What Are Pimento stuffed green olives and How Can I Use Them?

Pimento stuffed green olives rewards a little know-how: how to choose them, cook them, store them, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 93 recipes to cook with them.

What are pimento stuffed green olives?

Pimento stuffed green olives are unripe olives cured in brine and packed with a sliver of red pimento pepper where the pit used to be. The olive brings a firm, salty, briny bite, and the pimento adds a mild sweetness and a flash of red.

They are the classic cocktail olive and a pantry workhorse for salads and relishes and a backbone of Spanish and Latin cooking.

The stuffing is usually pimento paste piped into a pitted olive. You will also find them stuffed with garlic or almonds the same way, and spicier ones packed with jalapeño.

Ways to Use Them

The famous job is the martini, where one or three olives season the glass and a splash of their brine makes it dirty. On an antipasto or relish tray, as in Antipasto #1, they sit alongside cured meats and cheese.

Chopped, they bring salt and tang to cooked dishes. Picadillo Con Alcaparras leans on green olives and capers to balance its sweet-savory ground beef, and Aunt Julia's Paella scatters them through the rice. Olive Tapenade with Feta blitzes them into a briny spread for crostini and sandwiches.

They also lift simple salads and pastas, as in Whole Wheat Pasta with Cilantro, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Feta.

Cooking and Pairing

Green olives play well with tomatoes, garlic, capers, and citrus, and they are a defining note in Spanish, Sicilian, and Puerto Rican dishes. Their saltiness anchors rich braises and sharpens oily fish.

The mistake is forgetting how much salt they carry. When a recipe calls for chopped olives, hold back on added salt until you taste at the end, or the dish turns harsh.

If the brine flavor is too aggressive, give the olives a quick rinse under cold water before chopping. It washes off the surface salt without stealing the olive flavor. For tapenade and relish, a brief soak mellows them further so the spread does not overpower the bread.

Substitutes

Manzanilla or Castelvetrano olives, pitted and chopped, swap in cleanly and you lose only the pimento's sweetness. To get that note back, stir in a little chopped jarred pimento or roasted red pepper.

Capers cover the salty-briny role in a sauce or relish, though they are smaller and sharper, so use less. Kalamata or other purple olives work for flavor but darken the dish and read as fruitier and less crisp.

In a martini, a cocktail onion turns it into a Gibson. Different drink, same salty garnish idea.

Buying and Storage

Stuffed green olives come whole or pre-sliced for salads, in glass jars or cans. Whole olives in a glass jar keep their texture best; sliced salad olives are convenient but go soft faster. Buy them in brine rather than dry-packed if you want the firmest bite.

An unopened jar is shelf-stable for a year or more. Once opened, keep the olives submerged in their brine and refrigerated, where they hold for a couple of months.

If the brine evaporates below the olives, top the jar with a little water and salt so the exposed ones do not dry out or mold.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find pimento stuffed green olives: Pimento stuffed green olives are usually found in the condiments section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Pimento stuffed green olives are a member of the Fruits and Fruit Juices US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

青椒酿绿橄榄

British (UK) term

Pimento stuffed green olives

en français

piment farci d'olives vertes

en español

aceitunas verdes rellenas de pimiento

How much do pimento stuffed green olives weigh?

Related

Fruits and Fruit Juices

Recipes using pimento stuffed green olives

There are 93 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Classic Cajun Deviled Eggs

Savor the creamy, tangy, and slightly spicy flavors of these Cajun-inspired deviled eggs. Perfect as an appetizer or party snack, this easy recipe combines smooth egg yolks with Dijon mustard, light mayonnaise, and a kick of Cajun seasoning, topped with pimento-stuffed green olives for a briny finish.

Salad Platter

Creamy avocados, juicy-sweet tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, meaty chickpeas and salty olives are on top of a bed of lettuce or any your favorite greens. Drizzle some freshly homemade vinaigrette and serve with a few slices of good bread.

Picadillo (Rice-And-Beef Hash/Filling)

Cuban-style picadillo with ground beef, raisins, olives, apple, jalapeno, and warm spices like cinnamon and cloves. Serve over rice, in tacos, or as a stuffed pepper filling.

Antipasto #1

Eat heartily, accompanied by much loud Italian conversation. In fact, I typed this accompanied by much loud Italian conversation. My parents were here, and both were shouting instructions over my shoulder. They disagreed about the arrangement of the lettuce - my mother said that the hole in the middle of the platter was necessary; my father insisted that it wasn't, saying you can just dump the tuna on top of the lettuce. I finally had to give up on this reply until they went home. So now, in the peace and quiet of the aftermath, I've finished it. Hope you had a wonderful holiday.

Deli Stuffed Calzone

A cheesy pizza pocket stuffed with 3 kinds of cheese, spinach, tomatoes, olives and salami.

Picadillo Con Alcaparras (Picadillo with Capers)

Cuban-style picadillo with capers, pimento-stuffed olives, burgundy wine, and a touch of nutmeg. Ground beef braised in a savory-sweet sofrito. Serve over rice with plantains.

Homemade Tarter Sauce

Homemade tartar sauce with sweet and dill pickles, green olives, scallions, and a kick of hot sauce. Chunkier and bolder than anything from a jar, ready in 5 minutes.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Cilantro, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Feta

A delicious and nutritious one-pot meal is ideal for a busy week-day dinner.

Olive Tapenade with Feta

This salty spread uses two types of olives and crumbled feta cheese, but no anchovies. Serve on crackers, toasted sliced baguette or pita chips.

Chickpea, Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Mushrooms, & Sun-Dried Tomato Couscous Salad with Feta

This delicious couscous salad has so many layers of flavors and textures. Marinated artichoke hearts and mushrooms, olive-oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, and salty feta cheese together with couscous deliver a satisfying dish that's also eye pleasure too.

Beef Barbecue Sauce

A bold beef barbecue sauce simmered with beer, chili sauce, pimento-stuffed olives, and butter. Briny, tangy, and ready in 15 minutes. Makes 1½ cups of pure backyard magic.

Smorrebrod (Denmark)

A traditional Danish Smørrebrød spread with smoked salmon, shrimp, roast beef, ham, blue cheese, eggs and fresh fruit on rye bread. A stunning no-cook platter that feeds 12.

Vegetable Salad with Romesco Sauce

Spanish-style vegetable salad dressed in a smoky, nutty romesco sauce made from roasted tomatoes, garlic, and almonds. A showstopping side that feeds a crowd.

Red Snapper Veracruz Style

Red snapper Veracruz with pan-fried fillets in a tomato-olive sauce spiked with cinnamon, cloves, lime, and jalapeno, served over new potatoes. A classic Mexican coastal dish with warm spice and tangy brine.

Easy Tapenade Dip

Provençal tapenade dip with green olives, capers, anchovies and an egg yolk emulsion. Briny, salty Mediterranean spread for crackers, crudités and crostini.

Tri-Pasta Salad with Herbed Vinaigrette

Tri-pasta salad combines ziti, bow-tie, and spinach rotini with tri-color peppers, olives, and capers in a no-oil herbed red wine vinaigrette. Colorful, tangy, and low-fat for picnics and potlucks.

Curried Chicken & Rice Salad

Cold curried chicken and rice salad with a yogurt-curry dressing, pimiento-stuffed olives, celery, and toasted almonds. A light, protein-packed make-ahead lunch or dinner salad.

Double Rice Stuffing

Double rice stuffing for a 12-pound turkey with long grain and wild rice blend, sautéed celery and onion, and briny pimento-stuffed green olives. A bread-free Thanksgiving stuffing alternative.

No-Bread Sandwiches

Breadless egg salad sandwiches using Monterey Jack cheese slices as the "bread." Low-carb, gluten-free, and stacked with tomato, lettuce, pickles, and olives.

Libby's Jeweled Relish

Libby's jeweled relish, a vintage no-cook condiment of crunchy sauerkraut, crisp celery, pimento-stuffed green olives, and honey. A sweet-tangy-briny mix that brightens hot dogs, brats, and deli sandwiches.

Strained Eye Balls

Halloween deviled eggs made to look like bloodshot eyeballs using cream cheese, pimento-stuffed olives, and red food coloring. Creepy, edible, and kid-approved.

Deviled Mice

Deviled eggs dressed up as tiny mice with olive ears, pimento eyes, and chocolate sprinkle "droppings." A hilarious Halloween appetizer kids will flip over.

Puerto Rican Rice with Chicken

Arroz con pollo Puerto Rican style with chicken marinated overnight in adobo, sofrito, salt pork, ham, olives, capers, and peas, then simmered together into one golden pot.

Wowchos

Roasted garlic nachos loaded with green chiles, pimento olives, and bubbly pepper jack cheese. These Wowchos turn game day snacking into a full-on flavor fiesta in under 45 minutes.

Chicken Laredo

Browned chicken simmers with plump raisins, sliced pimento-stuffed olives, and a dusting of cinnamon in chicken broth. A Tex-Mex sweet-and-savory skillet dinner that's earned a loyal following.

Sweet-And-Sour Baked Beans

Slow cooker baked beans from scratch with bacon, molasses, pineapple chunks, dill pickles, and green olives. A tangy, smoky, loaded side dish that simmers all day long.

Riviera Loaf

Italian bread topped with sun-dried tomatoes, black and green olives, garlic, and melted mozzarella. A Mediterranean-style open-faced loaf ready in 20 minutes flat.

Barbecue Crab Sandwich

Open-faced crab and melted cheddar sandwiches on English muffins with tomato sauce and sliced olives. Mix, chill, broil, and serve in minutes for a retro seafood lunch or quick appetizer.

Traditional Mexican Picadillo with Almonds & Olives

Mexican picadillo with ground beef, apples, raisins, green olives, and toasted almonds. Sweet, savory, and versatile taco filling.

Crab 'N Avacado Salad

Crab and avocado salad: sweet crab meat tossed in a zesty picante-mayo dressing with green olives, piled into ripe avocado halves. A no-cook, 20-minute Tex-Mex lunch or appetizer that looks far fancier than it is.

Make-Ahead Antipasto

Make-ahead Italian antipasto with tuna, olives, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, and vegetables simmered in tomato sauce. Freezes for up to three months.

Crunchy Taco Chip Chicken

Microwave taco chicken casserole topped with crushed taco shells, cheddar, and olives over a stewed tomato base. A quick Mexican-style dinner ready in 40 minutes.

Bbq Crab Sandwich

Broiled crab melt on English muffins with crabmeat, tomato sauce, pimento olives, and melted cheddar. Mix, chill an hour to blend flavors, then broil until bubbly and golden.

Valencian Red Beans& Rice

Valencian red beans and rice with bell peppers, fresh tomatoes, pimento-stuffed olives, allspice, and cilantro. A one-pot Caribbean-meets-Spanish vegetarian dish.

Porkaghetti Platter

Porkaghetti platter with pork steak strips braised in tomato sauce with mushrooms, rosemary, and green olives, served over spaghetti with Romano cheese. A retro Italian-American Sunday dinner.

Potato Salad with Smoked Turkey & Artichoke Hearts

Potato salad with smoked turkey, artichoke hearts, and green olives in a cumin-spiked lemon-garlic vinaigrette. A mayo-free, Mediterranean-inspired picnic salad.

Muffaletta Rellenos Bake

Mash-up casserole layering chili beans, green chiles, pimento olives, and roasted red peppers under a fluffy egg-and-cheese custard. New Orleans muffaletta meets Tex-Mex chiles rellenos.

Marinated Spiced Olives

Marinated spiced olives with lemon, garlic, dried chilies, mustard seeds, peppercorns, and allspice in olive oil. A no-cook appetizer that improves over a week of marinating.

Cheddar-Olive Bread

Cheddar-olive bread with sharp cheddar, pimento-stuffed olives, and mayo baked on French bread until bubbly and golden. A retro party appetizer in four ingredients.

Crunchy Stuffed Eggs

Crunchy deviled eggs with sour cream, crumbled bacon, parsley, and paprika, topped with a pimento-stuffed olive half. A quick no-cook appetizer ready in 10 minutes.

Drunken Fish

Pescado borracho: whole red snapper baked in a smoky ancho chile and red wine sauce with olives, capers, and fresh tomatoes. This Veracruz-style Mexican fish dish is bold, briny, and unforgettable.

Deluxe Potato Salad

A party-sized potato salad platter with Dijon mustard, artichoke hearts, and curry-spiked deviled eggs arranged around the edge. Five pounds of potatoes feed a crowd in style.

Anchovy Olive Dip

Briny anchovy paste and chopped green olives swirled into tangy sour cream for a salty, umami-packed dip that disappears fast at parties.

MacAroni & Cheese with Tuna

Tuna mac and cheese with green olives, celery, and a sour cream and white wine sauce. Layered with American cheese and baked until golden. A retro casserole with grown-up flavor twists.

Round Steak Deluxe

Round steak deluxe braised in garlic-scented beef bouillon with cherry tomatoes, green bell pepper rings, and pimento-stuffed olives. A budget cut turned tender, Mediterranean-leaning, and ready in an hour.

Chili Beef Tacos

Slow-braised beef marinated in chili-lime-cumin paste, shredded and loaded into taco shells with corn, olives, and sharp cheddar. A two-day taco project that makes 20 and earns every minute.

Vieiras a la Gallega - Scallops in Mustard-Olive Sauce

Galician-style scallops in a creamy Dijon mustard sauce with pimento olives, capers, and garlic, baked in shells under a golden breadcrumb crust.

Cornish Hens Proven-Al Style

Cornish hens Provencal style braised with tomatoes, saffron, olives, leeks, white wine, and fresh herbs. A one-skillet French country dinner with golden-skinned game hens in 50 minutes.

Muffaletta

New Orleans-style muffaletta on focaccia piled with ham, turkey, provolone, and a tangy olive relish of green olives, artichokes, anchovies, capers, and garlic. Chilled overnight for full flavor.

Chili Pie

Microwave chili pie with ground beef, corn, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, olives, and crushed tortilla chips on top. A fast Tex-Mex casserole ready in about 15 minutes.

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