Italian Olive Cheese Spread (Printable Version)

Creamy cheese and olive spread with Parmesan and fresh herbs, ready in just 10 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 7 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
02 - 3.5 oz ricotta cheese
03 - 1.75 oz grated Parmesan cheese

→ Olives & Vegetables

04 - 3.5 oz mixed Italian olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
05 - 2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
06 - 1 small garlic clove, minced

→ Herbs & Seasoning

07 - 2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
08 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
09 - ½ tsp dried oregano
10 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
11 - Salt to taste

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh basil leaves
13 - Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil

# Directions:

01 - In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, ricotta, and Parmesan. Mix until smooth and fully incorporated.
02 - Add the chopped olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and minced garlic. Stir to evenly distribute throughout the cheese mixture.
03 - Mix in the fresh basil, parsley, oregano, black pepper, and salt to taste. Blend until all ingredients are well combined.
04 - Transfer the spread to a serving bowl. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
05 - Serve immediately with toasted baguette slices, crackers, or vegetable crudités. For best flavor, cover and chill for 1 hour before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It takes exactly ten minutes from fridge to table, which means you can make it while guests are hanging up their coats.
  • The combination of three cheeses with briny olives creates something that tastes far more luxurious than the effort suggests.
02 -
  • Room temperature cream cheese is non-negotiable, because cold cream cheese leaves you with lumpy bits no amount of stirring can fix.
  • Taste the spread before adding salt, since olives and Parmesan are sneaky little sodium bombs that catch up with you.
03 -
  • Chop the olives to roughly the same size as the sun-dried tomatoes so every bite delivers a balanced mix instead of one giant olive chunk.
  • A glass of Chianti or Pinot Grigio beside this spread turns a casual snack into a proper Italian evening with almost no extra effort.

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