If you're like me and you love to eat olives straight from the jar, this cream cheese olive dip is for you. It's creamy and flavorful and full of chunks of green olive. It only takes about 10 minutes prep time, and you likely already have the ingredients on hand.
I've made this easy dip every month for the last year to bring to our book club, and now I'm not allowed to attend without it. It's always the first thing to disappear!
Why You'll Love This Dip
- Six ingredients, one bowl: No extra dishes to clean is always a plus. Keep a few jars of green olives in your pantry so you can whip it up anytime.
- It's better made ahead: This is one of those recipes where its flavor only gets better with time, so it's one less thing to do when you need to get out the door.
- It works with almost anything: Serve it with crackers (that's my go-to), but potato chips or veggies are equally delicious. I've even spread it on a bagel for a quick lunch!
What You'll Need
- Cream cheese. Use the full-fat version and make sure it's softened to room temperature. If it's too cold, you'll get those little white lumps no matter how long you stir it. If you forgot to set it out (story of my life), unwrap it and microwave it at 50% power in 15-second bursts just until it's soft.
- Mayonnaise. Dips made with only cream cheese are more like a spread, so a little mayo loosens the texture and makes it creamier. Use your favorite brand (we're a fan of Duke's) or make some homemade mayo.
- Olive brine: This is the liquid from your olive jar. I usually measure this with my heart since I love the flavor. If I know I'm serving it with potato chips instead of crackers, I add a little more to thin it out.
- Garlic powder: I prefer to use powder rather than fresh garlic because it blends in more smoothly. You can use one clove of fresh garlic if you prefer; just remember that the garlic flavor will intensify the longer it sits.
- Green olives: Use a full cup of pitted olives and give them a rough chop, which gives the dip a chunkier texture (we want olives in every bite)! See below for more on which olives to buy.
- Black pepper. This dip is really creamy, and some freshly cracked black pepper adds a nice bite. Add more if you're a pepper lover!
Which Green Olives Are Best for Olive Dip?
Any pitted green olive will work, but the type you pick changes the flavor and how much salt you'll need.
| Olive | Flavor | Saltiness | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manzanilla (pimento-stuffed) | Classic and briny | High | The pimentos add pretty red flecks (green and red is great for the holidays). |
| Castelvetrano | Buttery, mild, fruity | Low | Bright green and very easy to love. They're often sold with pits, so plan to pit them unless you can find them already pitted. |
| Chalkidiki (also spelled Halkidiki) | Firm and meaty | Medium to high | Large pale-green olives from northern Greece. Often sold stuffed with garlic, feta, or almonds (which make great variations for this olive dip). |
| Queen or Gordal | Big, meaty, mild | Medium | Their larger size makes chopping easier. |
| Picholine | Tart and a little herbal | Medium | A nice choice for a more grown-up dip. |
Best for most people: Pimento-stuffed manzanillas are the easiest to find and have a more classic olive flavor most people are familiar with (and they're the least expensive). That said, I usually use Chalkidiki olives since I'm a Trader Joe's shopper and that's what they use for their grilled olives (which I'm mildly obsessed with).
A note on salt: Salty olives like manzanillas usually mean the dip needs no added salt at all, while mild olives like Castelvetranos often need at least a pinch. Be sure to taste your dip after giving it time in the fridge, then add salt as needed. Taste it on the same cracker you'll be serving it with.
How to Make Cream Cheese Olive Dip
- Add base ingredients: Add the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, olive brine, and garlic powder to a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Make the creamy base: Mix the ingredients together until it's completely smooth. A hand mixer is the fastest, but if your cream cheese is soft enough, mixing it by hand will work.
- Fold in the olives: Stir in the chopped olives and black pepper.
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the flavors can meld.
- Taste and adjust: Try a bite on the crackers you'll be serving to check for saltiness. Add salt a little at a time until it's perfect. (Note: you can taste test it before it goes into the fridge, but I find it's more accurate if you wait until the flavors have had a chance to meld).
olive brine in a mixing bowl.
until it's smooth.
Tips for the Best Olive Dip
- Don't skip softening the cream cheese: No one likes a lumpy dip, and part of what makes this such a delicious one is how smooth and creamy it is.
- Chop by hand or pulse carefully: A food processor can turn olives to mush in seconds. If you use one, pulse just a few times so the olives are still in larger pieces.
- Loosen it if needed: If the dip is still too thick after chilling, add another tablespoon of brine. It will also soften as it comes to room temperature, so you may want to just give it time first.
- Save a few olives for the top: Sliced or whole olives on top look pretty and lets everyone know what kind of dip it is without tasting it first.
Easy Variations
- Blue cheese: This is easily my favorite variation, and it's the one I make if I have blue cheese on hand. Use blue cheese-stuffed olives and their brine, then stir in a few tablespoons of crumbled blue cheese (just the blue cheese without the stuffed olives also works).
- Spicy: Use jalapeño-stuffed olives or add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes.
- Nutty: Stir in ⅓ cup chopped toasted pecans. It may sound like a strange combination but I promise you it's delicious!
- Green onion: Thinly slice two green onions, then mix all but a tablespoon into the dip. Sprinkle the remainder on top as a garnish.
- Lighter: You can swap the mayo for plain Greek yogurt or sour cream. The flavor will change a bit (it'll be tangier) and it won't be quite as creamy, but it's still really good. You can also use other mayonnaise substitutes.
What to Serve with Olive Dip
I almost always serve this with crackers, since they're sturdy enough to hold their own. Potato chips are also a great choice, but make sure to buy kettle chips or another sturdy version. Pita chips, pretzel crisps, and toasted baguette slices are great too. For veggies, try celery sticks, cucumber rounds, mini sweet peppers or endive leaves.
Leftover ideas:
- Spread it on a toasted bagel or English muffins.
- Use it as a sandwich spread (it's so good)!
- Pipe it onto celery sticks.
- Stir some into tuna or chicken salad.
- Use it to top a baked potato.
- Spread it on garlic bread for a version of olive bread.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- To make it ahead: You can make cream cheese olive dip up to 2 days ahead of time. Keep it covered in the fridge, then give it a quick stir before you serve it. Don't forget to add a few whole or chopped olives to the top before serving.
- To store: Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It won't last that long though!
- Can you freeze it? No, please don't try freezing it. Cream cheese and mayonnaise aren't good freezer candidates, and they can separate when you thaw them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use light cream cheese?
Full-fat cream cheese gives the best texture, so that's what I recommend. Light will work, but it won't be quite as creamy.
Is olive dip the same as olive tapenade?
Not even close. Tapenade is made with finely chopped olives, olive oil, and capers with no mayo or cream cheese.
Can I use black olives?
You can, but the flavor will be much different. Canned black olives make a much milder dip, and Kalamatas have a stronger flavor that will stand up to the creamy base much better. Mixing green and black olives is also tasty!
Can I serve it warm?
Cream cheese olive dip is meant to be served cold or at room temperature, but you can bake it if you prefer. Put it in a small baking dish and bake it at 350°F until it's heated through (about 15 to 20 minutes).
More Easy Dips
Cream Cheese Olive Dip
A creamy, briny cream cheese olive dip made with green olives, mayo, and a splash of olive brine. Prep time is just 10 minutes!
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons olive brine
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup pitted green olives, roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper (or more, to taste)
- Salt, to taste (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise, olive brine, and garlic powder until it's smooth.
- Stir in the chopped olives and black pepper.
- Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Taste, and add salt only if it's needed. Allow it to sit out for 15-20 minutes, then serve.
Notes
- If the dip is too thick after chilling, stir in an extra tablespoon of brine at a time until it's the texture you want. It will also soften more as it comes to room temperature.
- You can make it up to 2 days ahead. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Don’t freeze!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: ¼ cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 200Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 7gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 639mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 2g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
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