How to Stuff Green Olives (Three Classic Ways)
A stuffed olive is the original two-bite snack — salty olive, surprise centre. Here are three classic fillings and the simple knack of getting them in.
Stuffed olives feel like a deli luxury, but they’re a five-minute job at home — and far better fresh than from a jar. You need a big, firm, pitted green olive and a steady hand.
The olive
Use a large, meaty green olive with room inside: a Spanish Gordal, a Greek Halkidiki, or a big Cerignola. Buy them pitted, or pit them yourself by pressing each with the flat of a knife to crack and slip out the stone.
Three classic fillings
Pimento — the classic: a sliver of roasted red pepper, sweet against the salt. Almond — a single blanched almond pushed in, for crunch (gorgeous with a Gordal). Garlic or blue cheese — a tiny nub of either, for a bigger, bolder bite. Anchovy, feta and sun-dried tomato all work too.
The step people skip: once stuffed, marinate the olives for a few hours (or overnight) in good olive oil with garlic, a strip of citrus peel, chilli and herbs. The oil softens and melds the flavours, the filling settles in, and a plain stuffed olive becomes something you can’t stop eating. Serve them at room temperature, never fridge-cold — chilling mutes both the olive and the oil.