Italian Olive Cheese Spread (Printable)
Creamy Italian cheese spread with briny olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh herbs. Ready in minutes.
# Ingredient List:
→ Cheese & Dairy
01 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
02 - 2 oz mascarpone cheese
03 - 2 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
→ Olives
04 - 1/2 cup green olives, pitted and finely chopped
05 - 1/2 cup black olives, pitted and finely chopped
→ Flavorings & Seasonings
06 - 2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
07 - 1 clove garlic, minced
08 - 2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
09 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
10 - 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
11 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, mascarpone, and freshly grated Parmesan. Stir with a spatula until the mixture is smooth and creamy with no lumps remaining.
02 - Add the chopped green and black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, minced garlic, basil, parsley, olive oil, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Fold everything into the cheese base until evenly distributed throughout.
03 - Season generously with freshly ground black pepper, adjusting the amount to your preference. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Transfer the spread to a serving dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld and develop.
05 - Remove from the refrigerator 10 minutes before serving. Present chilled or at room temperature alongside crusty bread, crostini, crackers, or vegetable crudité.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It takes exactly ten minutes and makes you look like you spent hours planning an appetizer spread.
- The combination of mascarpone and cream cheese creates a silkiness that store bought dips can never replicate.
02 -
- Skipping the resting time is the fastest way to end up with a spread that tastes like separate ingredients rather than a unified dish.
- Chop the olives and sun-dried tomatoes as finely as you can because large chunks make the spread difficult to scoop onto bread evenly.
03 -
- Toasting a handful of pine nuts and folding them in at the end adds a nutty crunch that elevates the entire dish.
- Use olives packed in oil rather than brine if you want a rounder, more mellow flavor throughout the spread.