This Olive Dip is an easy 10-ingredient appetizer with layers of elevated flavor. A creamy base with two types of olives, slow cooked garlic, and toasted pine nuts, it’s easy to make in a matter of minutes and will be devoured in minutes.
This Olive Dip is one of my favorite vegetarian appetizers to serve when I want something that feels a little elevated without requiring much effort. It starts with a creamy yogurt base and is topped with Castelvetrano olives, Kalamata olives, roasted garlic confit, toasted pine nuts, capers. A combination that’s rich, bright, and packed with flavor, plus only uses 10 ingredients.
The best bite is piled onto a toasted baguette slice with a generous swipe of the creamy yogurt, plenty of roasted garlic, and a spoonful of the olive mixture. It’s crunchy, creamy, savory, all at once. Whether you’re building a charcuterie board, hosting friends, or simply looking for a satisfying snack, this dip is guaranteed to disappear fast.
If you like this appetizer, you’ll love my Jam & Goat Cheese Puff Pasty Twists and my Sun-Dried Tomato Dip.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Sweet roasted garlic flavor: The garlic confit adds a sweet, mellow roasted garlic flavor that makes this olive dip taste extra special.
- Easy to assemble: Once the garlic confit is made, this appetizer comes together in just a few minutes with minimal effort.
- Perfect for entertaining: It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that’s always one of the first appetizers to disappear at parties and gatherings.
- Vegetarian and satisfying: This hearty vegetarian appetizer is packed with bold Mediterranean-inspired flavors that everyone will love.
Ingredients
- Olives: A combination of buttery Castelvetrano olives and briny Kalamata olives creates the perfect balance of rich, salty flavor.
- Pine nuts: Toasted pine nuts add a buttery crunch that complements the creamy yogurt and olives.
- Shallot: Finely diced shallot brings a mild sweetness and subtle bite to the olive mixture.
Capers: Capers add bright, briny pops of flavor that balance the richness of the dip. - Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice brightens the dip, while the lemon rinds cooked with the garlic confit infuse the oil with subtle citrus flavor.
- Olive oil: Olive oil slowly cooks the garlic into a sweet, spreadable confit and becomes infused with incredible garlic flavor.
- Butter: Butter gives the pine nuts a rich, golden toast that adds even more depth of flavor.
- Garlic: Slowly cooked garlic transforms into a soft, sweet confit that’s mellow, buttery, and perfect for spreading.
- Yogurt: Thick yogurt is whipped with lemon and olive oil into a creamy, tangy base that balances the rich olive topping.
Za’atar: Za’atar adds an earthy, herbaceous flavor with hints of sesame and sumac that complements the yogurt beautifully. - Bread for serving (optional): Toasted baguette or crusty bread is the perfect crunchy vessel for scooping up every flavorful bite.
How to Make Olive Dip
1. Toast the pine nuts: Add butter to a small skillet on medium heat. Once melted, add pine nuts and cook stirring often about 3-5 minutes until the pine nuts are golden brown.
2. Make the garlic confit: Preheat oven to 250. Peel all the garlic and add to a cocotte. Peel rinds from the lemon. Add to the cocotte along with the garlic. Cover completely in olive oil and season with salt, pepper. Cook for 2 hours or until garlic is browned and soft.
3. Make olive pine nut mix: Dice the shallot, slice the olives, chop the parsley. Combine all the olive mix ingredients to a bowl and add the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix and season to taste.
4. Make the whipped yogurt: Add yogurt to a bowl along with za’atar, olive oil, lemon juice, chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well with a spoon until creamy and combined. Spread in an even layer in the bowl you are planning to use for your dip.
5. Spoon the olive dip around the parameter of the bowl, leaving a small area in the middle. Spoon the garlic confit in the middle, along with some of the oil. Garnish with a little more lemon juice and chopped parsley. Serve with crispy bread or crackers.
Expert Tips
- Make the garlic confit ahead of time: Prepare the garlic confit up to two weeks in advance and store it in the refrigerator for an appetizer that’s ready to assemble in minutes.
- Cook the garlic low and slow: Roast the garlic confit over low heat to ensure the cloves become soft, sweet, and buttery without browning or burning.
- sweet, and buttery without browning or burning.
- Finish with the confit oil: Drizzle the garlic-infused confit oil over the finished dip for an extra layer of rich, roasted garlic flavor.
- Use both types of olives: Don’t skip the Castelvetrano olives—their buttery, mild flavor perfectly balances the briny bite of the Kalamatas.
- Serve it in a shallow bowl: A wide, shallow serving bowl lets every topping shine and makes it easier to scoop up a little of everything in each bite.
- Toast the bread well: Slice the baguette thinly and toast it until deeply golden and crisp so it can hold up to the creamy yogurt and hearty olive topping.
- Lean into the presentation: Arrange the toppings generously for a beautiful vegetarian appetizer that’s as impressive to serve as it is delicious to eat.
Variations
- Swap Greek yogurt for labneh: Use labneh instead of Greek yogurt for an even thicker, tangier base with a rich, luxurious texture.
- Add crumbled feta: Sprinkle crumbled feta over the top for an extra layer of creamy, salty flavor that pairs beautifully with the olives.
- Use roasted garlic instead of garlic confit: If you don’t have garlic confit, roasted garlic makes a delicious substitute with a similarly sweet, mellow flavor.
- Add some heat: Add cherry peppers or pepperoncinis for a little added heat and flavor.
Storage, Freezer & Make Ahead
Storage
Store leftover olive dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For the best texture, store the whipped yogurt and olive topping separately and assemble just before serving.
Make Ahead
This appetizer is perfect for prepping ahead. Make the garlic confit up to 2 weeks in advance, whip the yogurt and prepare the olive topping up to 1 day ahead, then assemble everything just before serving for the freshest flavor and texture.
Freezer
The assembled dip is not recommended for freezing, as the yogurt can separate and the olives lose their texture once thawed. However, the garlic confit can be frozen in its oil for up to 3 months—simply thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before using.
FAQs
Yes, store-bought roasted garlic works well, though garlic confit has a sweeter flavor and comes with the bonus of flavorful infused oil.
This dip is also delicious with crackers, pita chips, crostini, fresh vegetables, or warm pita bread.
Garlic confit can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and stored in the refrigerator submerged in its oil.
More Easy Appetizer Recipes
- Bacon Jalapeño Cheese Balls (No-Bake)
- Mediterranean Ricotta Toast
- Cocotte French Potatoes
- Goat Cheese Bacon Wrapped Dates
Olive Dip
Ingredients
The olive dip:
- 1/2 cup sliced castelvetrano olives
- 1/2 cup sliced kalamata olives
- 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts (see toasting notes)
- 1 small shallot, diced
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp capers
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Flaky sea salt
The garlic confit (see note):
- 1 head of garlic
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, or enough to fully submerge the garlic
- 3 lemon rinds
Whipped yogurt:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp za'atar
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
The rest:
- baguette, crackers, whatever you want to serve this with
- 2 tbsp butter (for toasting the pine nuts)
Instructions
- Toast the pine nuts: Add butter to a small skillet on medium heat. Once melted, add pine nuts and cook stirring often about 3-5 minutes until the pine nuts are golden brown.
- Make the garlic confit: Preheat oven to 250. Peel all the garlic and add to a cocotte. Peel rinds from the lemon and add to the cocotte along with the garlic. Cover completely in olive oil and season with salt, pepper. Cook for 2 hours or until garlic is browned and soft.
- Make olive pine nut mix: Dice the shallot, slice the olives, chop the parsley. Combine all the olive mix ingredients to a bowl and add the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix and season to taste.
- Make the whipped yogurt: Add yogurt to a bowl along with za’atar, olive oil, lemon juice, more chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well with a spoon until creamy and combined. Spread in an even layer in the bowl you are planning to use for your dip.
- Spoon the olive dip around the parameter of the bowl, leaving a small area in the middle. Spoon the garlic confit in the middle, along with some of the oil. Garnish with a little more lemon juice and chopped parsley.
- Serve with crispy bread or crackers. Enjoy
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