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    Home » 5 or less ingredients

    Published: Aug 5, 2022 · Modified: Aug 21, 2022 by Zen · This post may contain affiliate links.

    5-min Cream Cheese Olive Dip Recipe

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    A super easy, 5-min cream cheese olive dip recipe that has everyone asking for seconds! Made with 3 simple ingredients, this easy appetizer can be made ahead of time so you don't have to stress on the day of your dinner party or picnic.

    A bowl of olive mayonnaise and cream cheese dip with crackers around it.
    Jump to:
    • Why make this
    • Ingredients
    • Variations
    • Step by Step Instructions
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Expert Tips
    • How to store
    • Other party recipes
    • 5-min cream cheese olive dip recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why make this

    1. This olive dip recipe with cream cheese only takes 5 minutes to make, perfect for an olive lover who is short on time.
    2. It only requires 3 ingredients but packs a lot of flavor!
    3. You can easily vary it by adding pantry staples, such as garlic and onion powder.
    4. It's cheaper than buying pre-made dip!
      • If you're on a budget, here are my top 10 tips for saving money in an Asian kitchen.

    Note: for other picnic recipes for summer that require few ingredients, try this quick Chinese cucumber salad.

    A garlicky cream cheese dip with chopped green chillies.

    Ingredients

    The 3 ingredients needed to make olive cream cheese spread on a tablecloth.
    To turn this into an olive flavor spread, just add more mayo- it's perfect with toast as a breakfast side dish!

    There are so few ingredients in this green olive dip, each one has to work extra hard, so make sure you use the good stuff.

    • Cream cheese: use full fat cream cheese for a creamy texture.
    • Mayo: I swear by Kewpie mayonnaise which gives the dip more of a punch. If you only have regular mayo, add a pinch of sugar and chicken stock powder to DIY your own Japanese mayo.
    • Olives: The secret ingredient is the olive brine- add 1-2 tablespoons to your dip. (You can keep the rest for your pasta sauce and tomato soup.) To make the cream cheese dip look more appetising, use Manzanilla olives (green olives with pimento.) Regular green or black olives taste good but the bright red of the pimento makes the olive dip look better.

    Variations

    1. Hot olive & cheese dip: You can serve this easy dip chilled or warm. For a hot dip, bake it in the oven with a bit more cream cheese on top. (Taste changes with temperature, so do taste before serving.)
    2. Cream cheese olive dip: Add minced onions to give the olive spread a bit of a bite and sprinkle with green onions for a pop of color.

    Step by Step Instructions

    Green olives in a food blender.
    1. Drain the olives, keeping the brine by the side (do not throw.) Place the olives in a blender and give it 1-2 whirls. (It will only take a few seconds.)
    2 bowls of blended olives, 1 processed till fine and the other with bigger chunks.

    2. Don't over-process the olives- you want the olives to have texture, like the bowl on the right. (The bowl on the left was blended for too long and has no more chunky pieces.)

    The ingredients for olive & cream cheese dip in a glass Tupperware box.

    3. Mix the blended olives, the olive brine, mayo and cream cheese till thoroughly combined.

    Tip: instead of measuring the mayo in a cup, I just eyeball it and squeeze directly onto the other ingredients. (As the mayo tends to stick to the measuring cup!)

    A bowl of olive mayonnaise and cream cheese dip with crackers around it.

    4. Serve the cheesy olive dip with:

    • Crudites/ sliced fresh veggies such as carrots and cucumbers
    • Crackers
    • Breadsticks
    • Pita chips
    • Ritz crackers
    • Bagel chips
    • Tortilla chips
    • Melba toast
    • Pretzels
    • Potato chips

    Recipe FAQs

    Is cream cheese gluten-free?

    Most cream cheese, particularly full-fat ones, are gluten-free. However, do check that they've not been processed in the same facility as crackers and other wheat products to avoid cross-contamination- it should say on the label. If you have celiac disease, you may be interested in these gluten-free dips.

    What other dips can be made with olives?

    If you have leftover salty olives after making this cheesy dip, you can use it for tapenade. Simply blend the olives with some garlic and lemon. Throw in anchovies, parsley and sun-dried tomatoes if you have them, and you'll get a classic French spread which would actually go very well with this olive & cream cheese one! (The acidity of the tapenade helps to cut through the fat of the olive.)

    Can olives go bad in the fridge?

    Yes, if stored improperly or for too long, olives do go bad. There was even a case of botulism linked to organic olives in Europe so always be careful!

    Expert Tips

    Tip #1: It is easy to mash the cream cheese straight out of the fridge, once the mayo and olive brine have been added. However, you can take the cream cheese out 15 minutes before hand if you want it softer.

    Tip #2: The secret to making this creamy olive dip in 5-minutes is to blitz the olives in the food processor instead of mincing them by hand. Blitz for only a few seconds, so you get some finely minced olives and some bigger pieces. This will add some texture to your cream cheese dip.

    Tip #3: If you want to change the flavor, add some garlic powder, black pepper or red pepper flakes for a hint of spice. Alternatively, throw in fresh herbs or Italian seasoning.

    Tip #4: If you're a fan of cream cheese, you may also be interested in this garlic cream cheese & egg dip recipe or these gluten-free nachos and dips.

    How to store

    You can keep this olives dip in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. If you're having a party, make it the day before your gathering to reduce party stress!

    A bowl of olive mayonnaise and cream cheese dip with crackers around it.

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    Enjoyed this creamy dip with olives recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & if you REALLY liked it, I'd love a comment! Thank you and have a great day!

    A bowl of olive and cream cheese dip with crackers around it.

    5-min cream cheese olive dip recipe

    Zen
    A super easy, 5-minute olive dip recipe with cream cheese that has everyone asking for seconds! Made with 3 simple ingredients, this easy appetizer can be made ahead of time so you don't have to stress on the day of your dinner party or picnic!
    5 from 45 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 1 min
    Cook Time 4 mins
    Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
    Cuisine American, Fusion
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 160 kcal

    Equipment

    • Air tight container
    • Food processor or blender You can use a knife to cut instead, but it will probably end up taking more than 5 minutes in that case!
    • Fork

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 block cream cheese I mash it right out of the fridge but you can take it out 15 minutes before if you want it softer
    • ½ Cup Kewpie mayonnaise Substitute: regular mayo with a pinch of sugar and chicken stock powder
    • 1 Cup processed olives (Before mincing, the olives were 160g or 5.64oz) I used green but you can also use black. Leave a few olives whole and slice them instead of mincing then sprinkle them on top of the dip.
    • 1-2 Tablespoons olive brine from the jar of olives

    Instructions
     

    • Divide the olives into 2 batches. Blitz one more finely (but don't make it into olive juice!) and another more chunkily.
    • Add the olives to the mayonnaise, cream cheese and olive brine.
    • Mash with a fork till well-mixed. You can serve as is with your favorite crackers, and place the sliced olives on top.
    • Alternatively, you can make it gooey by heating in the oven. (See recipe post for variations)

    Notes

    Note: if you've taken the cream cheese out early to soften it, you may want to leave the dip in the fridge for 15-30 minutes before serving to chill it.
    If you've made too much, store the extra in the fridge for no more than 2-3 days in an airtight container.
    This olive dip with cream cheese doubles up as a spread for sandwiches- to get it more spreadable, add more mayonnaise.
    Note: the nutritional information is an estimateautomatically calculated using the WPRM recipe maker and I am not responsible for its veracity.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 160kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 0.4gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 470mgPotassium: 13mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.3gVitamin A: 101IUCalcium: 13mgIron: 0.1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @GreedyGirlGourmet or tag #greedygirlgourmet!

    Hoe did you find this olive dip recipe? If you've enjoyed it, please do share it on social media!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rhonda says

      February 18, 2023 at 7:04 am

      5 stars
      I make this dip a lot but I also add lots of fresh ground black pepper and finely chopped pecans. It makes a really good sandwich spread too. I especially like it on raisin bread.

      Reply
      • Zen says

        February 18, 2023 at 4:11 pm

        Thanks for sharing Rhonda! The pecans sound lovely- I can just imagine that delicious crunch!! Will try it on raisin bread next time I make some!!! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Nora says

      July 27, 2022 at 6:10 pm

      5 stars
      I'm a huge fan of quickly made dips! This recipe is delicious! Tastes absolutely great and is really quick to prepare!

      Reply
    3. Jerika says

      July 27, 2022 at 11:48 am

      Wow!:) Can't wait to have this olive dip recipe with cream cheese on my potato chips. Yum! I'm sure my kids and I will enjoy. Thanks!:)

      Reply
      • Zen says

        July 27, 2022 at 11:54 am

        Hi Jerika, thanks for checking in! You're making me crave potato chips! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Angela says

      July 27, 2022 at 11:39 am

      5 stars
      I love olives in every way, and this olive dip has become my favorite dip!

      Reply
      • Zen says

        July 27, 2022 at 11:54 am

        Hi Angela, thanks for stopping by! I love olives too!

        Reply
    5. Freya says

      July 27, 2022 at 11:19 am

      5 stars
      The olives and brine are an inspired tip, gives the dip so much flavour!

      Reply
      • Zen says

        July 27, 2022 at 11:53 am

        Glad you found the tip useful Freya!

        Reply
    6. wendy says

      June 13, 2022 at 5:33 pm

      5 stars
      Never thought of using the olive brine, what a helpful tip! It does help to cut through the heaviness of the cream cheese and lift the flavour!

      Reply

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    Greedygirlgourmet eating 2 sandwiches in Scotland

    Hi I'm Zhen also known as GGG! I couldn't boil water till I was 18 but after living abroad (in St. Andrews then London) for 11 years and having to cook for myself, I now love cooking for friends and family. Learning to cook late, I make sure my recipes go into enough detail for those new to Asian cuisine or who love a test kitchen approach to cooking!

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