Italian Olive Cheese Spread (Printable)
Creamy cheese and olive spread with herbs, perfect for entertaining and antipasto platters.
# What You Need:
→ Cheese Base
01 - 7 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
02 - 3.5 oz ricotta cheese
03 - 1.75 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
→ Olives and Vegetables
04 - 3.5 oz mixed Italian olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
05 - 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
06 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
→ Herbs and Seasonings
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
09 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
10 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - Salt to taste
→ Garnish
12 - Fresh basil leaves for topping
13 - Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
# How To Make It:
01 - In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, ricotta, and Parmesan. Stir with a spatula until the mixture is completely smooth and uniform in texture.
02 - Add the chopped olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and minced garlic to the cheese mixture. Fold gently until the vegetables are evenly distributed throughout.
03 - Mix in the fresh basil, parsley, dried oregano, black pepper, and salt to taste. Stir until all seasonings are thoroughly incorporated.
04 - Transfer the spread to a serving bowl. Arrange fresh basil leaves on top and finish with a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
05 - Serve immediately alongside toasted baguette slices, crackers, or fresh vegetable crudités. For the best flavor development, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- You literally cannot mess this up, and it looks like something from an Italian deli case.
- The briny olives and creamy cheese balance each other so well that people will assume you spent far longer than ten minutes on it.
02 -
- If your cream cheese is cold from the fridge the spread will be lumpy and stubborn, so set it out for at least thirty minutes before you begin.
- Chilling the finished spread for one hour before serving transforms the flavor dramatically, allowing the herbs and garlic to bloom through the cheese.
03 -
- Chop the olives to roughly the size of a lentil so every bite gets a bit of brine without large chunks breaking the creamy texture.
- Use the best olive oil you have for the garnish drizzle because that is the flavor people taste first and last.