Olive Ascolane: the delicious Italian recipe for deep-fried stuffed olives

Olive Ascolane might sound like a tongue twister, but it’s certainly delicious. These deep-fried stuffed olives (also known as olive all'ascolana) are filled with beef and parmesan and packed with flavor. This easy appetizer recipe comes all the way from Italy, where it’s a traditional antipasti dish. They are named after the Italian city Ascoli Piceno, where large green olives have been grown since Roman times. In fact, it’s thought the chefs invented the idea of stuffing olives there!

If you’ve ever liked green olives, this might just be the dish to change your mind. Serve them alongside the main dish, or serve them on their own as an appetizer or snack. But just be warned… You won't be able to stop at one.

Tips For Deep-Fried Stuffed Olives

To prevent oiliness, drain them on a kitchen towel after frying.

For a vegan variety, use large brown mushrooms instead of beef, and omit the parmesan. Use flax eggs where necessary.

For extra flavor, add crushed garlic to the filling.

You can use any other meat: ground beef, pork, chicken, turkey, or lamb will also work.

You can serve the Olive All'ascolana warm or at room temperature.

If you want to cut down on preparation time, use pitted olives from the store.

The olives will go well on an appetizer platter: serve with cubed cheese, salami, thinly sliced ham, nuts, and dried fruit.

Make sure to add a dipping sauce alongside the deep-fried olives. Use any of your favorite dipping sauces: ranch dressing, garlic aioli, or even marinara sauce.

To cook them in the Airfryer, place the olives in the Airfryer basket, and cook for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through. For extra crunchiness, you can brush the olives with oil before you air fry them.

You can use any other cheese if you don’t have parmesan. Mozzarella (if you like it stretchy), or feta cheese will work too, and will add additional saltiness.

How To Store Olive All'ascolana

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days, making sure to keep it in an airtight container. Reheat it for a few minutes in the Airfryer (at 300°F for about 3 minutes) to maintain crispiness.

To make the Olive All'ascolana ahead of time, you can make the filling and stuff the olives. Leave the breading and frying until right before serving.

How To Make Olive Ascolane 

Cut the pit out from the olives using a sharp knife.

Heat a bit of olive oil over medium heat and sauté onions and celery.

Add sliced beef and cook for 5 minutes with salt and pepper, until browned.

Add the stock and cook down for 10 minutes more.

Add the beef, parmesan and breadcrumbs in a bowl.

Blend in a food processor until smooth.

Fill each olive with beef mixture.

Dredge in flour, cover in egg and breadcrumbs.

Fry until golden and serve right away.

Notes

The olives used for this recipe must be mild-flavored green olives.