Cream Cheese and Olive Sandwich

So many food trend these days become popularized by way of viral videos or celebrities explaining their favorite off-the-beaten-path recipes. But when the cream cheese and olive sandwich started circling the internet in 2023, it was kicked off by food writer Elazar Sontag, who wrote for Bon Appétit about a sandwich he ate at S&P in New York.

“What I didn’t expect was for so much nostalgia,” wrote Sontag. When he posted his on Instagram, he says that “Friends and strangers streamed into my comments and DMs to share stories of their parents and grandparents making some approximation of this dish when they were little.”

Personally, I have no nostalgic connection to this sandwich—neither my parents nor my grandparents ever ate this. But it still feels old-school in the coolest way possible, and I do happen to love olives in all forms. I think that’s important, since they can be divisive despite their health benefits: Half our office expressed disgust at the idea of olives. But if you like olives, you will love this sandwich.

Ingredients for Cream Cheese and Olive Sandwich

• Bread: It’s important to use unfussy white sandwich bread here. Why? Because it’s mild and soft, so it doesn’t detract from the important fillings. We do, however, recommend you buy the best store-bought sandwich bread for the job.
• Cream cheese: Full-fat, fresh-from-the-foil Philadelphia cream cheese is our go-to here. You can let the cream cheese soften for a bit beforehand to make it more spreadable, but steer clear of “spreadable” cream cheese that’s whipped with stabilizers. It takes away so much of the texture and flavor.
• Olives: Green olives are the best type of olives for this humble sandwich. Castelvetrano olives specifically have a buttery flavor and a beautiful green color that will really shine as the center layer in the cross-section. If you can’t find pitted green olives, pit them the same way you’d pit cherries: with a pitter or a straw.

Directions

Step 1: Slather the bread with cream cheese

Spread 2 tablespoons of the softened cream cheese on each slice of bread as evenly as possible, making sure to reach the corners.

Step 2: Add the olives

Sprinkle 1/4 cup of chopped green olives over four slices of cream cheese–topped bread.

Step 3: Assemble the sandwiches

Top the olive layers with the remaining four slices of bread with the cream cheese facing inwards. Cut and serve immediately.

Recipe Variations

• Try a flavored cream cheese: The quickest way to add more flavor to your sandwich is to usea savory flavored cream cheese. Try scallion, garlic and herb, veggie, or jalapeno cream cheese.
• Use other olives: Green olives are preferred for a cream cheese and olive sandwich, but kalamata olives can bring a more intense brininess that will brighten the sandwich even more.
• Add spice: Once the olives are layered onto a piece of bread, shake a bit of garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder or hot sauce onto the olives, before closing up the sandwiches.
• Prep them for a tea party: Like cucumber sandwiches, cream cheese and olive sandwiches make great tea party foods. After assembling them, cut them into circles and skewer an olive on top in the middle for a pretty presentation. You could even add smoked salmon to the sandwich.

How to Store a Cream Cheese and Olive Sandwich

Store any leftover cream cheese and olive sandwiches in an airtight container or zip-top bag to keep the bread fresh and prevent the cream cheese from absorbing lingering fridge smells. It can be kept in the fridge for up to two days.

Can you make a cream cheese and olive sandwich ahead of time?

Yes, you can make a cream cheese and olive sandwich ahead of time. Assemble it the night before serving it, and keep it stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag. If you’re packing it for lunch, definitely make sure it stays cold. If cream cheese is left in the temperature danger zone for more than two hours, it can grow harmful bacteria.

Cream Cheese and Olive Sandwich Tips

Where did the cream cheese and olive sandwich originate?

You can find iterations of a cream cheese and olive sandwich all around the world, from the Middle East to South America. In North America, though, it’s a commonly accepted Southern specialty. It’s a cheap, easy, filling sandwich, but it works just as well as a tea party sandwich.

What do you serve with a cream cheese and olive sandwich?

Serve a cream cheese and olive sandwich either with something light and bright to cut through the richness, or with something salty to lean into the flavor of the olives. Some of the best sides for sandwiches include a refreshing cucumber salad, loaded esquites, a mixed fruit salad or good potato chips. A shatteringly crispy latke or hash brown would be so satisfying with this sandwich, too. The sandwich is pretty soft, so I would stay away from anything with a similar texture to keep the plate from becoming one-dimensional.

Want to lean into its Southern roots? Serve southern-style green beans, tomato salad or fried okra with your cream cheese and olive sandwich.

Watch How to Make Cream Cheese and Olive Sandwich

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