Easy Dirty Martini Dip
Whether you’re an olive lover or just a cocktail enthusiast, you’re going to flip for this Dirty Martini Dip. It’s creamy, it’s boozy, it’s loaded with olives and blue cheese—and you’re going to want to spread it onto every single thing you eat.
It takes a certain kind of person to order a dirty martini. While espresso martinis and lemon drop martinis are always popular, a savory cocktail like the dirty martini is a bold choice. But this dirty martini dip? It’s a dip everyone will love—well, as long as you love olives, that is.
Yes, this is a dip for dirty martini fans, but even more, it’s a dip for olive lovers. It’s jam-packed with briny goodness. But that’s not all this dirty martini dip has going for it—it’s also made with gin (and dry vermouth, if you like), lemon peel for some bright citrus flavor, and blue cheese, all folded into a rich cream cheese base.
Bring this dirty martini dip to a party and after an hour, people will be scraping the almost-empty bowl with crostini to try to get every last bit out. And then they’ll ask you for the recipe—because this is a dip that’s just too good to keep to yourself.
Ingredients for Dirty Martini Dip
Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll need for this recipe. For the full measurements, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Castelvetrano Olives – These have a more buttery flavor than your standard green olives with pimentos stuffed into the middle. But if you prefer using those, you definitely can!
- Olive Brine – From the jar of olives.
- Gin and Dry Vermouth – This is a dirty martini dip, after all. The gin is a must, but the dry vermouth is optional.
- Lemon Peel – Be sure to use the peel only; scrape off any pith, which is bitter.
- Cream Cheese – Let this soften a bit so it’s easy to mix in the other ingredients.
- Blue Cheese – To mimic the blue cheese stuffed olives you might find in a dirty martini!
- Salt and Pepper – You don’t need much salt since the olives are plenty briny.
- Olive Oil – This is a good recipe for using a high quality extra-virgin olive oil with a nice fruity aroma.
- Parsley – For garnish.
- Crostini – For serving.
How to Make Dirty Martini Dip
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for full printable instructions.
- Marinate the olives. Shake the olives, olive brine, gin, vermouth, and lemon peel strips in a sealed jar. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.
- Strain. Strain the olives, but don’t discard the liquid.
- Mix the dip. Beat together the cream cheese, blue cheese, salt, pepper, and 5 tablespoons of the reserved liquid on medium speed until well blended. Taste and add more of the liquid, if desired.
- Serve. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl. Pour olive oil into the middle and add the marinated olives on top. Drizzle with more olive oil, finish with parsley, flaky salt, and pepper, then serve with crostini.
Tips and Variations
Here are some tips for making the best dirty martini dip.
- Swap in vodka. If you prefer vodka in your martinis, you can substitute vodka for the gin in this recipe.
- Add some spice. A pinch of smoked paprika or cayenne, either added to the dip itself or on top as a garnish, will add another layer of flavor.
- Let it sit. Allow the dip to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. This gives all the flavors some time to come together, and coming to room temperature makes the dip more spreadable.
More Ways to Use This Dirty Martini Dip
Crostini is always a good bet, but if you’re looking for some additional uses, try these.
- Veggies. Not all vegetables would pair well with dirty martini dip, but crisp celery or cucumber slices would work well. We like to use it with this Crudite Platter!
- Other dippers. For extra crunch and saltiness, try serving the dip with breadsticks or pretzels instead of crostini. Crackers are great too! Everything sourdough crackers would be delicious.
- Fresh bread. Instead of crostini, use fresh slice of baguette, crusty sourdough, cubes of rye, or even wedges of pita bread.
- On burgers. Spread dirty martini dip onto your next burger for an extra boost of flavor and melty-creamy goodness.
- Stuffed mushrooms. Fill mushroom caps with the dip and bake until golden brown and bubbly. Garnish with parsley before serving. YUM.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover dirty martini dip can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Before serving again, allow the dip to come to room temperature for 10–15 minutes so it’s easy to spread.
More Crowd-Pleasing Dip Recipes
- Brown Sugar Baked Brie Dip with Apples, Cranberries, and Pecans
- Easy Black Bean Dip
- 7 Layer Mexican Dip
- The Best Hot Crab Dip
- Whipped Cottage Cheese Dip
- Easy Pizza Dip
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Get the Recipe: Dirty Martini Dip
Ingredients
- ¾ cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, drained and sliced in half
- ⅓ cup olive brine, from 1 [16-ounce] jar
- ⅓ cup 2 ounces gin
- 1 tablespoon dry vermouth, optional
- 3 3 x 1-inch strips lemon peel
- 16 ounces cream cheese, from 2 [8-ounce] packages, slightly softened
- 4 ounces creamy blue cheese
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, plus more for garnish
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Chopped parsley and olives, for garnish
- Crostini, for serving
Instructions
- Place olives, olive brine, gin, vermouth, and lemon peel strips in a small jar or other airtight container. Seal the container and shake well to combine. Let marinate in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.
- Strain olives, reserving the olives and brine mixture in separate containers.
- In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese, blue cheese, salt, pepper, and 5 tablespoons of the reserved brine mixture with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute (or you can use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment). Taste for seasoning and stir in additional brine mixture, if desired.
- Transfer cheese mixture to a small serving bowl. Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into the center. Spoon reserved marinated olives over top. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with flaky salt and pepper. Serve with crostini.