Crispy Fried Olives with Garlic Aioli (Vegan, No Eggs)

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Crispy Fried Olives with Garlic Aioli (Vegan, No Eggs)

These crispy fried olives are the ultimate snack or appetizer, and the garlic aioli takes them over the top.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Mediterranean

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

Prep Time 10

Servings

Calories 212kcal

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

1 jar 5.5 oz / 155 g small pimento-stuffed olives, drained
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

Make the aioli. Combine the vegan mayo, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir until smooth and pop it in the fridge to chill while you work on the olives.
Make the batter. Whisk half of the flour together with the water, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper. You want a smooth, thick consistency that clings to the olives without sliding off.
Set up your breading station. Put the remaining dry flour on one plate, the panko on another, and keep the batter bowl in the middle.
Coat the olives. Take each olive through the three stages: toss in the dry flour first, then into the batter, then roll through the panko until fully covered. Set aside on a clean plate.
Get the oil hot. Fill a Dutch oven or deep pan with a few inches of oil and bring it to 325 to 350°F (170 to 180°C). Use a thermometer to keep it in range.
Fry in batches. Drop the olives in a few at a time, giving them space to float and crisp up evenly. They only need about 1 to 2 minutes until golden all over.
Drain and serve. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate for a minute, then serve hot alongside the chilled garlic aioli.

Notes

Drain and pat the olives completely dry before breading for the best coating adhesion. The batter should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it’s too thin, add a bit more flour. Fry in small batches to keep the oil temperature steady. These are best served immediately, but you can bread them ahead of time and fry right before serving.

Nutrition