Holy smokes these smashed olives are SUCH A TREAT.
I make them WEEKLY at this point. I’ve been keeping them in the fridge and then just eating them for a Girl Lunch all week with fried bread and torn burrata, and it is one of the highlights of my life right now.
I got this idea from Cheese Gal on Instagram – one of those beautiful moments where a video finds you and you have to try it immediately and then it ends up being as great, or maybe even better, than you had hoped.
The three essentials:
Castelvetrano olives, smashed into craggly chunks, tossed in a pool of lemon juice, olive oil, fresh oregano and black pepper.
Golden fried-ish ciabatta with all its airy, chewy pockets.
A ball of burrata, torn open over the bread, creating a cold and creamy little bed for the olives.
In her original video, Courtney used fresh basil. For some reason, oregano was really speaking to me? I was looking for an extra Mediterranean moment? I don’t know. Either would be a great choice.
I already know you’re going to love this. Even Bjork and the girls are hooked.
Fried bread, torn creamy burrata, and smashed castelvetrano olives tossed with lemon, olive oil, and herbs! Perfect appetizer, snack, or lunch!
Ingredients
For the olives:
10-ounce jar pitted Castelvetrano olives, drained
3 tablespoonsolive oil
2 tablespoonslemon juice (1 very juicy lemon)
zest of half alemon
1 teaspoonfresh oregano leaves, torn or chopped
lots of freshly ground black pepper
salt to taste / if needed
For serving:
2–3 balls of burrata cheese
1 loaf Ciabatta bread(about 14 ounces)
More olive oil
Instructions
Smash Olives: Place olives on a cutting board. Smash olives with the flat bottom of a glass until they’re chunky and craggly.
Mix Together: Place olives in a bowl; toss with olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, oregano leaves, and pepper. (Add salt if you want it!)
Marinate (Optional): Refrigerate until cold and the flavors have had time to come together – ideally 12-24 hours. It will taste very good right away, but it’ll taste even better after a rest. When you take it out of the fridge, the oil will be solidified; let it rest for a bit at room temperature so it becomes juicy again. (Or add a bit of fresh olive oil to loosen it up.)
Bread: Cut your bread into pieces and drizzle with olive oil. I air fry mine at 375 for 4 minutes or until golden. You can also broil for a few minutes, or toast in a pan or on a grill.
Burrata: Cut a ball of burrata in half, then pull it open so the creamy center is semi-exposed and facing up.
Serve: Place the burrata chunks on the bread, and spoon the olives and some of their juices over the top. Top with some more fresh oregano leaves and freshly cracked black pepper. OH MY. Cold, creamy, buttery, SO GOOD.
There’s nothing quite like a nice little morning at the farmer’s market. Arms full of summer goodies, maybe an iced coffee in tow, sunshine at your back, and then the question of… what am I supposed to do with all this? It’s my favorite problem to have!
These recipes are built around the best of peak summer produce – corn, cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, peaches, green beans, and strawberries – whether tossed into a salad, baked into a snack or dessert, piled onto a bowl, or turned into dinner in 30 minutes on a Tuesday. Consider this your go-to guide for using up every last bit of that sweet summer produce. 💛
Summer Produce Recipes
The Best Peach Cobbler
Best summer dessert ever! Made with fresh peaches, sugar, and a topping that bakes like slightly underbaked cookie dough, with crunchy sugar broiled on top.
Summer Chipotle Chicken Cobb Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette
This juicy salad tastes like summer! With chipotle chicken, sweet corn, avocado, cilantro vinaigrette, bacon crumbles, and fresh strawberries for a pop of sweetness.
The BEST healthy zucchini muffins – made with all the yummy feel-good ingredients: oats, zucchini, dates, maple syrup, and olive oil. Just blitz up in a blender and pour!
5-Ingredient Marinated Tomatoes! The best summer staple. Fresh tomatoes, punchy lemon juice, grated garlic, a little bit of olive oil, and herbs and salt to make it sing. YES.
Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Corn and Tomatoes! A seriously delicious fresh summer pasta. Creamy, silky noodles, garlicky shrimp, and a punch of fresh corn, cherry tomatoes, and basil.
We’re making a summery salmon with a beautiful, big-flavored basil sauce that is so good, you’re going to want to just drink it. Perfectly-spiced, fresh, and a dinner for everyone!
Sheet Pan Meatballs with Tomato Salad and Green Sauce
Juicy little sheet pan meatballs that are salty, zesty, briney, and so so delicious. Pile them on tzatziki, spoon some punchy green sauce over top, and serve with a simple salad and crusty bread.
Creamy Vegan Red Pepper Pasta with Blistered Tomatoes
This Creamy Vegan Red Pepper Pasta is seriously delicious and seriously vegan! Perfectly chewy rigatoni, blistered juicy tomatoes, a creamy-but-cream-less roasted red pepper sauce, all sprinkled with fresh chives and basil.
This One-Pan Farro with Tomatoes and Kale is a straight-up DREAM! Rustic farro cozied up to cherry tomatoes, onions, garlic, and kale. So good and so wholesome!
This Spicy Peanut Soba Noodle Salad features red peppers, cabbage, chicken, soba noodles, and a quick homemade spicy peanut sauce. Salads don’t get much yummier than this.
Elote Quinoa Salad made with velvety peppers confit, juicy sweet corn, homemade dressing, cotija cheese, lime, and spices. Perfect for summer and so, so good!
Paper-thin veggies, a shower of herbs, a pile of fried crispy red curry rice, and a limey garlicky vinaigrette all over top. This crispy rice salad is all I want to eat right now!
This is such a fun one! Grilled marinated chicken, a quick tomato cucumber salad, tangy bits of feta, and a zippy pepperoncini garlic butter sauce poured over the whole thing.
This bowl has it all! The crunch of the tomato cucumber salad, the thin slips of bitey red onion, the golden crisped air fryer chicken cut into tender little strips, a big pile of perfectly chewy Banza, and a dollop of tangy calabrian chile sauce on top.
These Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bars are wholesome and perfect and just everything your summer needs! Made with oats, almond butter, zucchini, dates, and maple syrup. So many feel-good ingredients packed into one bar!
We’re bringing you the most beautiful salad inspired by the restaurant Oliver’s in Minnesota. Tender salmon, savory peppers and garlic confit, buttery chunks of avocado, fire-roasted corn, bacon bits, and a river of homemade smoky ranch dressing.
Hellllooo quick summer lunch! These chicken wraps have me hooked. Shredded chicken, crispy cheddar cheese, fresh veg like tomato, corn, and lettuce, some pickled red onion, and not one, but TWO sauces.
These Harissa Meatballs with Whipped Feta are perfect for an easy SOS dinner! Store-bought meatballs, bell peppers, zucchini, harissa, and whipped feta all in one bowl. YUMMY!
Total Time: 20 minutes 
Yield: 4–6 servings 1x 
Diet: Vegetarian 
Category: Appetizer
Method: No-cook
Cuisine: Mediterranean
