These Crispy Fried Olives are easy to make, and packed with flavour. Stuffed with a garlicky cheese mix, they're sure to be a hit at parties!
You see, this is the perfect appetizer for olive lovers, especially when it comes to the holiday season.
... and that’s why I had it all photographed and ready to go, before LAST holiday season.
Whoops
Anyway, all good things are worth the wait, right? These crispy stuffed olives are no exception!
I’ve always been a fan of serving a plate of olives and other mixed pickled items at my holiday meals, along with my veggie tray and charcuterie.
This recipe is just a great way of elevating that olive tray!
Rather than pimentos or brined garlic, they’re stuffed with a garlicky, melted homemade cheese mixture!
Really, there is no better way to serve olives, IMHO.
These take a little bit of effort to make, but it goes quickly - assembly line style - and soon you’ll be enjoying crispy, gooey olives right out of the fryer.
They’re sure to be a hit at your next gathering!
Ingredients
This recipe uses only a few simple ingredients, and they should all be relatively easy to find in any larger grocery store.
Some notes for you:
Jumbo Green Olives
You want to start with large green olives that have ideally been pitted already.
While you can use an olive pitter to pit whole olives, it can be a gigantic pain in the butt.
TBH, I’d rather buy the pimento stuffed Jumbo Stuffed Olives and just pick the piece of pepper out, then pit olives myself.
Note: You could also use large black olives, if you prefer. They’re DEFINITELY easier to find than pitted green olives, in my experience.
Panko Breadcrumbs and Flour
When I’m making these for people who don’t need to worry about gluten, I use regular Panko Crumbs and all purpose flour.
When I’m making this for a mixed crowd, or anyone who’s gluten free, I use Gluten Free Panko Bread Crumbs and white rice flour or cornstarch.
Sometimes gluten free Panko bread crumbs can be really BIG.
When this happens, I’ll blitz them in a mini food processor for a couple hits, or put them in a plastic baggie and roll over them with a rolling pin a couple of times.
Oil for Deep Frying
You want a neutral tasting oil with a high smoke point - ie: NOT extra virgin olive oil!
Vegetable oil is our go-to, though sunflower oil and canola oil are also good choices when it comes to deep frying anything.
Everything else
Rounding out this recipe, you will need:
Cream cheese
Shredded Parmesan cheese
Large eggs
Garlic cloves (or Garlic Powder, to taste)
Salt and Ground Black Pepper
Dried Oregano
... I just really don’t have anything to add, as far as these last few ingredients go!
Variations
Beyond swapping out the type of olive, you can also change up the filling a bit, to customize it to your tastes or theme of your dinner.
Add some lemon juice or lemon zest for a bit of citrus brightness, or swap some of the cream cheese out for blue cheese or feta cheese.
Want a bit of kick? Add some Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder, Crushed Chilies, Smoked Paprika , and / or Smoked Serrano Powder , to taste.
Want to boost the herb flavours? Add some Dried Basil, Dried Parsley, Dried Rosemary, or Italian Seasoning.
How to Make Crispy Fried Olives
The full recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post, here is the pictorial walk through
Garlic Cheese Stuffed Olives
Drain the olives. If they’re not already pitted, use a cherry pitter to carefully remove each pit. Set aside.
In a small food processor, blitz together the softened cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, and garlic until relatively smooth.
Season cheese mixture with salt and pepper, to taste.
Spoon into a large piping bag.
Note: You can fit the bag with a coupler set and a medium round piping tip, if you like - I just cut the end off the bag when I’m ready to pipe it.
Once all of the olives are filled, cover and place in the fridge until you’re ready to bread and fry them.
Breading the Olives
Line a work surface - and a baking sheet - with parchment paper.
Set up your dredging station, using 3 separate dishes:
Mix together the flour, salt, and thyme into one medium bowl.
Crack the eggs into a separate medium bowl, whisking until lightly beaten and smooth.
Measure the panko into a third bowl.
Roll each stuffed olive into the first bowl (dry ingredients / flour mixture), shaking off excess flour before returning them to the baking sheet.
Repeat with remaining stuffed olives.
I like to use my left hand to dip an olive into the egg, then drop it into the panko. Then I use my right hand to coat the olive with panko - this prevents a buildup of coating from forming on my hands!
Once all the olives are coated, place the cookie sheet of breaded olives in the fridge to chill, as you prepare the oil.
Deep Frying
Heat oil 350 F .
You can use a deep fryer, or a heavy pan.
If not using a deep fryer, use a deep, large pan - or Dutch oven - with enough oil to fill it at least 3" deep. I usually start heating the oil over medium high heat, then take it down to medium heat as it approaches the right temperature.
Note: If you’re not using a deep fryer, a deep-fry thermometer will come in handy, to monitor the oil temperature!
As the olives are cooked, use a (metal!) slotted spoon to transfer them from the oil, to a pan or cooling rack lined with paper towels. Blot fried olives with more paper towel, to remove excess oil.
Serve hot, with marinara sauce or garlic aioli for dipping.
Air Fryer Method
Preheat your Air Fryer to 350 F
Spray a light coating of oil over all the breaded olives, add to air fryer basket.
Cook for 5-7 minutes.
Serve hot, with marinara or garlic aioli as a dipping sauce.
Air Fried Stuffed Olives
More Fancy Finger Food Recipes
Planning for a special dinner, whether Valentine’s Day, a special date, or a fancy dinner party? Here are a few recipes to consider!
Ahi Tuna Nachos
Apple Roses
Cucumber Shrimp Canapes
Deviled Strawberries
Fancy Tea Sandwiches
Fig, Honey, and Goat Cheese Studel
How to Make Cream Puffs & Croquembouche
Jalapeno Beer Baklava
Marinated Feta
Mini Baked Potatoes
Mini Jamaican Beef Patties
Mushroom Brie Turnovers
Phyllo Crab Triangles
Profiteroles
Seafood Mousse
Shrimp & Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms
Smoked Salmon Bagel Bites
Smoked Salmon Canapes
Spanakopita Triangles
Wine Battered Deep Fried Brie
Share the Love!
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Crispy Fried Olives Stuffed with Garlic and Cheese
Equipment
- Mini Food Processor
- Disposable Pastry Bags
- Deep Fryer or
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
Garlic Cheese Stuffed Olives:
- 2 jars Jumbo green olives About 60 olives
- 4 oz Cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup Shredded Parmesan cheese
- 4 Garlic cloves pressed or finely minced
- Salt and Pepper
Assembly:
- ⅔ cup All purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon Dried oregano optional
- 2 Large eggs
- 2 cups Panko crumbs
- Oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Drain the olives. If they’re not already pitted, use a cherry pitter to carefully remove each pit. Set aside.
- In a small food processor, blitz together the softened cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, and garlic until relatively smooth.
- Season cheese mixture with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Spoon into a large pastry bag.
- Note: You can fit the bag with a coupler set and a medium round piping tip, if you like - I just cut the end off the bag when I’m ready to pipe it.
- Use the piping bag to fill each of the olives, placing each on a baking sheet once filled.
- Once all of the olives are filled, cover and place in the fridge until you’re ready to bread and fry them.
Breading:
- Line a work surface - and a baking sheet - with parchment paper.
- Mix together the flour, salt, and thyme into one medium bowl. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl, whisking until lightly beaten and smooth. Measure the panko into a 3rd bowl.
- Roll each stuffed olive into the flour mixture, shaking off excess flour before returning them to the baking sheet.
- Dip a flour coated olive into the beaten eggs, allow the excess egg mixture to drip off before rolling it in the panko, giving it a light squeeze to compact the coating a bit. Place on the lined baking sheet,
- Repeat with remaining stuffed olives. I like to use my left hand to dip an olive into the egg, then drop it into the panko. Then I use my right hand to coat the olive with panko - this prevents a buildup of coating from forming on my hands!
- Once all the olivess are coated, place the cookie sheet of breaded olives in the fridge to chill, as you prepare the oil.
Deep Frying:
- Heat oil 350 F . You can use a deep fryer, or a heavy pan. If not using a deep fryer, use a deep, heavy pot, filled to at least 3" deep.
- Carefully transfer chilled breaded olives to the heated oil. Fry a few at a time - turning frequently for even cooking- until golden brown.
- As the olives are cooked, use a (metal!) slotted spoon to transfer them from the oil, to a pan lined with paper towels.
- Serve hot, with marinara sauce or garlic aioli for dipping.
Air Fryer Method:
- Preheat your Air Fryer to 350 F
- Spray a light coating of oil over all the breaded olives, add to air fryer basket.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Check the fried olives for doneness - you can put them back in for a minute or two, if needed.
- Serve hot, with marinara or garlic aioli as a dipping sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Air Fryer Stuffed Olives
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