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Green olives

Vegetables · Pickled & preserved

Green olives

Unripe olives cured in brine; firm, tangy and often stuffed with pimiento, garlic or almond.

Also called: yeşil zeytin

A kind of black olives

15 recipes with it

Photo: Challiyan, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

What it is

Green olives are picked before ripening and cured, usually in brine. They are firmer, more bitter and more tangy than black olives. Common types include Spanish Manzanilla, large Gordal, buttery Castelvetrano and cracked Middle Eastern olives; many are pitted and stuffed.

Olea europaea

How it’s used

  • Served with drinks and mezze
  • Simmered with chicken and preserved lemon in tagines
  • Chopped into salads, salsas and relishes
  • In picadillo and Spanish stews

Characteristics

Taste
Salty, sharp and grassy.
Texture
Firm and crunchy-meaty.
When cooked
Holds its shape in cooking; rinse to reduce saltiness.
Sold as
cured, canned
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Commonly cooked, Used as a garnish

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep opened olives covered in brine in the fridge.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Stuffed olives may contain almonds, anchovies or cheese; check labels for allergens.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
145 kcal
Protein
1.03 g
Carbohydrate
3.84 g
Fat
15.32 g
Fibre
3.3 g
Sugars
0.54 g

USDA FoodData Central: Olives, pickled, canned or bottled, green.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

Related ingredients

Recipes with green olives

See all 15

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