Ingredients
For the Olive & Cheese Mix
- 1 cup green olives, drained
- 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and drained
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls, drained
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, cut into small cubes
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup roasted red peppers, sliced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
For the Marinade
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon honey
A few ingredient notes worth mentioning: using two types of olives — briny green olives and rich, slightly fruity Kalamata olives — gives the dish more complexity than a single variety would. Fresh mozzarella pearls are ideal here because their small size and delicate texture soak up the marinade beautifully, while cubed Parmesan adds a firmer, sharper contrast. If mozzarella pearls (also called ciliegine) aren’t available, you can substitute a larger ball of fresh mozzarella cut into bite-sized cubes.
Instructions
Start by draining the green olives, Kalamata olives, mozzarella pearls, and roasted red peppers thoroughly. This step matters more than it might seem — excess liquid from any of these ingredients can water down your marinade, making it less flavorful and potentially causing the dish to become overly soupy in the refrigerator.
In a large bowl, combine the green olives, Kalamata olives, mozzarella pearls, Parmesan cubes, cherry tomatoes, roasted red peppers, parsley, basil, and fresh oregano. Toss gently with your hands or a large spoon so the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, Italian seasoning, oregano, Dijon mustard, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, black pepper, and honey until well combined. Whisking vigorously helps the Dijon mustard do its job of loosely emulsifying the oil and vinegar, giving you a marinade with better texture and more even coating power.
Pour the marinade over the olive and cheese mixture, making sure to scrape every bit of that flavorful garlic and herb mixture out of the bowl.
Gently toss everything together until the olives, cheese, vegetables, and herbs are evenly coated in the marinade. Take care to toss gently rather than stirring aggressively — this helps keep the delicate mozzarella pearls and cherry tomato halves intact.
Transfer the mixture to a clean glass jar or airtight container. A glass jar not only stores the mixture well but also makes for a beautiful presentation if you choose to serve directly from it.
Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend and develop. For the richest, most well-rounded Italian flavor, let the mixture marinate overnight. During this time, the olive oil and vinegar work their way into the mozzarella and vegetables, infusing every component with garlicky, herby flavor.
Gently toss the mixture again before serving to redistribute the garlic-infused marinade, since some of the seasonings and herbs may settle toward the bottom of the jar during chilling.
Serve chilled, or let the mixture sit out for a few minutes to take the chill off and come slightly toward room temperature, which allows the olive oil to loosen and the flavors to fully shine. Serve as an appetizer, on toothpicks for easy bite-sized snacking, alongside crusty bread for dipping into the flavorful oil, or as part of a charcuterie and antipasto board.