Trader Joe’s Cracked Olive Salad Recipe

This briny, chunky Trader Joes Cracked Olive Salad Recipe is made with green olives, mild giardiniera, and capers and ready in 15 minutes. Smashing the olives lets them soak up the tangy vinegar dressing, creating a juicy bite that instantly upgrades any sandwich. I love keeping a fresh jar of this in the fridge for quick weekday lunches.

Why This Classic Works

I used to buy jars of this spread constantly. Making it at home gives me total control over the oil quality. Store-bought versions often rely on cheaper sunflower or canola oils.

By using entirely extra virgin olive oil, the richness of the condiment completely changes. The biggest lesson I learned was to physically crack the olives with a knife first. This helps them absorb the marinade perfectly.

Trader Joes Cracked Olive Salad Recipe Ingredients

• 1 cup green olives (pitted)
• 1 cup black olives (pitted)
• 1 cup mild giardiniera (pickled vegetables)
• 2 tablespoons capers (drained)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

How To Make Trader Joes Cracked Olive Salad Recipe

1. Crack the Olives: Place the green and black olives on a cutting board. Gently press down with the flat side of a chef’s knife to split them open, then roughly chop into chunky pieces.
2. Chop the Pickled Vegetables: Drain the mild giardiniera and capers thoroughly. Dice the pickled cauliflower, carrots, and celery so they are the same size as your chopped olives.
3. Mix the Base: Transfer the chopped olives, diced giardiniera, and capers into a large glass mixing bowl.
4. Whisk the Dressing: In a separate small bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried parsley, and black pepper.
5. Toss and Marinate: Pour the herb oil over the olive mixture and toss well. Transfer to a sealed jar and let it sit in the fridge for at least one hour before eating.

Recipe Tips

• Check the salt: Olives and capers are naturally very salty. Wait to taste the final mixture before adding any extra salt to the bowl.
• Crush, do not slice: Pressing the olives until they crack exposes more surface area. This ensures the vinegar and herbs soak deep into the fruit.
• Drain well: Make sure the giardiniera and capers are fully drained from their original brines. Too much excess liquid will water down your olive oil dressing.

What To Serve With Trader Joes Cracked Olive Salad

This briny mixture is incredible spooned directly over a toasted turkey or Italian deli sandwich. You can also mix it into cold pasta salads or serve it as a simple dip with crusty bread and goat cheese.

How To Store

Keep the salad in a tightly sealed glass jar in the refrigerator. It stays fresh and flavorful for up to two weeks. The olive oil may solidify slightly in the fridge, so let it sit at room temperature for ten minutes before using.

FAQs

• Can I use different types of olives? Yes, castelvetrano or kalamata olives work beautifully. Just ensure they are fully pitted before you begin cracking them.
• Is this similar to muffaletta spread? It is very similar. Both feature chopped olives and pickled vegetables, though this version leaves the pieces a bit larger and chunkier.
• Why did my olive oil get cloudy in the fridge? High-quality extra virgin olive oil naturally solidifies and turns cloudy at cold temperatures. It will return to a clear liquid once it warms up on the counter.
• Do I have to use giardiniera? If you cannot find giardiniera, you can finely dice pickled carrots, celery, and cauliflower. The pre-made mix just saves a lot of chopping time.

Nutrition

• Calories: 180 kcal
• Total Fat: 18 g
• Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 450 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 4 g
• Protein: 1 g

Try More Recipes:

• Trader Joes Orzo Salad Recipe
• Trader Joes Chicken Salad Copycat Recipe
• Trader Joe’s Green Goddess Chicken Salad Recipe

Trader Joes Cracked Olive Salad Recipe

Recipe by Nate Collins

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Total time

15

minutes

Briny and chunky, this Trader Joes Cracked Olive Salad Recipe features green olives, pickled giardiniera, and capers. Ready in 15 minutes, it is an easy condiment for upgrading everyday deli sandwiches or weekend charcuterie boards.

Ingredients

• 1 cup green olives (pitted)

• 1 cup black olives (pitted)

• 1 cup mild giardiniera (pickled vegetables)

• 2 tablespoons capers (drained)

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

• 1. Crack the Olives: Place the green and black olives on a cutting board. Gently press down with the flat side of a chef’s knife to split them open, then roughly chop into chunky pieces.
• 2. Chop the Pickled Vegetables: Drain the mild giardiniera and capers thoroughly. Dice the pickled cauliflower, carrots, and celery so they are the same size as your chopped olives.
• 3. Mix the Base: Transfer the chopped olives, diced giardiniera, and capers into a large glass mixing bowl.
• 4. Whisk the Dressing: In a separate small bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried parsley, and black pepper.
• 5. Toss and Marinate: Pour the herb oil over the olive mixture and toss well. Transfer to a sealed jar and let it sit in the fridge for at least one hour before eating.