Discover 15 popular types of olives, from classic European varieties to unique options from Chile and California, perfect for any palate.
Did you know there are hundreds of varieties of olives and olive trees around the world? While olives aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, my appreciation for this rich, flavorful fruit has grown so much that I try to eat them almost daily.
It took me a while to develop a taste for olives, but now I often enjoy them as a quick afternoon snack. They’ve also become a staple in my meals and salads, adding a burst of flavor and a boost of nutrients.
In this article, I’ll introduce you to 15 of the most common olive varieties. Some of these are easy to find at your local grocery store, while others might take a bit more searching. My favorites? Kalamata olives and Castelvetrano olives!
1. Castelvetrano
Native to a town in Sicily, Italy, the Castelvetrano olive is known for its distinctive green color. With a mild flavor, these olives are a popular choice and make for a surprisingly enjoyable snack.
Castelvetrano olives have a firm exterior with a smooth, soft interior, and their round, medium-sized shape makes them a perfect addition to cheese platters, Italian antipasti, and Mediterranean-style salads.
While their taste is a big part of their appeal, Castelvetrano olives are also cultivated for their use in olive oil production.
2. Cerignola
Originating from the province of Foggia in Italy’s Puglia region, the Cerignola olive, also known as Bella di Cerignola, takes its name from the town of Cerignola.
This large-sized olive comes in three striking colors: green, black, and red, each with a unique flavor profile. The red variety is dyed and not naturally colored.
Green Cerignola olives are harvested before they fully mature, offering a firm texture and a slightly sweet, buttery taste. In contrast, the black variety is allowed to ripen fully on the tree, resulting in a softer texture and a richer, sweeter flavor. The red type is a rare find, often considered more of a novelty.
Thanks to their generous size, Cerignola olives are ideal for stuffing with other ingredients and make a great addition to cheese platters or as appetizers.
3. Niçoise
The French Niçoise olive is a small, flavorful olive with a dark brown or black hue, commonly used in salads or served as an aperitif in the Provence region of southeastern France.
Niçoise olives are prized for their distinct flavor: a delicate blend of nutty, fruity, and slightly bitter notes. Unlike many other varieties, they have a slightly wrinkled appearance that adds to their rustic charm.
These olives are harvested at their ripest, giving them their deep, rich color. After harvesting, they are typically cured in brine before being packed for consumption.
Niçoise olives are best known as a key ingredient in salade niçoise, a traditional dish from the French city of Nice that combines these olives with tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, and tuna or anchovies.
Read more about the processing of olives in my guide explaining the different methods to remove the natural bitterness of olives and get them ready for consumption.
4. Gaeta
Named after the coastal town of Gaeta in Italy’s Lazio region, situated between Rome and Naples, the small Gaeta olive boasts a purplish-black hue and is known for its distinctive flavor and versatility.
Black Gaeta olives are harvested when fully ripe, dry-cured in salt, and then stored in oil, which gives them a mild, sweet, and buttery taste. In contrast, the green variety is picked earlier and brined, resulting in a slightly tart and fruity flavor.
Gaeta olives have a unique texture; soft and a bit chewy, unlike the firm bite of some other olive varieties. They are perfect for snacking, adding to salads, or incorporating into pasta and pizza dishes.
5. Ligurian
Also known as the Taggiasca olive, the Ligurian olive hails from the Liguria region in northwest Italy, near the French border. The name “Taggiasca” comes from the town of Taggia in this area.
Typically picked when fully ripe, Ligurian olives shift from a vibrant green to a deep brownish-purple hue. They are known for their delicately sweet flavor with a hint of almond and minimal bitterness.
These olives are tender, with a smooth, buttery texture, making them a favorite for snacking and a versatile ingredient in dishes like salads and cheese platters.
6. Picholine
The Picholine is a salt-brine cured olive that originates from the Gard region in southern France. It is grown both for consumption and for olive oil production.
This pretty, green-colored olive offers a rich, nutty flavor, making it a delightful choice for savory snacks or as part of cheese and antipasto platters. It’s known for its pleasantly crisp and firm texture.
Although native to France, the Picholine has spread to other parts of the world, gaining popularity beyond its home country. It is typically harvested while still green, before reaching full maturity.
7. Alfonso
The Alfonso olive stands out on this list of (mostly European) varieties, as it has its roots in Chile and Peru.
These olives are quite large, with a deep purple hue and a soft, tender, and slightly juicy texture. They can be enjoyed straight from the jar or added to salads, pizzas, or tapas dishes.
Typically harvested at full ripeness, Alfonso olives are traditionally brine-cured in red wine and vinegar, giving them a distinct, slightly sour flavor.
8. Mission
The Mission olive, introduced to California by Spanish missionaries in the 18th and 19th centuries, thrives in the state’s sunny climate, hence its name.
This small, light-green olive has a firm texture and robust flavor, and it is cultivated both for consumption and for olive oil production.
When allowed to fully ripen, the Mission olive turns a glossy black and takes on a mellow, slightly sweet taste. Its meaty texture remains, making it an ideal snack.
9. Arbequina
Originally grown in the Catalonia region in Spain, the Arbequina olive is today one of the most cultivated olives in the world.
Arbequina olives are grown in many parts of the world, such as South America, northern Africa, and even Australia. Depending on their ripeness, they have a distinct oval shape and a beautiful green to brownish-purple hue.
The Arbequina olive is small but well-known for its incredibly aromatic and balanced flavor, best described as fruity with a hint of almond and apple. The slightly buttery texture is a bonus. But as tasty as Arbequina olives are, they are mainly grown for olive oil production.
10. Kalamata
Native to Greece, Kalamata olives are another popular variety of olives. Also spelled Calamata and often referred to as simply “Greek olives”, Kalamata olives originate from a Greek city that goes by the same name.
Kalamata olives have been grown and eaten for centuries in the Kalamata region, the second largest city of the Greek peninsula of Peloponnese.
Ripe Kalamata olives are dark purple and cannot be picked when they are still green. They are also bigger and have a more rectangular shape than other common olives.
They have a robust and full-bodied taste and a smooth and pleasing texture, and are a common staple in Greek salads and an ingredient in Mediterranean dishes.
11. Beldi
The small to medium-sized Beldi olive originates from Morocco in northern Africa. It’s a dark-colored, dry-cured olive with a potent and somewhat fruity flavor.
The Beldi olive is typically harvested when it is fully ripe and then dry-cured, usually in salt, which gives it a concentrated flavor and a slightly wrinkled appearance.
The firm and chewy texture, in combination with the pleasantly rich flavor, makes the Beldi an excellent table olive, served in salads or as appetizer snacks.
12. Amfissa
Harvested as both green and black, the Amfissa olive is quite a popular Greek olive grown exclusively in regions of Central Greece.
Named after the town of Amfissa, the round-shaped Amfissa olive is cherished for its versatile nature and exceptional flavor.
Young green Amfissa olives offer a firm texture and a buttery, citrus-like taste, while the fully ripe black version has a softer texture and a more robust, slightly sweet flavor.
Amfissa olives are a delight on their own or when used in salads, pasta, and traditional Greek dishes. They are also particularly suitable for stuffing with ingredients like garlic, almonds, or cheese.
13. Nyon
The Nyon is an authentic French olive originally grown in the Provence region in southeast France. It is named after the town of Nyons.
This small to medium-sized, dark-colored olive is dry or oil-cured. The Nyon olive’s wrinkled skin is a result of a long curing process that concentrates its flavors.
They have a surprisingly soft texture with a rich, buttery, and slightly tangy taste. This distinct flavor makes them a popular choice for appetizers and an exciting addition to salads and pasta dishes.
14. Gordal
Often served as tapas, the full-rounded, green Gordal olive is another Spanish olive, primarily grown in Andalusia in the south of Spain.
Gordal literally means “fat one”, which seems like a fitting name for this proud, firm, rich, and tasty olive. The Gordal olive is typically harvested before it’s fully mature, which results in its bright, vibrant color.
These olives are known for their firm, juicy texture, and memorable flavor, best described as a delightful balance of saltiness and bitterness with a touch of spiciness.
15. Manzanilla
Similar to the Gordal, the Manzanilla olive is another Spanish olive that is first lye-cured and then packed in brine. It has a green or black color.
Manzanilla means “little apple” in Spanish, and is the perfect description for these medium-sized, round olives that are as popular as they are delicious.
The Manzanilla olive (or Manzanillo) is one of Spain’s most common types of olives, used both as a fruity table olive and for olive oil production.
