Olive Salad for Muffalettas

Looking to make a TRULY epic sandwich? Put on a batch of this Olive Salad for Muffalettas! Quick and easy to make, it brings a TON of flavor!

If you’ve ever had a New Orleans Muffaletta, then you’ve had olive salad!

This unique spread is what adds a punch of flavour - and colour - to the famous Louisiana sandwich.

The briny vegetables and flavour-infused olive oil bring some great texture and flavour contrasts to the sandwich, as well. Various degrees of crunch, the salt/vinegar of the brine, and the oil balance out the heft of the meats and cheese in the sandwich.

The oil, specifically, elevates the sandwich.

After sitting on the olive salad mix overnight, the oil picks up a ton of flavour. Drizzle that over your bread as you’re making the sandwich, it soaks in... *chef kiss*.

Anyway, because of that, you’ll want to make this olive salad at least a day before you make your muffalettas.

If you’re an olive person - like us - you may want to double the batch. We do - so keep that in mind when looking at the progress photos!

Muffaletta Olive Spread FAQ

What is muffuletta spread made of?

This can vary from restaurant to restaurant, and person to person. Some use a mix of green and dark olives - kalamata, black, or both. Some use primarily kalamata or black olives.

Some - like me - use Giardiniera, an Italian blend of pickled vegetables, while others may use elements of giardiniera on their own. Carrots, celery, red peppers, cauliflower, etc. Personally, I like the ease of using giardiniera!

From there, it’s the added flavours. Some use capers, most will use pepperoncini, you should definitely use garlic, etc. More on ingredients in a bit, though!

What is in Central Grocery olive salad?

Per the ingredients on their retail jars:

Olives with Pimentos, Oil Blend (Soybean/Extra Virgin Olive Oil), Cauliflower, Carrots, Celery, Kalamata Olives, Red Bell Peppers, Capers, Pepperoncini, Water, Vinegar, Salt, Spices, Garlic and Calcium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Lactic Acid, Sodium Bisulfite and Yellow 5 as Preservatives.

How long does Muffaletta salad last in the fridge?

Because everything is brined already, then topped with olive oil, this spread will stay good for a LONG time in the fridge.

How long it lasts depends on two things: The expiry dates on the canned/jarred foods that you use, and how you take care of it.

For the longest use, use clean - or even sterilized - jars when packing it. When dishing it out, use a clean fork to scoop it out, leaving a fair amount of olive oil behind. If you notice the olive oil getting low, top it up a bit.

When taken care of, this spread will last for several months or more, no problem.

How do you make Muffuletta Sandwiches?

Glad you asked! You’ll want to go check out my Muffaletta Sandwich Recipe post for all of the details. 🙂

Muffaletta Olive Salad Ingredients

Olives

Pretty straightforward. I like to go with a 1:1 olive mix, using both green olives with pimento, and black olives.

Feel free to use kalamata olives if you prefer - I do, sometimes!

Also, feel free to use a different proportion of olives, if you like - just try to keep it to the same overall volume of olives.

Giardiniera

This is a type of Italian mixed vegetable pickle, which you can usually find in the pickles section at a grocery store. Generally, you’ll see cauliflower, carrot, onions, celery, and strips of red pepper in any jar of giardiniera.

Also, sometimes you’ll have a choice of regular, or hot. Use whichever you prefer!

Pepperoncini

These are a relatively mild kind of pickled Italian chili pepper, which you’ll also find in the pickles section of a grocery store.

They add a bit of a pepper kick to the olive tapenade, and you can use as many or as few as you’d like. I used to go by “Half a small jar worth”, but now it’s really just whatever I’m in the mood for.

Just be sure to drain them again after you cut them open - they tend to hold a lot of the pickling brine!

Herbs

Pretty basic - parsley (I use Italian / flat leaf, but you can use curly if that’s more convenient!), dried oregano, garlic, and ground pepper.

Olive Oil

The final ingredient is an important one, as it ties it all together.

You don’t have to use super premium oil, but be sure to use one that you like the taste of!

The main ingredients for making Muffaletta Olive Tapenade.

How to Make Muffuletta Olive Salad

Full recipe follows (end of the post), but here’s a pictorial overview:

Chop olives and giardiniera, place in a large bowl.

Trim the stem ends off the pepperoncini, allow any trapped brine to drain. Chop, add to the large bowl.

Measure parsley, oregano, and garlic into the bowl, stir well to combine.

Season with ground pepper, to taste, before stirring in the olive oil.

Pack mixture into clean glass jars, making sure to top each jar with olive oil from the bowl.

Transfer to fridge. Ideally, allow it to chill for at least 24 hours before using.

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4 from 3 votes

Olive Salad for Muffalettas

Looking to make a TRULY epic sandwich? Put on a batch of this Olive Salad for Muffalettas! Quick and easy to make, it brings a TON of flavor!

Prep Time10 mins

Total Time10 mins

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American, Italian

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: 14 Servings

Calories: 184kcal

Author: Marie Porter

Equipment

Food processor Optional, but nice to have!

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups Green Olives with Pimento Drained
• 1 ½ cups Pitted black olives drained
• ¾ Cup Giardiniera drained
• 5-10 Pepperoncini Drained
• 1 tablespoon Fresh Italian Parsley Finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Dried Oregano
• 1 tablespoon Finely Minced Garlic
• Ground Pepper
• ¾ Cups Olive Oil

Instructions

• Chop olives and giardiniera, place in a large bowl.
• Trim the stem ends off the pepperoncini, allow any trapped brine to drain. Chop, add to the large bowl.
• Measure parsley, oregano, and garlic into the bowl, stir well to combine.
• Season with ground pepper, to taste, before stirring in the olive oil.
• Pack mixture into clean glass jars, making sure to top each jar with olive oil from the bowl.
• Transfer to fridge. Ideally, allow it to chill for at least 24 hours before using.

Notes

Recipe makes about 3 ½ cups total. I find that I tend to use about ¼ cup per serving, so that's the serving size assumed in the nutritional info.

As a heads up, the oil in the chilled olive salad can solidify. This is fine!

Just dish out however much you want to use, and gently heat in the microwave for a few seconds to liquify it again.

Use to make muffaletta, or for any number of other uses. Try it on many sandwiches, on crackers, as bruschetta topping, mixed with cream cheese for a dip, mixed in fondue… SO many ideas!

Nutrition

Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 753mg | Potassium: 32mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 156IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

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