Olive Salad Muffaletta Spread

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Authentic: Italian olive salad, or muffuletta olive salad, is a traditional recipe that pairs with all kinds of tasty recipes, from pizza to the most epic sandwich you ever tried.
Delicious:  If you love green olives and black olives, you are definitely going to be wowed by this recipe, as they’re the key ingredient in the mixture.
Simple to make:  Once you’ve finely chopped and combined all the ingredients, your olive spread just needs to sit so the flavors can meld, and then it’s ready to enjoy.

Olive Salad Muffaletta Spread Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Green olives: The star of the show, green olives bring a tangy, slightly bitter flavor to the olive salad. Make sure to use pitted olives to avoid any dental disasters while enjoying the dish!
Black olives: For a rich, earthy contrast to the green olives, black olives come in to save the day. They add a savory depth of flavor that helps balance out the tangy
giardiniera and peperoncini.
Giardiniera: This Italian pickled vegetable adds a crunchy, tangy element to the olive salad. It usually includes a mix of cauliflower, bell peppers, celery, and carrots and is something you can enjoy on its own as a snack!
Pepperoncini: These banana peppers are a bit sweeter and less spicy than other
chillies. They add a subtle heat and a lot of tangy flavor to the olive salad.
Garlic: No Italian dish would be complete without garlic. In this recipe, it adds a
robust, aromatic flavor that compliments the olives and pepperoncini beautifully.
Oregano: This Italian herb brings a robust, savory flavor to the olive salad. It’s a classic pair with olives and garlic and really makes the flavors pop.
Pickled onions: These are a sweet and tangy addition to the olive salad that helps balance out the briny olives and spicy pepperoncini.
Pepperoncini juice: This is from the jar of pepperoncini and adds even more of that
tangy flavor to the olive salad. It is not something you want to skip!
White wine vinegar: It adds a bit of acidity to the olive salad and helps to balance out the richness of the olive oil.

How to Make a Muffaletta Olive Salad Recipe

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Prepare the ingredients:  Chop or mince all the ingredients and combine them in a mason jar, starting with the finely chopped, dry ingredients.
Add the liquids:  Add the liquid ingredients to the mason jar, then cover and refrigerate overnight before using.

Substitutions and Variations

Different olives: Feel free to use any type of olives you have on hand. You can choose from kalamata olives, Sicilian olives, Greek olives, or whichever type you prefer. Just make sure they’re pitted, or else you’ll need to remove the pits yourself.
Spicier: If you like things hot, add a pinch of celery seed or a few dashes of hot sauce to the mix.
Additional veggies: You can also add other antipasto-type ingredients, such as roasted red peppers or minced artichoke hearts.
Different vinegar: If you don’t have white wine vinegar, don’t worry. You can easily substitute it with red wine vinegar or even apple cider vinegar.

Serving Suggestions

As a sandwich spread: The traditional way to enjoy this olive salad is on a muffaletta sandwich. Just spread it on the bread before adding your meats and cheeses for a burst of flavor.
On everything: Okay, maybe not everything, but this olive salad is delicious on chicken, eggs, beef or fish. It adds a tangy, Mediterranean flair to your weeknight dinners. It’s also great as a pizza sauce or pizza topping. Consider serving it with an Italian frittata, hot Italian sliders, pressed Italian picnic sandwiches or Italian beef.
Snacks and appetizers: For a quick and easy appetizer, simply spread this olive salad over crackers and top with cheese. Or, use it as a dip for your next party. The possibilities are endless!

How to Store Muffaletta Spread

Store:  Keep the olive spread refrigerated and in a covered airtight container, and use it within a week.
Freeze:  Freeze it in a covered container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before use.

Top Tips 

Choose your olives wisely: For this muffaletta olive salad, try to use good quality, firm olives. The texture and flavor of the olives can really make a difference in the final result.
Don’t skip the refrigerating step: Allowing the flavors to marinate overnight is crucial. It’s what transforms this simple salad into a flavor-packed condiment.