer to an airtight container. (If needed, pour in just a touch more oil to cover.)
- Cover container and refrigerate overnight. Use as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
How to Make Olive Salad Step by Step
Dice the ingredients: Finely dice a 16-ounce jar Giardiniera, ยผ cup of kalamata olives, ยผ cup pepperoncini peppers, and 5 marinated cocktail onions.
Combine the ingredients: Combine the ingredients above with 1 tbsp capers, ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, ยผ cup olive oil, and 2 tbsp canola oil. Mix and transfer to an airtight container.
Chill: Cover and refrigerate overnight, so the flavors have time to meld.
Serve: Serve with crackers, pizza, a muffuletta sandwich, or whatever else you’d like, and enjoy.
How to Store Leftovers
If kept in a tightly sealed jar (and all ingredients are covered with oil), muffuletta olive salad will last for several weeks in the fridge. NOTE: the oil in the chilled olive salad can solidify – this is normal. Simply scoop out however much you want to use and gently warm in the microwave for a few seconds to liquify it again.
Freeze the leftovers if you want to keep olive salad on hand for longer, but I find we usually use it up after several weeks in the fridge.
Serving Suggestions
Olive salad was originally made as a topping for a muffuletta sandwich. But if you have leftovers or just aren’t feeling very sandwich-y, there are plenty of other ways to serve it:
- In salads
- Mixed into pasta
- On paninis or other sandwiches
- Bruschetta topping
- As a pizza topping
- In scrambled eggs
- On cheese plates or charcuterie boards
- On crostini or crackers
- Combined with mayo for a tangy creamy spread
- Mixed with cream cheese for a quick dip