Crispy Fried Olives
These Crispy Fried Olives are about to become your new go-to appetizer. Briny California Ripe Olives are stuffed with creamy fontina cheese, rolled in cornmeal, and fried until golden and crispy. They take less than a half hour to make, and they are a total crowd pleaser.
A Note from Teri on Fried Olives
These fried olives are truly such a delicious snack. I’m always looking for a lovely appetizer that is easy and totally satisfying. To stuff the olives, we used fontina cheese, which melts perfectly during the fry. Then to coat these fried olives, we used cornmeal so they would have the perfect crunch while also being gluten free. This is a situation where two plus two does not equal four–it’s more like two plus two equals twelve because of how fantastic it is. Finally, serve it with a remoulade sauce and enjoy.
I love an appetizer like this because it’s easy to finish making as guests arrive, and it provides a little snack without taking away from the dinner.
My love of olives and olive oil runs very deep. Last fall, I even got to visit an olive grove and I shared all about it in this Substack.
I use olives in recipes all of the time. You’ll find them in these loaded potato chip nachos, summer pasta, muffaletta, and my creamy olive dressing. And of course, they go in almost any of my salads, like this steak salad.
Ingredients
- Fontina – I used fontina because it melts perfectly and has a lovely mild flavor that complements the olives
- California Ripe Olives – when you’re at the grocery store, look for canned olives that are from California for the best results
- Egg – the egg helps the coating stick to your olives
- Cornmeal – the cornmeal gives an extra crunch to your waffles to make them perfectly crispy
- Light Olive Oil – use light olive oil or another neutral oil to fry the olives so that it doesn’t change the flavor of your coating
If you don’t have fontina, you can use mozzarella cut into small pieces. If you love a bolder flavor, you could stuff it with gorgonzola.
For serving, a classic remoulade is the perfect dipping sauce. It is tangy and slightly spicy, which goes so well with the olives.
How to Make Fried Olives
Step One: Stuff the Olives
Slice the fontina into longwise about ¼-inch thick, then slice the cheese slices into strips about ¼-inch thick. Cut the cheese strips about the length of an olive and set aside.
Take a small piece of cheese and gently stuff it into the olive opening, making sure to keep the olive intact. Repeat with remaining olives and set aside.
Step Two: Dredge and Fry the Olives
In a shallow bowl, beat the egg. In a second shallow bowl, add the cornmeal. With one hand or a fork, roll a few olives at a time in the egg wash then, allowing the excess egg wash to drip off, transfer to the bowl with cornmeal. With your dry hand, roll the olives in the cornmeal until coated then remove and set aside. Repeat with remaining stuffed olives.
Fill a frying pan or dutch oven with a couple of inches of oil and heat over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Fry the olive until golden and crispy, turning it as needed. Using a slotted spoon, remove the olive and transfer to a paper towel or parchment paper lined tray and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining olives, a small handful at a time.
Serve with a remoulade sauce and enjoy!
How to Test Your Frying Oil
For the best result, you want to make sure your frying oil is the perfect temperature. I always recommend doing a test olive to confirm it’s just right. If the oil is ready, there will be a steady bubbling around the olive. If no bubbling occurs, the oil is not hot enough but if it bubbles too much, then lower the heat and allow the oil to cool down a bit.
Recipe FAQs
Fried olives are genuinely best served hot and fresh, but they are also delicious at room temperature. You can stuff and bread all the olives up to a few hours ahead and keep them on a tray in the refrigerator until you’re ready to fry to cut down on prep time.
You can, but it will not be nearly as delicious. The cornmeal crust won’t get quite as crispy as the fried version, but they are still enjoyable for a slightly lighter snack.
California Ripe Olives are the ideal choice. They are the best flavor and large enough to stuff easily without tearing. You want pitted olives with a good opening for stuffing. Avoid olives that are heavily marinated or herb-seasoned.
Remoulade is the classic pairing and it’s tangy, slightly spicy, and flavorful enough to stand up to the briny olive. An aioli or garlic mayo would also be tasty.
Try These Other Appetizer Recipes
If you make your own Fried Olives, be sure to review it below and let me know what you think! If you’re looking for more inspiration, subscribe to my Substack, and follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok to join in all the fun!
Crispy Fried Olives
Ingredients
- 4 ounces fontina
- 1 15-ounce can California Ripe Olives drained
- 1 large egg
- 2/3 cup cornmeal
- Light olive oil
- Salt
- Remoulade Sauce (recipe below) optional
Instructions
- Slice the fontina into longwise about ¼-inch thick, then slice the cheese slices into strips about ¼-inch thick. Cut the cheese strips about the length of an olive and set aside.
- Take a small piece of cheese and gently stuff it into the olive opening, making sure to keep the olive intact. Repeat with remaining olives and set aside.
- In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with a splash of water. In a second shallow bowl, add the cornmeal. With one hand or a fork, roll a few olives at a time in the egg wash then, allowing the excess egg wash to drip off, transfer to the bowl with cornmeal. With your dry hand, roll the olives in the cornmeal until coated then remove and set aside. Repeat with remaining stuffed olives.
- Fill a frying pan or dutch oven with a couple of inches of oil and heat over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Test that the oil is hot enough by frying one olive. If the oil is ready, there will be a steady bubbling around the olive. If no bubbling occurs, the oil is not hot enough but if it bubbles too much, then lower the heat and allow the oil to cool down a bit. Fry the olive until golden and crispy, turning it as needed. Using a slotted spoon, remove the olive and transfer to a paper towel or parchment paper lined tray and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining olives, a small handful at a time.
- Serve with a remoulade sauce (recipe below) and enjoy!
Notes
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 4 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon pressed garlic
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
