Cheddar Olive Dip

If you’re someone who dives into the olives first when there’s a plate of appetizers this cheddar olive dip is for you. Loaded with olives, cheddar cheese and roasted red peppers all in a tangy creamy mixture. All you need is a mixing bowl and hand mixer and you’ll have this in the fridge in about 10 minutes.

Perfect recipe to have on hand if you already have something cooking in the oven. No cooking required and you can make this the night before you want to serve it. The longer this dip sits in the fridge the more flavor the garlic and olives will impart into the dip.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Every spoonful of this dip is packed with flavor. Salty from the olives, slightly sharp from the cheddar and a little sweet from the roasted red peppers. By chopping up the olives you won’t be overwhelmed by them in each spoonful. But you will definitely taste the olives.

Not much mess to clean up either. Everything is mixed together in one bowl and can even be served out of that bowl. Cover and pop it in the fridge and continue prepping the rest of your meal.

What You’ll Need

Cream cheese, sour cream, sliced green olives, roasted red peppers, garlic, onion powder, black pepper and sharp cheddar cheese.

Cream Cheese and Sour Cream

Cream cheese will be the base of this dip and the sour cream helps make it scoopable. Be sure to allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature. When mixing cold cream cheese you’re more likely to have small lumps left behind. And trust me those little lumps are annoying when you start adding your olives and shredded cheese.

Green Olives

The green olives will provide most of the salty flavor in this dip. Once drained, chop the slices up to create smaller pieces. If you like the taste of the olive even more you can add a few tablespoons of the liquid the olives are stored in. Just be sure to taste and see how it goes. You don’t want it to be too salty.

Cheddar Cheese

Using 2 cups of cheddar cheese will make this dip a little more on the chunky side. It’s best to grate your own cheese because it will be less dense than store bought shredded cheese. Feel free to use pepper jack cheese as well for a spicy kick.

Directions

Using cream cheese that has come to room temperature will speed up your process. Once mixed together let the dip sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Combine

In a medium mixing bowl add cream cheese and mix with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Add in the sour cream and mix again.

Add Ingredients

Stir in the olives and roasted red peppers that have been drained. Add the garlic, onion powder and black pepper. Mix with a spatula until combined.

Add Cheese

Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese. Make sure to scrape the bottom of your bowl while stirring so you don’t have cream cheese left behind.

Refrigerate and serve

Scoop dip into a bowl and cover tightly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This will allow the garlic and onion to seep into the dip.

Tips

• Make sure to drain your roasted red peppers and pat them dry with a paper towel. They hold a lot of moisture and will make your dip thinner.
• Dip will become firmer when refrigerated. Allow it to sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes if it is too thick to scoop. This is also good to do if you are using thin crackers.
• Let the dip chill for the full 30 minutes. After that time has passed taste your dip. The garlic and onion will become more prominent the longer the dip sits in the fridge.

Storage & Leftovers

• Store: Keep tightly covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: I do not recommend freezing this dip. The cream cheese and sour cream will break apart and leave you with a less desirable texture.
• Heat: No need to reheat this dip. You can serve cold or allow it to sit at room temperature for a few minutes.

Pair With

• Butter Crackers, Woven Wheat Crackers or Pretzel Crisps that are thick enough to hold a scoop of dip.
• Celery, Baby Carrots and sliced Bell Peppers
• Toasted Bagel or English Muffin
• Add a spoonful to a Turkey or Roast Beef Sandwich

FAQs

Can I use black olives?

Yes! Black olives would work well in this dip. Just taste before adding salt as you may not need to add any.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes you can make this the night before and store it in the fridge. Just make sure it’s covered. When you’re ready to serve it just give it a quick stir.