These almond stuffed green olives are a near-zero-carb Spanish tapa you put together from a jar in about fifteen minutes. Green olives get a Marcona almond where the pit was, then rest in a mix of brine and olive oil. Below the recipe is how Spain actually serves them and the small tricks that keep them from falling apart.
Okay it's official. I'm addicted to olives. I have decided to give up searching them down in the stores and I am just going to make my own. Today I'm starting with green olives stuffed with almonds. I tried these in Spain and I just completely fell in love with these. I simply purchased a large jar of green olives, removed the pit, inserted the almond and marinated them in half brine and half olive oil. I recommend using Marcona Almonds because they are skinless. These yummy olives work as a great appetizer or snack to keep handy in your fridge.
A Spanish tapa, the authentic way
This is a homemade take on aceitunas rellenas de almendra, a classic of the Spanish tapas table. The almond matters: Marcona almonds are a Spanish variety, rounder, softer, and skinless, which is why they seat cleanly inside an olive where a regular almond would feel woody. In Spain a little dish of these is an aperitivo, set out with a glass of dry fino or manzanilla sherry or a splash of vermouth, usually alongside other olives and a handful of fried almonds. The French apero table treats marinated olives the same way, as the thing you nibble before anything else arrives. Serving them this way, cold and with a dry drink, is half of what makes them taste right.
Net carbs and why they fit keto
Olives are almost all fat and fiber, so a green olive carries close to 0 net carbs, and a Marcona almond adds only a trace. A serving of about five stuffed olives lands around 1 gram of net carbs and 80 calories, nearly all of it good fat, which makes this one of the easiest snacks to keep on a keto or low-carb plan. The brine-and-oil marinade adds nothing but flavor. If you buy a jar of pre-stuffed olives instead, check the label, since some commercial versions read higher once you account for added brine and fillers.
Tips and common mistakes
A few small things separate a clean batch from a fussy one. Push the pimento all the way out before you stuff, or the almond will not sit flush. Pick almonds that fit the olive you bought; a too-large Marcona splits the olive and a too-small one rattles loose. Give them at least a day in the fridge before serving, since the oil and brine need time to settle into the olives. Beyond the snack jar, they make a sharp martini garnish and a natural fit on a board next to my blue cheese stuffed olives, some salami chips, a few cubes of marinated mozzarella, and a bowl of black olive dip.
Sources
USDA FoodData Central, nutrient references for green olives and almonds.
Spanish tapas references, on aceitunas rellenas de almendra and Marcona almonds, 2026.
Sugarfreechic test kitchen, low-carb appetizer notes.
