Italian Olive Salad

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Olive Salad, a light and tangy salad with green olives, crunchy celery, onion, and carrot combined with a simple white wine vinaigrette. An easy, refreshing starter or appetizer that pairs perfectly with a glass of crisp white wine.

If you need an easy appetizer this Italian olive salad is one of the easiest. It has a mix of delicious flavors and textures – a little tangy with crunchy vegetables and delicious green olives.

This is an antipasto we would serve on a warm day before serving the other courses. It’s light and refreshing, a delicious way to start a meal. Or, just enjoy it on its own with some focaccia or other bread and, of course, a glass of cold wine.

Like most Italian dishes, this olive salad is simple but so delicious – the perfect flavor combination.

Table of Contents

Ingredients

Large green olives unpitted
Chopped celery
Chopped onion
Chopped carrot
Olive oil
White wine vinegar
Salt
Oregano
Hot pepper flakes

olives in a grey bowl, some olive salad & a slice of bread on a grey plate.

How to Make It

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine. The red pepper flakes are optional and can be omitted if you don’t like them. The salad is nice with a little kick of heat, so just a pinch is enough.

Chopped veggies & plain green olives in a grey bowl.

You can serve the salad right away, but it’s even better when it’s been chilled and the flavors have had a chance to mix together and develop. So, I usually make it a few hours in advance.

All the ingredients for the salad in a white bowl.

Why use unpitted olives?

Olives that are unpitted are firmer and keep their structure better than pitted ones. Pitted ones tend to be soggy and limp, which is not what we want for this salad. I preferred large green olives under water rather than oil for this recipe, but oil will also work, just drain them well.

Tips

You can chop the vegetables to a size you like, but I prefer them on the smaller side.
This salad is all about the olives so choose a ones that are a good quality brand.
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for four to five days.

Olives in a grey bowl with some on a grey plate with a slice of bread.

FAQ

Is olive salad healthy?

Olives have healthy fats and combined with the vegetables the salad is healthy and light.

Can you use black olives for this recipe?

You can use whatever olives you like. It’s a good idea to use unpitted olives and if you opt for black olives you can’t go wrong with kalamata olives.

Can you use a different kind of vinegar?

White wine vinegar works very well because it’s light and tangy. You can change the flavor of the salad and use balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar. Feel free to experiment!

This salad is wonderful all year round but especially during the warm summer months. We love to enjoy it outside with our glasses of wine. It’s even better to share it with friends and family. Enjoy!

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