Homemade Olive Salad is the perfect topping for everything from a classic Muffuletta sandwich to pasta salads, crackers, or even pizza. This zesty condiment is made in minutes and will give all your favorite foods an instant flavor boost!
Easy Muffuletta Olive Salad
This classic muffuletta sandwich topping is made with giardiniera, kalamata olives, pepperoncini, marinated onions, and capers in oil and vinegar. Each bite is a true explosion of flavor!
And what’s even better, is that this recipe is quick and easy to make and there are so many uses for it. The original use is to top the New Orleans muffuletta sandwich but since we always have leftovers, we’ve discovered so many other ways to use it too. Olive salad is now a common topping on crackers, salads, mixed with cream cheese for a dip, and more in my house.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Even if you’re not a huge fan of olives, you may find yourself loving this olive salad. Here’s why it’s one of our favorite condiments.
- Quick and easy. The prep time on this is so quick – less than 10 minutes. Just be sure to prepare it in advance so the flavors can meld.
- Bursting with flavor. From the kalamata olives to the giardiniera, this olive spread is bursting with tangy, savory flavors.
- Great shelf life. Stored properly, this will last in the fridge for weeks.
- So many ways to use it. Yes, this recipe is meant to top a muffuletta sandwich but there are so many other ways to use it too. Check out my list below for some ideas.
Ingredients Needed
Besides olives, you’ll need just a handful of other ingredients for this fun condiment.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Giardiniera – Giardiniera is a relish made up of pickled veggies in oil or vinegar. You can find it at most stores or make my easy giardiniera recipe.
- Kalamata olives – The star of this salad. Kalamata olives have a more robust flavor than black or green olives and almost taste a bit sweet.
- Pepperoncini peppers – Also known as banana peppers, these add a bit of bite but not a ton of heat to the salad. Plus lots of color!
- Cocktail onions & Capers – Adds some sweet and salty flavor to the salad.
- Black pepper – For flavor.
- Red wine vinegar – Adds the tang to this salad.
- Oils – Olive oil with just a bit of canola oil makes up the base of this salad.
How to Make Olive Salad
Once you realize how easy olive salad is to make, you’ll want to add it to everything!
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Dice the ingredients. Everything added to this recipe should be diced very small, like the size of the capers.
- Combine the ingredients. Mix together all of the ingredients. Transfer to an airtight container.
- Chill. Cover and refrigerate overnight, so the flavors have time to meld.
Can I Use A Food Processor To Make This?
If desired, you can pulse everything (separately) in a food processor, to make it easier. But don’t process them too much. Muffuletta olive salad should be a chunky olive spread, not a paste.
Video: Olive Salad for a Muffuletta Sandwich
What to Serve with Olive Salad
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. Here are some suggestions:
- As a condiment 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
Proper Storage
Chances are, this recipe will leave you with a decent amount of leftovers. Here’s how to store them.
- Fridge. 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.
- Can I freeze olive salad? Yes, you can also 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.
More Olive Recipes:
- Olive Pull-Apart Bread
- Mixed Olive Tapenade
- Marinated Olives
- Olive Quick Bread
- Olive Spread (just 2 ingredients)
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Olive Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounce jar Giardiniera , drained and diced
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives , drained and diced
- 1/4 cup pepperoncini peppers , drained and diced
- 5 marinated cocktail onions , drained and diced
- 1 tablespoon capers , drained
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons 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. See the list of suggestions above in the article.
