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What Are Castelvetrano Olives? Taste, Origin and How to Serve Them

If you have ever picked the bright green olives off a cheese board first, chances are they were Castelvetrano olives. Mild, buttery and only lightly salty, they are the olive that converts people who think they do not like olives.

What are Castelvetrano olives?

Castelvetrano olives come from the Nocellara del Belice variety, grown in the Belice Valley around the town of Castelvetrano in western Sicily. They are harvested young, while still green, which gives them their vivid color and firm, meaty texture.

What do Castelvetrano olives taste like?

Compared with Kalamata or classic green olives, Castelvetranos are:

  • Mild rather than bitter or sharp
  • Buttery, with a smooth, almost creamy finish
  • Crisp and meaty, so they hold up on a board or in a warm dish
  • Lightly briny, never overpowering

Whole or pitted?

Whole olives keep their texture best and look great on a platter. Pitted olives are faster for cooking: toss them into pasta, chop them into a salad or blend them into a tapenade. Néssi offers both whole Castelvetrano olives and pitted Castelvetrano olives in a 950g family-size jar.

5 easy ways to serve Castelvetrano olives

  1. Charcuterie and cheese boards. Pair them with aged pecorino, prosciutto, Néssi taralli and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
  2. Warm marinated olives. Warm the olives in olive oil with orange zest, garlic, fennel seeds and chili flakes for 5 minutes.
  3. Pasta. Add chopped pitted olives to spaghetti with lemon, capers and breadcrumbs.
  4. Salads. Toss with arugula, shaved fennel, orange segments and balsamic vinegar.
  5. Cocktails. A Castelvetrano olive is a softer, more buttery garnish for a martini.

How to store them

Keep opened jars in the refrigerator with the olives fully covered by their brine. Always use a clean spoon.

Frequently asked questions

Are Castelvetrano olives the same as green olives?

They are a type of green olive, but they are much milder and more buttery than most green olives.

What can I substitute for Castelvetrano olives?

Bella di Cerignola olives are the closest match: large, mild and firm. Try Néssi Bella di Cerignola olives.

Explore the full Néssi olive collection.