Name: Olive Cheese Bread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 6 oz. full fat sour cream; 4 tablespoons softened butter; 7 oz. green olives, drained and sliced; 6 oz. black olives, drained and sliced; 8 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese; 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 8-10 oz. loaf French bread; Kosher salt; fresh cracked pepper

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The ultimate easy appetizer, this olive cheese bread comes together in just minutes with minimal ingredients! Bread lovers, cheese lovers and olive lovers alike are going to enjoy this quick and easy snack!

Overhead shot of a white marble counter top with olive cheese bread that is sliced and garnished with parsley

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You'll Love This

It requires very little prep work! Mix the ingredients, spread them on the bread and bake! It really doesn't get much easier than that! This would be a good recipe to have your kiddos help out with too. They can help mix and then get their hands dirty spreading the olive mixture onto the bread.
It takes out the middle man - the bowl! This is basically like a cheesy olive dip, minus the middle man! We're taking away the bowl (just another dirty dish you don't have to wash - score!) and just putting the dip RIGHT ON the bread. You're welcome!
It tastes AMAZING! This olive cheese bread is like garlic bread meets olive salsa with LOTS of cheese and a little zing of green onion. It's the perfect salty appetizer for a date night in or to share with your friends at your next Packer party!

Marble counter top with ingredients to make olive cheese bread

Instructions

In a medium bowl combine sour cream, garlic powder and butter along with a large pinch of salt and pepper.

Bowl filled with ingredients to make olive cheese bread

Stir until mostly smooth.

Add cheese and green onion.

Stir until well combined.

Add olives.

Gently fold olives into the cheese mixture.

Slice French bread loaf in half widthwise and then in half lengthwise.

Sliced French bread on a cutting board with olive spread in a bowl next to it

Divide the olive mixture between the four pieces, spreading it in an even layer on the cut side of the bread.

Sheet pan with olive cheese bread just before being baked in the oven

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and the ends start to get golden brown.

Sheet pan with olive cheese bread that is sliced and garnished with parsley

Broil for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese starts to get dark golden brown. Slice, garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!

Tips

Buy a block of Monterey Jack and shred it yourself. It's cheaper and although it's a bit more work, you'll end up with a meltier, ooier, gooier cheese bread! Pre-shredded cheeses typically have cellulose on them which prevents the shreds from sticking together. It also prevents them from melting well.
Buy whole olives and slice them yourself. I realize this can seem a bit tedious, but when I buy sliced olives it always seems that they've started to break down in the briney liquid and don't hold their shape as well. I much prefer draining the liquid off a jar of whole olives and slicing them myself so they can retain their shape. Just make sure you buy pitted olives!!
You can also roughly chop the olives if you're not in the mood for slicing. I don't always have time to slice the olives either! So when I'm in a hurry, I like to just roughly chop the olives. You'll end up with the same flavors - you just won't have the round shape of the olives. Not the end of the world!

Close up shot of a white marble counter top with olive cheese bread that is sliced and garnished with parsley

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use low fat sour cream and cheese?
- I highly recommend using full fat sour cream and regular (not low fat) cheese. This is not a "healthy" appetizer so don't try to make it one! Indulge in full fat dairy and enjoy your life!
What kind of bread works best for this recipe?
- I like to use a crusty French baguette or sour dough bread. Mostly because that's usually what I have on hand but also because it seems to stand up to the thick, rich, creamy olive mixture. I usually keep a loaf of this bread in the freezer so I can be prepared at a moment's notice for baked brie, spinach dip or olive tapenade!
What if I don't like black/green olives?
- I am not a huge fan of black olives. I will never eat one raw by itself. I can tolerate them on cold taco dip. I like them more when they're on a warm veggie pizza. But I actually REALLY enjoy them on this cheesy olive bread!
- Green olives on the other hand...I could eat a whole jar of them with a fork on a Wednesday afternoon. And then again on Thursday. And then on Friday. I love love love green olives.
- So if you're a black olive lover and a green olive hater, use all black olives. If you're taste leans the other way, use all green olives. Just keep the amount of total olives the same and you'll be fine!

White marble counter top with olive cheese bread that is sliced and garnished with parsley

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