Herb Roasted Olives with Burrata Recipe

Herb roasted olives with burrata bring bright Mediterranean flavors to your table and make an effortless, impressive appetizer. A mix of whole and chopped olives is combined with olive oil, sliced onion, smashed garlic, lemon peel, rosemary, thyme, and a pinch of red pepper flakes, then baked until the oil is fragrant and the olives are blistered. Fresh burrata is added at the end and gently broken open so its creamy center melds with the warm, herby oil. Serve with toasted bread for dipping.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Olives: Roasting softens the briny bite of olives while concentrating their savory, fruity notes. Using a medley—Kalamata, green, and black—adds color and texture, but any pitted olives will work.

Burrata: Burrata is a creamy, fresh cheese that melts slightly when added to the hot olives, creating a silky, indulgent dip when combined with the flavored oil.

Flavor: The olive oil absorbs garlic, lemon peel, thyme, rosemary, onion, and red pepper flakes during baking, producing a fragrant dipping oil that complements the olives and cheese.

Ingredients

• 2 cups mixed olives, pitted. Use a variety of shapes, colors, and flavors for interest.
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed.
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced.
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary and 3 sprigs fresh thyme.
• Peel of 1 medium lemon. (Just the peel adds bright citrus aroma without extra juice.)
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste).
• ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil. Use a good-quality oil you enjoy dipping bread into.
• 2–3 balls burrata cheese, brought to room temperature before serving.
• Fresh dill and basil, for garnish.
• 1 loaf bakery bread (focaccia, ciabatta, or baguette), sliced and toasted for serving.

Quantities above serve about 6–8 as an appetizer. Adjust proportions to your crowd and vessel size.

Substitutions and Variations

• Use jarred olives or pick a medley from an olive bar—just be sure to drain them well.
• Substitute any favorite olive types: Kalamata, Castelvetrano, black, or green.
• Swap burrata for whipped feta, goat cheese, or small fresh mozzarella balls for a different texture and flavor.
• Add cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, or mushrooms before baking for extra variety.
• Replace lemon peel with a few strips of orange peel for a sweeter citrus note.

How to Make This Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Prepare the burrata by removing it from any liquid and patting it dry; set aside at room temperature.

2. Drain the olives, then roughly chop half of them and leave the rest whole for texture contrast.

3. In an oven-safe baking dish, combine the olives, sliced onion, smashed garlic, rosemary sprig, thyme sprigs, and lemon peels.

4. Sprinkle red pepper flakes over the mixture, then pour the extra virgin olive oil over everything so it comes at least halfway up the olives.

5. Stir to coat the olives, then bake for 30 minutes at 450°F. At the 15-minute mark, stir to ensure even cooking; the oil should be sizzling and the garlic golden when done.

6. Remove from the oven, nestle the burrata balls into the hot olives, and gently break them open so the creamy center runs into the oil. Garnish with torn basil and dill, and serve immediately with toasted bread.

We like to lightly char or broil the bread for extra crunch. Spoon the olives and oil over toasted slices and enjoy right away.

Expert Tips

• Discard any brine or oil the olives came in and use your own quality extra virgin olive oil for a cleaner, fresher flavor.
• Combine roughly chopped, halved, and whole olives for a more interesting mix of textures.
• Stir the mixture halfway through baking to promote even browning and flavor distribution.
• Use enough olive oil to come at least halfway up the olives; depending on your dish you may need slightly more than the recipe lists.
• If grilling, use a fire-safe dish such as a cast-iron skillet to achieve a smoky finish.

Recipe FAQs

Storage

Store leftover olives in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Reheat in a 450°F oven until the oil is hot and bubbling. If possible, remove the burrata before storing and add fresh burrata after reheating.

More Appetizer Recipes You’ll Love

What to Know When Cooking with The Cozy Plum

• Measure salt carefully—kosher and sea salt vary in salinity. Adjust to taste.
• For consistent results, bake in an appropriately sized dish so the olives are partly submerged in oil.
• Grilling this recipe in a fire-safe dish adds a pleasant smoky note.

Herb Roasted Olives with Burrata

A simple, flavorful Mediterranean appetizer: roasted olives and aromatics baked in olive oil, finished with fresh burrata and served with toasted bread.

Equipment

• Oven-safe baking dish (about 1.5–2 qt)

Ingredients

• 2 cups mixed pitted olives
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• Peel of 1 medium lemon
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2–3 balls burrata, room temperature
• Fresh dill and basil for garnish
• 1 loaf bakery bread, sliced and toasted

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Remove burrata from any liquid and dry on paper towels; set aside at room temperature.
2. Drain olives and chop half roughly, leaving the rest whole for texture.
3. In an oven-safe dish, combine olives, garlic, onion, rosemary, thyme, lemon peels, and red pepper flakes. Pour olive oil over to partially submerge the olives.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the oil is sizzling and the garlic is golden.
5. Remove from oven, nestle burrata into the hot olives, and gently break it open so the creamy center mixes with the oil.
6. Top with torn basil and dill. Serve immediately with toasted bread and a spoon for scooping.

Notes

Store leftovers chilled in an airtight container up to one week. Reheat in a hot oven until sizzling and add fresh burrata after reheating. Confirm all olives are pitted before cooking. Adjust oil quantity to ensure olives are at least halfway covered, depending on your baking dish.