Why I Love Pitted Kalamata Olives

Pitted Kalamata Olives are something I always have in my fridge, and to me they’re an essential ingredient in Greek food. And it doesn’t take many of these flavorful olives in a recipe to add amazing Greek flavor and this post has recipe links to show you how I use them.

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These Pitted Kalamata Olives are something I consider a staple, and I love them to add Greek flavor to some many recipes! And if you’re not familiar with this type of olive, they’re the ones that are often called simply Greek Olives in recipes and on restaurant menus.

Of course I realize that the strong somewhat bitter flavor of Kalamata Olives is not a winner for everyone (which is why I often give the option of using plain black olives in recipes as an alternative.) But for people who enjoy that flavor (like me, and millions of Greeks!) having pitted Kalamatas always available is a game-changer for Greek cooking.

Where can you get Pitted Kalamata Olives?

For many years this product was something I’d always find at Costco. Now it’s hit and miss there for me, but I’ll always buy a jar there when I see them. If you’re lucky you might find them at the grocery store although probably in a smaller jar, but I can always find the big jars of Pitted Kalamata Olives (affiliate link) at Amazon.com.

How long will the big jar keep in the fridge?

I had to rely on Google for an answer to this question, because the pitted Kalamata olives get used so much at my house to make salads for parties or dinner guests that they don’t last more than a few months. But according to online sources, they will last 12-18 months in the fridge as long as they’re covered with brine!

Recipes to make with Kalamata Olives:

• Green Bean Salad with Hearts of Palm
• Salmon Packets with Tomatoes and Olives
• Greek Chicken with Tomato, Olive, and Feta Topping
• Stuffed Mushrooms with Olives and Feta
• Mediterranean Eggplant
• Asparagus Salad with Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta
• Cauliflower Steaks with Red Pepper, Capers, and Olives
• Greek Green Bean Salad
• Greek Salad Spaghetti Squash Bowls
• Grilled Zucchini Greek Salad
• Pan-Seared Mahi Mahi with Mediterranean Salsa
• Greek Chicken Salad
• American Greek Salad with Lettuce
• Garlic Lover’s CrockPot Beef Stew
• Pan-Grilled Steak (with Olive Sauce)
• Salmon with Tomato Olive Relish
• Greek Salad with Peppers
• Instant Pot Greek Chicken Bowls
• Middle Eastern Tostadas with Hummus
• Greek Style Zucchini Noodles
• Salmon with Tomato-Olive Relish
• Greek Chicken Bake

Want more ways to use the Pitted Kalamata Olives?

If you’re a fan of the flavor of Greek Olives, you can use them in almost any recipe that calls for olives! Just enter “Olives” into the search bar on Kalyn’s Kitchen and you’ll find lots more ideas for using them!

About Kalyn’s Kitchen Picks:

All products featured here for Kalyn’s Kitchen Picks are things I use in my own kitchen that I buy myself and would happily purchase over and over, and these companies have no idea I am featuring their product. Because I want readers to trust my recommendations, I stopped accepting sample products to review back in the early days of my blog. You can see all the products I’ve recommended by checking out the category for Kalyn’s Kitchen Picks.

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