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.
Jump to:
Why make this
- This olive dip recipe with cream cheese only takes 5 minutes to make, perfect for an olive lover who is short on time.
- It only requires 3 ingredients but packs a lot of flavor!
- You can easily vary it by adding pantry staples, such as garlic and onion powder.
- 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.
Ingredients
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
- 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.)
- 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
- 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. 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.)
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!)
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
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.
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.)
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!
Other party recipes
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!
5-min cream cheese olive dip recipe
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
Nutrition
Hoe did you find this olive dip recipe? If you've enjoyed it, please do share it on social media!
Rhonda says
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.
Zen says
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!!! 🙂
Nora says
I'm a huge fan of quickly made dips! This recipe is delicious! Tastes absolutely great and is really quick to prepare!
Jerika says
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!:)
Zen says
Hi Jerika, thanks for checking in! You're making me crave potato chips! 🙂
Angela says
I love olives in every way, and this olive dip has become my favorite dip!
Zen says
Hi Angela, thanks for stopping by! I love olives too!
Freya says
The olives and brine are an inspired tip, gives the dip so much flavour!
Zen says
Glad you found the tip useful Freya!
wendy says
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!