Stuffed olives with cream cheese and sweet chilli sauce are creamy, zesty, and loaded with flavor. The cheese-stuffed olives look stunning on a charcuterie board, but they’re just as delightful served on their own. With the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and tangy, they’ll have everyone coming back for more.
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🫒 OLIVES STUFFED WITH CREAM CHEESE
Next time you need an easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer, grab a jar of large green olives, your trusty piping bag, and whip up this irresistible recipe. Trust me—you’ll fall in love with these cheese olives. Add toothpicks for a quick grab-and-go appetizer!
A FEW APPETIZERS TO TRY NEXT TIME
❤️ WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
No Cooking Required: This no-cook recipe comes together quickly, perfect for last-minute entertaining.
Crowd-Pleasing: The combination of creamy, tangy, and zesty flavors appeals to almost everyone, making it a guaranteed party favorite.
Perfect for Any Occasion: From casual gatherings to elegant events, these stuffed olives are versatile enough to fit right in.
Try Blue Cheese or Feta: Not a fan of cream cheese? Swap it for crumbled blue cheese for a bold twist or feta for a salty surprise.
Make Ahead: Prepare the cheese mixture and stuff the olives up to a day in advance.
🥄 INGREDIENTS NEEDED AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Large Green Olives: These are the perfect vessels for the creamy cheese filling. Choose ones that are de-pitted and have big holes for easy stuffing.
- Substitution: Black olives can work, but they are softer and may not hold their shape as well.
Cream Cheese: The star of the show, provides a smooth, creamy base for the filling.
- Substitution: Use goat cheese, feta, or ricotta for a tangier flavor, or a vegan cream cheese for a dairy-free option.
Sweet Chilli Sauce: Adds a touch of sweetness and spice to the cheese mixture, balancing the richness.
- Substitution: Use honey mixed with a pinch of chili flakes.
Olive Oil: Makes a dressing.
- Substitution: Avocado oil or grapeseed oil works well if you’re out of olive oil.
Lemon Zest: Adds a hint of citrus to the filling and dressing.
- Substitution: Lime zest or a small splash of lemon juice.
Lemon Juice (for the dressing): Provides acidity to balance the richness of the olives and cheese.
- Substitution: Use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Garlic: Thinly sliced, it infuses the olive oil dressing with a subtle kick of flavor.
- Substitution: A pinch of garlic powder or minced shallot.
Fresh Herbs: Bring a pop of freshness and color to the dressing. Parsley, thyme, origano, or rosemary works best.
- Substitution: Use chives, thyme, or a sprinkle of dried herbs in a pinch.
Chilli Flakes: Add a bit of heat to the dressing for those who love a spicy kick.
- Substitution: Use cayenne pepper or smoked paprika for a different flavor profile.
Cracked Black Pepper: A simple but essential seasoning to enhance all the flavors.
- Substitution: Use freshly ground white pepper or a pinch of regular ground black pepper.
👩🏼🍳 STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Note: Please scroll to the full printable recipe card at the bottom for ingredient quantities and the method.
Prepare the Cheese Mixture:
On a side plate or shallow bowl, mix the cream cheese, sweet chili sauce, and lemon zest until smooth. For an extra kick, add a dash of cracked black pepper.
Pipe:
Transfer the cheese mixture to a piping bag fitted with a small nozzle. If you don’t have a piping bag, a resealable plastic bag with the tip cut off works just as well.
Stuff Those Olives:
Gently pipe the cheese filling into each large green olive, ensuring the centers are completely filled. Trust me, this part is oddly satisfying!
Whip Up the Dressing:
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic slices, herbs, lemon zest, chili flakes, and cracked black pepper.
Plate and Dress:
Arrange the stuffed olives on a serving dish. Drizzle the olive oil dressing over the top for an extra burst of flavor.
💫 If you loved this recipe, leave a 5-star review and rating!
📝 TIPS AND TRICKS
Choose Large Olives: For this recipe, opt for large green olives that are already de-pitted. The bigger the holes, the easier they are to fill with that delicious cheese mixture!
Soft Cheese is Key: Ensure your cream cheese is soft before mixing. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15–20 minutes. This makes it much easier to combine with the sweet chilli sauce and pipe into the olives.
Use a Piping Bag: A piping bag (or a resealable plastic bag with the tip snipped off) is the easiest way to fill the olives neatly. This helps get the filling right into the center of each olive without making a mess.
Wipe the Edges: If any cream cheese overflows while stuffing the olives, use a clean paper towel to gently wipe the edges for a polished, mess-free look.
Chill Before Serving: Once stuffed, refrigerate the olives for at least 30 minutes. This is optional but it does help the flavors meld together and keeps the cream cheese filling firm and refreshing.
Experiment with Flavors: While this recipe uses sweet chilli sauce, you can customize the cheese mixture with your favorite flavors. Try adding chopped fresh herbs, a dash of garlic powder, or even a pinch of smoked paprika for a twist.
Perfect Pairing: These cheese-stuffed olives are amazing as part of a charcuterie board or served alongside cocktails like Bloody Marys. Add toothpicks for a quick grab-and-go appetizer!
Don’t Skip the Dressing: The olive oil dressing is a game-changer! Drizzle it over the stuffed olives for a bright, zesty finish that complements the creamy filling beautifully.
❓ FAQS
While black olives can be used, large green olives are recommended for this recipe because of their firm texture and slightly tangy flavor, which pairs perfectly with the creamy cheese filling.
Leave the cream cheese at room temperature for about 15–20 minutes before mixing.
Fresh parsley, dill, rosemary, or thyme work beautifully in the dressing. Or use your favorite herbs.
The level of spice depends on your sweet chilli sauce. Most have a mild kick, but you can choose a spicier variety if you love heat or add a pinch of chili flakes to the cheese mixture.
MAKE-AHEAD AND STORAGE
MAKE-AHEAD
You can prepare these cheese-stuffed olives up to 24 hours in advance.
STORAGE
Store leftover stuffed olives in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Ensure they’re covered well to prevent drying out.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think by leaving a ★★★★★ star rating & comment below. It genuinely helps me & I really appreciate your support! Nikki 💚
Print
STUFFED OLIVES WITH CREAM CHEESE AND SWEET CHILLI
- Total Time: 10 min Total Time
- Yield: About 20 - 25 olives 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Stuffed olives with cream cheese and sweet chilli sauce are creamy, zesty, and loaded with flavor. The cheese-stuffed olives look stunning on a charcuterie board, but they’re just as delightful served on their own. With the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and tangy, they’ll have everyone coming back for more.
Ingredients
- 1 jar large green olives (look for ones with big holes in the middle!)
- ⅓ cup smooth cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
For the Olive Oil Dressing
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
- Fresh herbs (parsley or dill work well)
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
- Cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Cheese Mixture:
On a side plate or shallow bowl, mix the cream cheese, sweet chili sauce, and lemon zest until smooth. For an extra kick, add a dash of cracked black pepper.
Pipe:
Transfer the cheese mixture to a piping bag fitted with a small nozzle. If you don’t have a piping bag, a resealable plastic bag with the tip cut-off works just as well.
Stuff Those Olives:
Gently pipe the cheese filling into each large green olive, ensuring the centers are completely filled. This part is oddly satisfying!
Whip Up the Dressing:
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic slices, herbs, lemon zest, chili flakes, and cracked black pepper.
Plate and Dress:
Arrange the stuffed olives on a serving dish. Drizzle the olive oil dressing over the top for an extra burst of flavor.
💫 If you loved this recipe, leave a 5-star review and rating!
Notes
Choose Large Olives: For this recipe, opt for large green olives that are already de-pitted. The bigger the holes, the easier they are to fill with that delicious cheese mixture!
Soft Cheese is Key: Ensure your cream cheese is soft before mixing. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15–20 minutes. This makes it much easier to combine with the sweet chilli sauce and pipe into the olives.
Use a Piping Bag for Precision: A piping bag (or a resealable plastic bag with the tip snipped off) is the easiest way to fill the olives neatly. This helps get the filling right into the center of each olive without making a mess.
Wipe the Edges: If any cream cheese overflows while stuffing the olives, use a clean paper towel to gently wipe the edges for a polished, mess-free look. Chill Before Serving: Once stuffed, refrigerate the olives for at least 30 minutes. This is optional but it does help the flavors meld together and keeps the cream cheese filling firm and refreshing.
Chill Before Serving: Once stuffed, refrigerate the olives for at least 30 minutes. This is optional but it does help the flavors meld together and keeps the cream cheese filling firm and refreshing.
Don’t Skip the Dressing: The olive oil dressing is a game-changer! Drizzle it over the stuffed olives for a bright, zesty finish that complements the creamy filling beautifully.
- Category: Appetizer, Snack
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
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