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Soft and velvety, small but packing a fruity punch, Benza Taggiasca olives are THE perfect snacking olive. Extremely low in acidity, their bittersweet pulp is bursting with fresh oil, and their colorful skin in shades of green, purple, and brown will make a lovely addition to your next aperitivo platter. Equally delicious raw or cooked, they make an excellent topping for pizza or traditional Ligurian focaccia. Pair them with a perfect negroni, or chop them into a salad or rustic sauce for pasta, fish, or poultry. These olives are preserved in brine, using a very precious, natural, and pure mineral rock salt.
Taggiasca olives are the most prized Ligurian olives, and the source of the region’s signature delicate, balanced olive oil. Claretta and Gigi Benza are a mother and son team, who jar the olives themselves. As they like to say, tasting their olives is like taking a journey into the hills of the Imperia valley in western Liguria, where the temperate seaside climate and calcium-rich soil create the perfect Mediterranean olive.
The Benza family has been making olive oil in the Ligurian Riviera since the 19th century. “My parents taught me that a good oil comes from a highly scrupulous production process,” explains Gigi Benza. “But also, and above all, from quality olives - that’s why I personally look after them from the time the plants flower until the harvest.”

Taggiasca Olives in Brine Reviews

"My personal favorite olives! These Taggiasca olives from Liguria are packed full of flavor with a velvety, oily texture that is excellent both raw or cooked."
Carosello Pasta
"The olive is small and compact, with an almost fifty-fifty pit-to-flesh ratio. Its variegated color is typical of olives picked halfway to full ripeness. Its flavor is round and floral but still punchy."
Viola Buitoni
The taggaisca olive is noted for its delicate flavor, low acidity and size being smaller.
Danielle Glantz
"Active as an olive press since 1853 and boasting many years of experience in olive farming, this company naturally produces the legendary brine cured Taggiasca olives."
Renzo Ceccacci, president of Olea
"The brine is not just salty, but mineral rich and full of flavor. Make sure to use it in dressings or martini."
Carosello Pasta
"The Taggiasca is very good in salads or with lean fish and is also idea for long braises, as it maintains its structure during extended exposure to heat.”
Viola Buitoni, Italy by ingredient

Any questions?
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What do Taggiasca olives taste like?
Taggiasca olives are small, meaty, and sweet with a gentle briny tang. Their flavor is umami and nutty, with subtle floral notes and just enough salt to make them addictive. A favorite in Ligurian cuisine and perfect for aperitivo.
Where do Taggiasca olives come from?
Taggiasca olives are native to western Liguria, especially the province of Imperia. Benza cultivates them on steep, seaside terraces where mild breezes and rocky soil create perfect growing conditions. These are among Italy’s most prized and traditional olives.
Are Taggiasca olives the same as Niçoise or Kalamata olives?
Taggiasca olives are sometimes confused with Niçoise olives due to their similar size and color, but they’re not the same. Grown in Liguria, Italy, Taggiasca olives are sweeter and more delicate than Kalamata olives, with a softer texture and buttery flavor. Each variety has its own unique profile—Taggiasca is distinctly Italian.
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