Black olives are a versatile and delicious food that humans have enjoyed for centuries. They have a unique flavor that adds depth to any dish.
Whether you are eating them straight out of the jar or using them as a topping on your favorite pizza, they are a staple in many households.
In this article, we explore how theyre made, the versatility of the fruit, and how you can incorporate them into your diet.
Black olives are the ripe fruits of olive trees. Ripe olives turn from green to a dark color ranging anywhere from light brown to a deep black color. After they’re harvested, the ripe olives undergo a curing process that can turn them even darker.
How to Buy and Store
You can find inexpensive, regular canned black olives at your neighborhood grocery store. These are best reserved for cooking purposes. Its easier if theyre already pitted so you dont accidentally bite down on a pit which are very hard and can even damage your teeth!
For snacking, happy hour, and eating fresh head to your local artisanal market and the internet. Like high-quality EVOO, fantastic black olives are usually found online and sold by smaller businesses who have a relationship with the producer. This quality of product is almost exclusively jarred in glass.
Store unopened cans and jars in a cool, dry place like a pantry or cupboard. Once opened, they should be stored in the refrigerator.
How to Use Black Olives
There are truly endless ways to use these tasty treats. Here are a few of our favorites:
Appetizers: Serve them in a bowl next to nuts, cheese, and crackers. Make your own tapenade with some really high quality EVOO. Serve mini focaccia bites and use them as the topping.
Cocktails: Usually green olives get all the attention when it comes to cocktails, however, black olives can be even more delicious with the right drink. The next time you shake things up with your martini add a few. They add an earthiness and saltiness to your drink.
Salads: Canned or jarred, add them to any type of salad to give it a salty and savory flavor. They pair especially well with feta cheese, cucumber, and tomatoes.
Pizza: Both canned and jarred work well on both Neapolitan and American style pizza. Canned is better if youre putting them on pizza before it gets cooked. Jarred under oil is best if youre putting them on pizza after its cooked. They pair well with other toppings like mushrooms, onions, sausage, or peppers.
Pasta: You can add them to many different pasta sauces. They go especially well with tomato based sauces. In fact, one of the most famous is pasta alla puttanesca!
Why are Olives Black?
FAQ
What are black olives classified?
Do black olives count as a vegetable?
What’s another name for black olives?
Are black olives the same as green olives?
What is a black olive?
Black olives are olives that have been allowed to fully ripen on the tree before harvesting. There are many different varieties based in part on geographic origin and tree species, but also influenced through storage and curing techniques. Nearly any ripe olive is considered “black,” even if its true color is more reddish or purple.
Which olive is healthier, black or green?
Green olives have a lot of vitamin E, but they also have a lot of sodium. People who are worried about their sodium intake should eat black olives instead. However, the servings must be limited.
What are the different types of black olives?
Some common varieties include Mission, Belice, and Lugano. Unripe black olives are green in color and typically have a firmer texture compared to ripe olives. Kalamata olives originate from the Kalamata region in Greece and are a type of black olive.
What do black olives look like?
Black olives are the ripe fruits of olive trees. Ripe olives turn from green to a dark color ranging anywhere from light brown to a deep black color. After they’re harvested, the ripe olives undergo a curing process that can turn them even darker.