I love butter and I don’t think I will ever eliminate it from my diet but being Greek, olive oil is in our daily cooking, used when children are baptized and used in Greek-Orthodox funerals. It’s big thing for Greeks.
We used it in our daily cooking and when I saw my friend, Chef Manolis Papoutsakis make this olive oil spread, I knew this would be a hit!
There’s zero butter in this recipe, the name refers to the look. Allow me some leeway in calling this whipped olive oil butter: this is much better than the margarines out there purporting to be olive oil spreads.
What we are doing is freezing olive oil (absolutely safe), whipping in a food processor with a little water and placing in serving bowls to smear right away on crusty bread.
This is delicious, a truly healthy alternative to butter and if you haven’t already – dump those tubs of margarine.
Whipped Olive Oil Butter
(makes 1 cup)
250 ml. extra virgin Greek olive oil
3-4 Tbsp. water
For serving
slices of warm grilled bread
sea salt
fresh ground pepper
dried Greek oregano
- Pour your olive oil into a 9″ x 9″ pan (1/4 inch thin layer) and place in the freezer for 2-3 hours or until frozen solid.
- Use a metal spatula to scrape up the frozen olive oil and place in a food processor. Turn on high, add water one tablespoon at a time until olive oil is opaque and creamy.
- Transfer to serving bowl. If a little runny, place in the freezer for another 5-10 minutes.
- Grill slices of rustic bread, allow to cool to warm. Generously smear olive oil butter on bread, sprinkle with sea salt, ground pepper and dried Greek oregano and serve.
*Store in smaller serving bowls (say ramekins) as olive oil will warm up quickly in the warmer months).
**Store any unused olive oil butter in your freezer, take out 5 minutes before serving again.
***Make ahead, place in serving bowls and store in freezer until needed.
8 Responses
Peter, being a health-conscious health nut, I make this olive oil “butter” frequently. I sometimes add chopped kalamata olives and chopped/diced tomatoes on top with chiffonade of fresh basil or mint and a few crumbles of feta cheese…my “Greek” version of bruschetta. Tasty and satisfying, so you forget it’s healthy. Just finished my last batch for lunch with tuna, scrumptious❣
TIP: For summer heat in Tarpon Springs, Fl, I place frozen ice pack in zip lock bag, place it in bottom of bowl and place olive oil butter on top…stays perfect for awhile!!!
MAGNIFICANT recipe, as usual❣❣
Greattips, thank you!
Do you have to add the water? What does adding water do? I thought it might make the bread or toast soggy after spreading.
Dianne
It helps with freezing so yes.
How long does this keep for? And do you store it in the fridge?
Store in fridge, up to a 2 weeks.
Does it get runny in the fridge or does it stay solidified? Thanks
No.