• Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
      • Breakfast Breads
    • Beverages
      • Boozy Drinks
      • Non-Alcoholic
    • Condiments
      • Dressings Chutneys & Jams
      • Marinades & Rubs
      • Sauces & Pestos
    • Desserts
      • Cakes
      • Candy
      • Chocolate
      • Cookies/Bars
      • Crumbles/Crisps
      • Ice Cream/Frozen Treats
      • Pies/Tarts
      • Puddings/Custards
    • Entrees
      • Meat
        • Beef
        • Chicken/Poultry
        • Lamb
        • Pork
        • Seafood
          • Crab
          • Fish
          • Other
          • shrimp
        • Pasta
        • Grains
        • Sandwiches, Tacos & Pizzas
        • Soups, Stews & Braises
    • Salads
    • Sides
      • Breads
    • Vegan/Vegetarian
  • About
    • Work With Me
    • Contact
    • Press
    • Disclaimers
    • Privacy Policy
  • Kitchen Resources

Garlic & Zest

Gourmet Cooking at Home!

Muffuletta Olive Salad

Muffuletta Olive Salad
2.1Kshares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Yummly
  • Email
  • Tumblr
  • Mix
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

My favorite recipes are the ones that can pull double duty. Like this tasty olive spread with black and green olives, capers, roasted bell peppers, garlic and artichokes. Yes, it’s the same muffuletta olive salad you get on that famous New Orleans sandwich, but this blend also makes a great olive dip for snacking. How will you use it? 

 

olives, roasted bell pepper, cocktail onions, capers, celery and artichokes for olive spread.

I adapted this recipe from Chef John Folse’ cookbook, The Encyclopedia of Cajun and Creole Cuisine. This tome to regional Louisiana ingredients, flavors and cooking styles,  weighs at least 12 pounds (not an exaggeration). It’s stuffed with cuisine that’s highfalutin’ enough for very respectable company as well as simple homey dishes with a Cajun kick, Creole recipes that will make you homesick for the bayou and every kickin’ dish New Orleans is famous for. Muffuletta sandwiches included.

 

artichoke hearts in a bowl for olive dip.

Ingredients for Muffuletta Olive Salad:

  • Roasted Red Bell Pepper
  • Black Olives
  • Green Olives
  • Capers
  • Cocktail Onions
  • Celery
  • Artichoke Hearts
  • Celery Seed
  • Dried Oregano
  • Fresh Garlic
  • Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • Red Wine Vinegar
  • Olive Oil

 

adding ingredients to the food processor for muffuletta olive salad.

How To Make Olive Dip

  1. Roast a red pepper in the oven with the skins on until the outside is blistered and blackened and the flesh is soft.
  2. Peel and seed the pepper and transfer to a food processor
  3. Roughly chop the celery stalk and add it to the food processor.
  4. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse to form a chunky olive spread.

 

blended ingredients in the bowl of a food processor.

Marinate Olive Spread Overnight

I get it. Part of the reason this recipe is so great is because it takes seconds to whiz together in the food processor.  Waiting to eat it seems like a cruel joke. So I’ll let you off the hook and let you dive right in, however, if you want those flavors to intensify and get just a little deeper, cover and refrigerate it overnight. Food for thought.

 

stirring olive dip with a wooden spoon.

History of Muffuletta Olive Salad

Muffuletta olive spread originated from humble beginnings, like so many good things do, when Italian merchants scraped the bottom of the olive barrels to get the broken or crushed olives that weren’t marketable and instead used them to make a salad to top their now famous sandwich.

 

Serving a bowl of olive dip in a bowl.

Ideas For Olive Dip/Olive Spread

Bread Bowl & Olive Dip

  • Cut the top off of a bread boule. Use a serrated knife to hollow out the insides of the boule and remove the bread pieces in large chunks.  Cut or tear the bread into chunks. Place the boule on a serving tray and fill it with the olive dip.  Arrange the torn bread chunks around the boule. Insert a serving spoon into the olive salad and serve as an hors d’oeuvre.

Olive Spread As A Topping

  • Spoon over  a piece of grilled chicken or fish.
  • Spread toasted crostini with goat cheese and top with the olive spread.

In A Marinara Sauce:

  • Add a cup of salad to 4 cups of marinara sauce along with some finely diced anchovies and a little more crushed red pepper flakes. Simmer the sauce on a low heat for about an hour until the flavors come together for an easy puttanesca sauce with pasta.

In A Pasta Salad:

  • Cook bowtie pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Add chunks of pepperoni, mozzarella and baby spinach or small broccoli florets along with a cup of the olive dip. Toss and serve as a side dish at your next cookout.

Muffuletta Sandwich

  • Of course, you’re going to want this in a traditional muffuletta sandwich too.

 

 

A crust of bread topped with olive spread.


Garlic & Zest is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Print Pin
4.7 from 10 votes

Muffuletta Olive Salad

A briny, bright, spicy olive spread to go with crackers, in sandwiches or to top grilled fish, chicken and pork. This traditional New Orleans favorite is a bold pop of flavor! Recipe is adapted from The Encyclopedia of Cajun and Creole Cuisine.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword artichoke, garlic, kalamata olives, red pepper flake, roasted peppers, sandwich spread, topping
Dietary Restrictions Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Low-Carb, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 162kcal
Author Chef John D. Folse

Ingredients

  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup green olives
  • 1/2 cup black olives
  • 1/2 cup capers
  • 1/2 cup cocktail onions
  • 1 stalk celery roughly chopped
  • 1 8 ounce can artichoke hearts
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°. Place bell pepper on a sheet pan lined with foil or parchment paper and roast until skins are blackened and flesh is soft, about 25-30 minutes. Transfer the bell pepper to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. 
  • Let the pepper rest until cool enough to handle. Remove the skin, stem, seeds and membrane and discard. Place the flesh of the pepper into a food processor.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until well chopped. Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate overnight for the flavors to marry.
  • Use in a classic Muffuletta Sandwich, or spread on crackers with goat cheese for an appetizer.  Spoon a bit onto grilled chicken, fish or pork.

Nutrition

Calories: 162kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 574mg | Potassium: 77mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 790IU | Vitamin C: 27.7mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Pin “Muffuletta Olive Salad” For Later!

If you enjoy olive dips, like tapenade or chunky olive spreads, you'll love this Muffuletta olive salad. Its briny, in-your-face flavor is ready in minutes. #muffulettaolivesalad #olivespread #olivedip

 

More Spreads & Dips:

Sweet Bell Pepper Aioli
Black Bean Dip
Pesto With Pine Nuts

2.1Kshares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Yummly
  • Email
  • Tumblr
  • Mix

Appetizers// Sauces & Pestos// Side Dishes// Snacks// Vegan/Vegetarian17 Comments

« 1 Hot Buttered Rum Mix – 4 Hot Rum Drinks
Soused Irish Whiskey Orange Bundt Cake »

Comments

  1. Gaye Carson says

    March 28, 2021 at 10:19 AM

    Is it possible to preserve this? By adding it to sterilize jars and processing in a canner?
    It looks delicious!

    Reply
    • Lisa Lotts says

      March 28, 2021 at 10:45 AM

      I’ve never tried to preserve it, but I’ve seen it sold in jars in New Orleans supermarkets, so I assume it could be done through traditional canning methods.

      Reply
  2. K says

    March 16, 2021 at 5:36 PM

    Fast and easy to make. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

    Reply
  3. ROMY says

    February 8, 2021 at 1:03 PM

    If you have a chance, you should definitely try John Folse’s Crawfish and Corn Soup recipe. It is life changing.

    Reply
    • Lisa Lotts says

      February 8, 2021 at 1:11 PM

      Will do!

      Reply
  4. Kelly | Foodtasia says

    March 3, 2019 at 9:06 AM

    Lisa, this muffuletta olive spread looks amazing and so full of flavor. I’m dreaming of all the things I could eat it on, but definitely want it on a muffuletta sandwich!

    Reply
  5. Hannah says

    February 19, 2019 at 1:52 AM

    I’m so glad I stumbled across this recipe. It’s an absolute winner! Amazing and so versatile. I love the way you added serving suggestions at the end of the recipe; so useful, thanks.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      February 19, 2019 at 8:44 AM

      I’m so glad you like it, Hannah! It’s got a lot of punch, doesn’t it?

      Reply
  6. Tara says

    February 18, 2019 at 10:17 AM

    So many amazing flavors in this. Love the versatility!

    Reply
  7. Danielle Wolter says

    February 18, 2019 at 10:15 AM

    i want to eat this on everything! i am a huge fan of muffaletas and am so excited to try this! Great idea to use it in a dip.

    Reply
  8. Tisha says

    February 18, 2019 at 10:08 AM

    I have a lot of olive lovers in my family, they would love this!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      February 18, 2019 at 11:30 AM

      I’m so glad! Enjoy!

      Reply
  9. Kristine says

    February 18, 2019 at 9:41 AM

    My husband LOVES olive salad so I couldn’t wait to try this recipe. It did not disappoint! Flavorful, colorful, and delicious – thanks!

    Reply
  10. Leslie says

    February 18, 2019 at 9:29 AM

    I love anything NO and muffulettas are right in there. This is just in time for my Mardi Gras party plans! I may be eating it by the spoonful when no one is watching.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      February 18, 2019 at 11:30 AM

      I won’t tell!

      Reply
  11. Sharon Chen says

    February 18, 2019 at 9:02 AM

    It’s the first time I heard about a Muffuletta salad and I am amazed! It looks so yummy and healthy, too.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      February 18, 2019 at 11:29 AM

      You can put this stuff on so many things! Tons of flavor.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Meet Lisa

Lisa

Calling all cooks! You don’t have to be a gourmet chef to get a delicious, healthy meal on the table! At Garlic & Zest, I’ll show you how to make hundreds of seasonal, fresh recipes and indulgent comfort foods with easy step-by-step instructions and photos to help you master the dish.

Let’s get cooking!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • Crazy Good Italian Meatball Soup
  • Chunky, Chewy, Salty, Sweet, Everything Oatmeal Cookies
  • Quick and Easy Baked Salmon Pesto For Weeknight Dinners
  • Blanched Kale with Walnuts & Raisins
  • Easy All Purpose Instant Pot Pulled Chicken
Amazon Affiliate:
Garlic & Zest is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Featured On

Amazon Affiliate: Garlic & Zest is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Work with me    Disclaimer

Copyright © 2021 GarlicAndZest - Designed by TailoredDesignsCo

Copyright © 2021 · Garlic and Zest · Privacy Policy

2.1Kshares