Italian Olive Cheese Spread (Printer-friendly)
A creamy Italian-inspired spread blending briny olives, Parmesan, and fresh herbs for effortless entertaining.
# What You'll Need:
→ 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 uniformly creamy.
02 - Add the chopped green and black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, minced garlic, basil, parsley, olive oil, and red pepper flakes if using. Fold everything into the cheese base until evenly distributed.
03 - Season with freshly ground black pepper, adjusting the amount to your preference. Stir gently to incorporate.
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 develop and the spread to firm up.
05 - Remove from the refrigerator 10 minutes before serving. Serve chilled or at room temperature alongside crusty bread, crostini, or crackers.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It takes exactly ten minutes from cutting board to serving bowl, which means you can make it after work without breaking a sweat.
- The combination of three cheeses with briny olives creates something that tastes far more indulgent than the effort suggests.
02 -
- Cold cream cheese will leave you with grainy, uneven patches no matter how hard you stir, so set it out an hour ahead.
- The spread tastes dramatically better after resting overnight in the fridge, which makes it a perfect make ahead option for parties.
03 -
- Chop the olives to roughly the same size as the sun-dried tomatoes so every bite is balanced instead of randomly salty.
- Pressing plastic wrap directly against the surface before refrigerating prevents the top layer from drying out and forming a skin.