Hundreds of varieties of olives are grown worldwide, and some of them are used as table olives.
Table olives are often harvested while green and brined to achieve the perfect flavor.
Manzanilla olives and queen olives are among the most well-known Spanish olives popularly used as table olives
These Spanish olives are often stuffed with cheese, peppers, or fruits and used as garnish for martinis, in sandwiches
Both manzanilla and queen olives have different features that may them better suited for different dishes
In this post we highlight the difference between both varieties of Spanish olives.
Difference between manzanilla olives and queen olives
Both are common Spanish olives from the region of Sevilla in Spain mainly used as a table olive.
Queen olives are larger in size than manzanilla olives. These olives are one of the largest varieties of olives worldwide, and on average could be more than twice the size of manzanilla olives.
Manzanilla olives are crispier than queen olives. It also has a relatively higher quantity of olive oil compared to queen and are sometimes used in the production of olive oil
Queen olives
They are also known as “Gordal” or “the fat one.”
These large sized olives are grown mostly in the region of Seville in Spain.
Queen olive is a favorite for its large size and firm texture. These olives are among the largest type of olives in the world
They are oblong to oval shaped Spanish olives. They have a slightly nutty flavor and slightly salty flavors.
These olives range in color from straw green to green.
Queen olives are also harvested by hand when the fruits are green between October and November.
They are usually cured in brine. Queen olives are cured for months which gives them a briny flavor
Gordal olives are highly nutritious, they are rich in vitamins and fiber.
These olives are rarely used in the production of olive oil as they don’t contain as much oil as olives used for olive oil
Queen olives have a small but long pit which often has a pimento filling, The stuffed olives are then skewered in martinis.
These olives also used to flavor many dishes. Queen olives can be used to make tapenade or tapas. These olives can also be eaten whole as a snack when seasoned
What are manzanilla olives?
These olives are also Known as Manzanillo
These olives are grown mainly in the province of Seville, and they are the most popular Spanish olive variety.
Their name means “little apple” in English
These Apple shaped olives are small to medium sized. They have a firm texture; they also have a briny and slightly bitter flavor.
When unripe, the olives are green in color. But as the olives ripen, they become darker in color and have a milder taste than the green olives.
Desired for its flavor and used as a table olive, these olives are harvested when they are still green in color.
Manzanilla olives are often harvested while green or unripe for use as table olives.
The green olives are cured in a solution of water, brine and lye.
The curing process removes oleuropein from the olives-Oleuropein is the compound that makes the olives taste bitter.
The curing of olives can bring about a difference in the texture, color, and flavor of the olives
Manzanilla olives are versatile. In addition to being used as a Table olive, it is sometimes used for olive oil production
These olives can be used alone or found in different dishes.
They are often stuffed with peppers, nuts, cheese and then used to garnish martinis. These olives are used in luncheon meat or antipasto recipes
Manzanilla olives are used to make canned black olives which are readily available in grocery stores.
These olives are rich in antioxidants as well as healthy fats.
