What Do Olives Taste Like? A Guide to the Flavor of Olives
taste

What Do Olives Taste Like? A Guide to the Flavor of Olives

What Do Olives Taste Like?

From my experience eating different kinds of olives over the years, I have found that olives have a very distinctive taste. Some describe it as pungent, fruity, bitter, or briny. The exact flavor profile depends a lot on the olive variety, how ripe they were when picked, and how they were cured. But there are some common tasting notes that the majority of olives share.

Common Olive Taste Descriptors

Here are some of the words commonly used to describe what olives taste like:

  1. Salty – Most olives undergo a curing process in brine, saltwater, or a salt and water solution, so they absorb a considerable amount of salt.
  2. Briny – In addition to salt, olives soaked in a brine also take on a briny flavor from the curing solution.
  3. Bitter – The oleuropein compound present in unripe olives has a bitter taste.
  4. Tangy or tart – Green and unripe olives have a tart, tangy flavor similar to lemons or vinegar.
  5. Savory or umami – Fully-ripened black olives develop a rich, meaty, savory flavor.
  6. Fruity – Some olive varieties have fruit-like flavors of apple, almond, citrus rind.
  7. Peppery – Dry-cured olives may take on a sharp, peppery taste.
  8. Nutty – The ripened pulp of some olives gives a mildly nutty taste.
  9. Grassy or herbaceous – Early harvested green olives have slight grassy notes.

What Impacts Olive Flavor?

The complex flavor of olives comes from a convergence of several factors:

  1. Olive cultivar – There are hundreds of olive varieties, each with a distinct flavor profile based on pulp-to-pit ratio, fruit sugar content, bitterness, etc.
  2. Time of harvest – Early picked green olives taste grassier and tarter. Fully ripe black olives are more buttery and sweet.
  3. Curing method – The curing process not only preserves olives, but also infuses flavor from elements like salt, spices, vinegar, oil, smoke.
  4. Fermentation – Naturally fermented olives develop probiotic notes of wine, vinegar and yeast.
  5. Storage conditions – Properly stored olives retain more complexity, while poorly kept olives lose flavor.

From my experience purchasing olives at the market, I’ve faced situations where I got a bad batch that had become bland or rancid from improper fermenting or storage. Here’s a real-life example from my practice:

Once I bought some locally-grown Mission olives that looked fine from the outside. However, upon tasting one, the flavor was off – foul and muddled instead of the typical ripe, nutty taste I expected. What should have been a nice treat with a bottle of wine turned into disappointment and money down the drain. So definitely pay attention to the label information about olive variety, harvest timing, curing style, producer, etc. when trying to determine ultimate flavor and quality.

Tips for Enjoying Olives

Olives pack concentrated and assertive taste in a little package. Here are my recommendations for savoring olives at their best:

  1. Look for olives sold in bulk at delicatessens, olive bars, and specialty stores instead of pre-packed in jars – this ensures better turnover and guarantees freshness.
  2. When possible, taste an olive first before purchasing an entire batch or jar – at your local olive bar, the vendor should provide samples.
  3. Select medleys with three or more olive varieties to compare different flavors side-by-side.
  4. The most intense olive flavors shine through simple preparations – enjoy them plain, in a cold tapenade spread, on bruschetta, tossed into salads.
  5. Pair especially briny olives with sweet counterpoints like orange sections or honey.

In the end, olives offer a rainbow of flavors to explore – from pungent and salty to mild and fruity. I invite you to grab a handful of mixed olives and decide for yourself how to describe their one-of-a-kind taste!

What Do Olives Taste Like? A Guide to Olive Flavors
Olive Type Flavor Profile Fruitiness Bitterness Use in Cooking
Kalamata Earthy, tangy, slight bitterness Moderate Moderate Salads, appetizers, tapenades
Castelvetrano Bright, buttery, sweet High Low Snacking, salads, pasta
Picholine Mild, light nuttiness Low Low Salads, tapenades, pizza
Manzanilla Savory, slight sourness Low Moderate Stuffing, tapenades, pickling
Ligurian Mild, sweet, nutty Moderate Low Snacking, salads, pasta

FAQ: What Do Olives Taste Like

Do olives have a strong taste?

Olives can have a very strong, bitter, and pungent flavor when eaten raw off the tree. However, most olives found in stores and restaurants have been cured or fermented first to remove the intense bitterness and mellow out the taste.

What does the curing process do to the taste of olives?

Curing olives involves soaking them in a salt solution, or a salt and acid solution. This process helps remove the bitter compounds and brings out more complex, nuanced flavors. Cured olives take on notes of fruitiness, grassiness, earthiness – making them much more palatable.

Do green and black olives taste different?

Yes, green and black olives, though from the same species of olive trees, taste quite different. Green olives are picked before fully ripening and tend to taste brighter, more herbaceous, and nuttier. As olives ripen to black, they become fruitier, richer, and more mellow in flavor.

What flavors pair well with olives?

Olives pair very well with Mediterranean herbs like rosemary, oregano, basil, garlic, lemon, artichokes, tomatoes, feta cheese, olive oil, seafood, butter lettuce, white beans, and crusty bread. Their briny, tangy flavor provides an excellent contrast.

Can olives be sweet?

Though most olives have a predominantly savory, briny taste, some ripe, black olive varieties like kalamata can taste mildly sweet. The sweetness comes from the fruit sugars that develop as the olives ripen on the tree.

What do rotten olives taste like?

Rotten olives taste unmistakably off – they lose all hint of fruitiness and take on a mushy texture and flavor reminiscent of dirt, mold, or decomposition. It’s immediately obvious when an olive has gone off.