Olive and Goat Cheese Bites with Prosciutto, Lemon + Thyme

These Olive and Goat Cheese bites are the perfect appetizer. Salty, savory, and creamy, their flavor is elevated by fresh lemon and herbs. This post is sponsored by Pearls Specialties and, as always, all opinions are my own.

Are you an olive lover?

I am 110% one. Most everyone I know either hates or loves olives.

My mom is obsessed with olives. I think that’s where I get my olive appreciation from. My dad would never dare touch an olive, and my husband isn’t the biggest fan (although, he did enjoy these Olive and Goat Cheese Bites).

When I was a kid, I would eat a whole jar of black olives. (Okay, I never claimed to be a normal kid.) I knew I wasn’t really supposed to do that, so I would sneak them. My Italian grandmother would yell “who is eating all of my olives?! We have no olives for the salad tonight!” and I would guiltily look away, pleading the fifth.

When I was older, I became kind of addicted to creating these elaborate antipasto platters (and, well, to think of it… I still am). While yes, the antipasto is mostly about the meat and cheese, my favorite part is probably the accouterments. My ideal personal antipasto plate is always 20% cheese, 10% meat, and 70% olives, roasted red peppers, pickled vegetables, artichoke hearts, and bread.

So for my take on the perfect little two-bite appetizer, I created these Olive and Goat Cheese Bites. These bites are inspired by my love for antipasto. The bread is a thin puff pastry bottom, which serves as the most buttery, tender cracker ever. Then, a jumbo garlic-stuffed olive is wrapped in salty prosciutto and set on top of soft, creamy herb-laced goat cheese.

After the Olive and Goat Cheese Bites get golden, puffed, and dreamy in the oven, they’re brushed with fruity olive oil and speckled with fresh lemon zest and thyme.

And, don’t worry. While these Olive and Goat Cheese Bites look elegant and impressive enough for a cocktail party, they’re easy. They use high-quality store-bought ingredients to make things simple: puff pastry, herb and garlic goat cheese, and gourmet Pearls® Specialties Garlic Stuffed Olives. I love using Pearls Specialties, whether I’m using the blue cheese-stuffed olives for dirty martinis or the pitted kalamata olives for Mediterranean Quesadillas.

While I turn these into small squares here, you could also make this into a larger, puff pastry tart.

I roll the puff pastry fairly thin here for these bites, because I like a nice crisp texture. If I’m making this into a tart, I keep the puff pastry a bit thicker and don’t roll it out at all. I will include instructions for making these in both individual bites and a tart.

These Olive and Goat Cheese Bites with Prosciutto, Lemon, and Thyme would make a lovely Easter appetizer or brunch addition!

Are you a fan of olives? Let us know in the comments below. And check out Pearls® Specialties for even more fantastic recipes and where to buy them at a store near you. They are also available on Amazon.

Olive and Goat Cheese Bites with Prosciutto, Lemon + Thyme

★★★★★ 5 from 11 reviews

• Author: Tiffany
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 36-40 individual squares 1x

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Description

These Olive and Goat Cheese bites are the perfect appetizer. Salty, savory, and creamy, their flavor is elevated by fresh lemon and herbs.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, defrosted (according to package instructions)
• 2 jars Pearls® Specialties Garlic Stuffed Olives
• 8 ounces Garlic and Herb Goat Cheese, room temperature
• 6 ounces thinly-sliced Prosciutto di Parma
• Olive oil
• Lemon
• Fresh thyme

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the sheet of puff pastry to smooth out the creases and make it a touch thinner. Cut each puff pastry sheet into 1 1/2″ squares using a pizza cutter. Place the squares on parchment-lined baking sheets.
2. Place about 1/2 tablespoon of goat cheese in the middle of each square, leaving room around the edges. Cut the prosciutto into long, thin ribbons and wrap around each garlic-stuffed olive. Place the prosciutto-wrapped olive on top of the goat cheese, pressing down.
3. Bake the squares until puffed and golden, about 13-15 minutes.
4. Brush the squares with olive oil and using a microplane grater, grate fresh lemon zest on top of each square. Sprinkle the squares with fresh thyme leaves. Enjoy!

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Notes

To make these bites into rustic tarts instead, just cut each puff pastry sheet into 3 rectangles along the creased lines. Spread the center with a layer of the goat cheese, leaving 1/2″ of border around the edges. Stud with the prosciutto-wrapped olives. I like to place mine in rows of 2-3 olives, making it easy to slice a piece of the tart without cutting through an olive. Cook the tarts until golden, about 15-17 minutes.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bite
• Calories: 103
• Sugar: 0.3g
• Sodium: 300mg
• Fat: 7g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Carbohydrates: 5.8g
• Fiber: 0.2g
• Protein: 3g
• Cholesterol: 7mg

Love olives as much as me? Get even more recipes here→

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