Cheese, Ham and Olive Bites – Easy Appetizer

Sometimes the simplest foods make the best recipes. Delicious entertaining made easy with these Manchego Cheese, Ham and Olive Bites. An easy appetizer for the busy holiday season. 

Sometimes it’s the simplest things that taste the best – with minimal intervention. Take this simple bite size dish; Manchego Cheese, Serrano Ham, and Castelvetrano Olives as the simplest of recipes with 3 ingredients and ready in about 10 minutes.

And what better time of year to let simple ingredients shine than over the holidays? Everyone has a hundred other tasks to complete around the holidays; why add another time-consuming one?

Every year we host a holiday party and this year I want more hands off, easy to prepare, yet not short on flavours recipes to make. This one fit the bill nicely. All the ingredients compliment each other and come together in mere seconds. It’s almost a charcuterie board put together, almost.

I had my kids try this just to see how it would go. Totally hilarious, but not huge fans. They both ate the meat, one tried the cheese (didn’t like it), and they both partially chewed the olive before spitting it out.

I didn’t like olives until recently myself and my husband claims to be “allergic” to them so it looks like I get to eat the entire board of these by myself.

I’m thinking these ingredients could also make a killer grilled cheese with crispy ham and chopped olives. Something to try for lunch over the weekend.

I swayed from the full Spanish theme slightly with the olives to suit my own preferences, but if you’re keen on a full Spanish appetizer the Manzanilla olives are your jam.

If you can’t find or don’t like Serrano ham, prosciutto is a fantastic substitute.

A few more easy appetizer recipes and finger food ideas:

• Mini Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Dip
• Endive Beet Bites
• Hot (Medjool) Dates
• 10 Best Make Ahead Holiday Appetizer

Print

Manchego Cheese, Ham and Olive Bites

Prep Time

10 mins

Total Time

10 mins

 

Sometimes the simplest foods make the best recipes. Delicious entertaining made easy with these Manchego Cheese, Ham and Olive Bites. An easy appetizer for the busy holiday season. 

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: appetizer, easy appetizer, finger food

Servings: 25 "bites"

Author: Samantha

Ingredients

• 225 grams (1/2 lbs) manchego cheese
• 200 grams (2/3 lbs) thinly sliced serrano ham (or prosciutto)
• 25-30 olives Castelvetrano or variety of your preference
• 25-30 small toothpicks

Instructions

1. Cut cheese into cubes about 1/2" x 1/2". Rip ham into narrow strips and fold over onto itself.

2. Top cheese cubes with ham and an olive, pierce with a toothpick and repeat until all ingredients are used up. 

Enjoy! xo