The Italian Bella di Cerignola, whether black, green, or red, is a huge olive with a seductive taste.

These olives’ mild and buttery taste pairs well with hard cheeses or creamy mozzarella, tomatoes, salami, and bell peppers in an antipasto salad. These buttery beauties pair well with a Dirty Vodka Martini.

But what if your local food shop doesn’t carry them? Are there any alternatives to Cerignola olives that you might use? There are, of course, and we’ll tell you everything about them.

What Are Cerignola Olives?

Cerignolas are a southern Italian delicacy named after the Apulian city of Cerignola. They are the world’s largest olives, around the size of a huge shelled pecan.

Cerignola olives are available in three colors: green, scarlet (owing to food coloring), and black. Green is the firmest color, while black is the softest.

Cerignola olives are meaty, fruity, and mellow.They are perfect for cocktail parties or as an antipasto garnish. They’re usually accompanied with salami and grilled cheese.

Cerignola olives are often offered pitted to preserve their firm texture in brine. You can still serve them without the pits if you use a cherry pitter to remove the woody core. This will leave you with a wonderful hole to fill with cheese, cured meat, tomatoes, peppers, or carrots.

Substitutes for Cerignola Olives

1. Manzanilla olives
2. Castelvetrano olives
3. Gordal olives
4. Picholine olives
5. Barnea olives
6. Gaeta olives

Manzanilla Olives

Manzanilla olives, which are only found in Seville, Andalusia, and are recognized for their delicate taste, are a popular component to martinis.

Manzanilla translates to “small apple” in Spanish, and its spherical form does indeed resemble a miniature apple.

Their key distinguishing feature is a high oil content of roughly 20%, which means they include all of the health advantages of quality olive oil. Furthermore, they taste extremely buttery.

Manzanilla olive pits are quite easy to remove. As a result, they are often packed with pimento or garlic, making them even more delicious.

These olives go well with spicy sausage and a glass of cava wine because of their moderate saltiness and rich stuffing.

Castelvetrano Olives

Castelvetrano olives from Italy are distinguished by their vivid, natural green color.

They’re soft and juicy, with a mildly sweet flavor that will appeal to a broad variety of tastes. Castelvetrano olives go well with antipasto salads, pizza toppings, and charcuterie dishes.

You may also slice them up and use them to make an olive sauce. They go well with chicken, lamb, or sea bass as a side dish.

These olives go great with a chilled dirty martini.

Gordal Olives

This green olive, known as the “Beauty of Spain,” is one of the most well-known olives in the world.

Gordal olives have a lovely green hue, a large oval form, and a smooth texture. Because they are appreciated for their large size and meaty pulp, it stands to reason that their name, Gordal, means “fat one.”

These olives have a citrus taste and a little sharpness, making them juicier than other types. They’re particularly tasty when stuffed with peppers and garlic and served with Neufchatel or cream cheese.

Because of their balanced bitter and salty taste, they also make an excellent addition to tapas meals.

Picholine Olives

Morocco, as well as the French and Italian Rivieras, have picholine olive trees.

Picholine olives have a light green colour, an almond shape, and a substantial texture. Their flavor is lemony, with a mild salty and buttery undercurrent.

These olives have the ideal tart-fruity balance, making them ideal for seafood meals such as fish sticks, roasted mushrooms, and artichoke salad.

They pair wonderfully with prosciutto, Brie cheese, cherry tomatoes, herbs, and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc in a delightful antipasto.

Barnea Olives

Several countries throughout the globe have set claims to different olive varietals, and Israel has claimed the Barnea olives, which are particularly popular in Israel. Argentina and Australia, on the other hand, cultivate Barnea olives.

This olive type has a buttery texture as well as a nutty and fruity taste, which is reflected in Barnea olive oil. Incorporating Barnea into pizzas, pasta dishes, and cheese boards will undoubtedly elevate your food.

Gaeta Olives

Gaeta is a black, oval Italian olive endemic to the Gaeta area of Italy. They have a creamy texture and a taste that is a mix of sour and salty.

Dry-curing these olives results in a wrinkled texture and a black tint. Brine-cured Gaeta, on the other hand, is more smoother and reddish in color.

Gaeta olives may be used in a number of cuisines. They may be used as a pizza topping or as an addition to pasta meals and salads. You may make olive bread with them or serve them chopped in a tuna sandwich.

A Guide to Buying Olives

When it comes to purchasing olives, it might be tough to know what to look for. Because olives are often sold in glass jars or cans, how can you know whether you’ve chosen a high-quality substitute for cerignola olives?

To begin, be certain that the product is not out of date. Try another product if the liquid is milky white or the olives have a strange pale tint.

Another item you should check for is the brine’s components. Always choose olives brined in natural components such as olive oil, olive water, salt, and lemon.

Olives range in price from $2 to $10 per jar at supermarkets. The majority of individuals will naturally choose the less costly jar. However, for true olive fans, the more costly ones may be a preferable option.

While many varieties of olives are available in stores, for a fresher product, head to a farmers market.

Your selections will also vary greatly depending on where you live. If you live in a small town, you may be limited to what your local grocery store has to offer. Larger cities provide you more alternatives.

Fortunately, you can always purchase online. Internet shopping is available from an almost endless number of food vendors. Both Thrive Market and Gourmet Foodstore provide a fantastic selection of olives and offer online buying.

Conclusion

So, olive fans, there you have it: the greatest cerignola olive alternatives that you should absolutely add to your shopping list.

Which one piqued your interest (or palate) the most? Is it the petite, apple-shaped manzanilla olives or the large, oval-shaped gordal olives? Perhaps you like something darker, in which case the gaeta variety is a good choice.

In any case, remember to double-check the expiry date and the brine components of your choice. The more expensive choices are often worth it since they are far more flavorful than the less expensive ones. If you don’t have many local choices, think about getting olives online.