Cheesy Baked Olive Dip
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This cheesy baked olive dip is a grown-up spin on classic spinach and artichoke dip. It's rich, creamy, and loaded with roasted garlic and tangy olive and artichoke flavor. Serve it warm with some crackers or crostini for a delicious and unique appetizer that everyone will swoon over!
Dive into more delicious dips like our hot spinach artichoke dip and jalapeƱo hot cheese dip!
This easy cheesy baked olive dip is one of our all-time favorite dips. It's got an ultra creamy base but it's loaded with tang and texture from the olives, artichokes, and whole roasted garlic cloves. It's the perfect recipe for those times when you're hosting and want to switch up the usual party fare without fussing much in the kitchen!
Ingredients needed
The creamy base of this olive cheese dip has a pretty standard mix of mozzarella, parmesan, yogurt, and mayonnaise. Then we load it up with other delicious ingredients to take it over the top!
Here's everything you need to make it:
- Head of fresh garlic: yes, you read that right. We add a whole head of roasted garlic to give this dip a sweet, nutty, and rich flavor. We keep the cloves whole for a tasty surprise when you dig into one.
- Green + black olives: we use both green and black olive varieties for a mix of flavor, texture, and color. The large green olives have a mild flavor, and the black ones are saltier and stronger in flavor.
- Full-fat yogurt: many dip recipes will use cream cheese, but we use full-fat Greek yogurt because it's creamy, high in protein, and gives this dip a bit of tangy flavor.
- Mayonnaise: use light mayo, if you'd like.
- Parmesan cheese + mozzarella cheese: parmesan cheese adds big, bold, cheesy flavor while mozzarella is milder but melts nicely into this dip.
- Marinated artichoke hearts: we leave the artichoke hearts quartered for a chunkier texture but you can chop them into smaller pieces, if you prefer.
- Roasted red peppers: thinly sliced roasted red peppers add sweetness and a pop of color.
- Cayenne, sea salt, and fresh oregano: Feel free to use other fresh herbs like parsley, basil, or thyme.
How to make cheesy baked olive dip
This cheesy baked olive dip recipe is a delicious, grown-up party appetizer that's easy to make. Here's how it comes together in a couple of easy steps:
- Start by roasting the garlic. Slice off the top, drizzle it with olive oil, and pop it into the oven until it starts to brown.
- Meanwhile, add all the dip ingredients to a bowl. When the garlic is done and cool enough to handle, stir in all the cloves. Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe dish.
- Bake in the oven until it's hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with oregano, and serve with crackers or crostini. That's it!
What to serve with cheesy baked olive dip
Serve this cheesy baked olive dip as an appetizer with anything you can dip, dunk, or scoop with like your favorite crackers, crostini, pita bread, grissini, or fresh baguette. It also tastes great with fresh sliced vegetables like cucumber, celery, carrots, red bell pepper, or any other veggies you love. You can even toast some slices of our cheesy no yeast bread for serving!
Recipe FAQS
Can I make this dip ahead of time?
Yes! This is the perfect appetizer for making ahead and can be made up to 2 days in advance. Just keep it covered with a beeswax wrap in your fridge. When you are ready to serve it, remove the wrap, and follow the directions for baking it.
What are the best types of olives to use?
This recipe works with pretty much any variety of olives, but some are more flavorful than others. The big green olives we've used in this recipe are gordal olives while the smaller black ones areĀ hojiblanca olives.
How long do leftovers keep in the fridge?
Store any leftover dip in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
How do I reheat it?
Reheat this dip in an oven-safe baking dish at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes (or until warmed through).
Cheesy Baked Olive Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup green olives (roughly chopped)
- 1 cup black olives (roughly chopped)
- 1 cup plain full-fat yogurt
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 14-ounce cans of quartered marinated artichoke hearts (drained)
- 1 ball mozzarella (about 11-ounces/ 340 grams cubed)
- Ā¼ cup chopped roasted red peppers
- Ā½ teaspoon EACH: cayenne and sea salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
Instructions
- Set your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the top off the head of garlic and place it in a small baking dish, cut side up. Drizzle it with the oil and place it in your oven. (Don't wait for it to preheat.) Roast the garlic for 25 minutes, or until it is soft and the top is starting to brown. Remove it from the oven and set it aside to cool.1 head garlic, 1 teaspoon olive oil
- While the garlic is roasting, add all the dip ingredients to a large bowl. When the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze out the cloves and add them to the bowl. Mix well and then transfer the dip to an ovenproof dish.1 cup green olives, 1 cup black olives, 1 cup plain full-fat yogurt, 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, 2 14-ounce cans of quartered marinated artichoke hearts, 1 ball mozzarella, Ā¼ cup chopped roasted red peppers, Ā½ teaspoon EACH: cayenne and sea salt
- Place the dip in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until it is hot and bubbling and all the cheese has melted. Sprinkle the top with oregano and serve immediately.1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our dip recipes and our olive recipes!