Crispy Fried Olives with Garlic Aioli

5 from 1 review

Crispy Fried Olives with Garlic Aioli

Green olives with a crisp panko coating and a creamy vegan garlic aioli. A simple flour and water batter keeps this appetizer egg free.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Mediterranean

Diet Vegan

Keyword crispy fried olives, fried olive, fried olives recipe, fried olives with aioli, garlic aioli, vegan fried olives

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings appetizer servings

Calories 331kcal

Cost $5

Equipment

Dutch oven or deep pan
Thermometer
Three shallow plates or bowls
Paper towels
Slotted spoon or spider strainer

Ingredients

For the Fried Olives

5.5 oz small green olives stuffed with pimento drained weight; pat thoroughly dry
½ cup all purpose flour divided
¼ cup cold water
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp black pepper
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
Oil for frying canola or vegetable

For the Garlic Aioli

⅓ cup vegan mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 heaping tbsp minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Dry the olives and mix the aioli. Drain the olives and pat them thoroughly dry, including around the filling. Stir the vegan mayonnaise, lemon juice and minced garlic together. Taste before adding salt and pepper, then refrigerate while you prepare the olives.
Make the batter. Whisk 1/4 cup of the flour with the cold water, paprika, garlic powder and black pepper until smooth. It should leave a thin, even coating on an olive. If it is too stiff, add cold water a teaspoon at a time.
Set up the breading station. Put the remaining 1/4 cup flour in a shallow bowl and the panko in another. Keep the batter bowl between them.
Coat the olives. Toss each dry olive in flour and shake off the excess. Dip into the batter, let the excess drip off, then roll in panko and press gently to cover. Set on a clean plate.
Heat the oil. Add about 2 inches of canola or vegetable oil to a deep, heavy pot, keeping the pot no more than one third full. Heat to 350°F (175°C), checking with a frying thermometer.
Fry in small batches. Carefully lower the breaded olives into the oil with a slotted spoon. Fry for about 1 to 2 minutes, turning gently, until golden all over. Let the oil return to 350°F (175°C) between batches.
Drain and serve. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on paper towels. Let the centers cool slightly, then serve warm with the chilled garlic aioli.

Notes

Olives: Measure 5.5 oz (155 g) after draining. Use pitted olives and dry the surface carefully before breading.

Aioli: The garlic is bold. Start with less if you prefer a milder dip and add more to taste.

Make ahead: Refrigerate the breaded olives in a single layer for up to 4 hours. Fry just before serving. Refrigerate leftovers and aioli separately for up to 2 days; reheat olives in an oven or air fryer until hot and crisp.

Nutrition estimate: Per quarter of the recipe, including all of the aioli and coating ingredients. The calculation allows for 2 tablespoons of frying oil absorbed across the whole batch. Actual oil absorption and unused breading vary, so these are estimates rather than measured values. Optional added salt is not included; sodium varies with the olives and mayonnaise.

Nutrition