For The Spread:
Green Olives: Pimento-stuffed, finely chopped. (I’ve been known to use blue cheese stuffed olives as well.)
Mayonnaise: Full-fat mayo, of course
Olive Brine: Just a touch to boost that salty flavor
For the Burger:
Fresh ground beef (80/20 works great)
Swiss cheese (optional, but common in many of the burger joints in Michigan)
Iceberg lettuce, shredded
Burger buns, toasted
Meet the Michigan Olive Burger: A Midwest Classic
If you grew up in Michigan, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of the Michigan olive burger. If you didn’t? Well, standby because this is one of Michigan’s most underrated hometown classics.
I grew up in Michigan and ate plenty of these burgers before leaving when I enlisted in the Marine Corps. (Anyone remmeber the double olive burger from Hot n Now?) Back then, I had no idea this burger was such a local thing. To me, the creamy, salty olive spread was just something every burger joint offered.
Turns out, most folks outside of mid-Michigan have never even heard of it.
This burger isn’t fancy. It’s not loaded down with dozens of toppings or some secret sauce with 50 ingredients. It’s simple and it works.
A nice thick, charred patty, topped with a creamy olive spread that packs just the right punch of salty and tangy, along with a slice of Swiss cheese. That’s it.
What Makes a Michigan Olive Burger Different?
The star of this burger is the olive spread. In its traditional form, it’s made with just three ingredients:
Chopped green olives (pimento-stuffed are common, but I also love blue cheese stuffed)
Mayonnaise
A splash of olive brine
That’s it. Simple, right? But here’s where things can get confusing. A lot of recipes floating around online call for cream cheese in the spread. While I’m all about encouraging folks to tweak recipes to fit their tastes, it’s important to note that cream cheese was never part of the original olive burger spread.
If you like it, go for it, just know it’s not the authentic version you’ll find at the old-school spots in Michigan like Kewpee or Halo Burger. Much like the spicy pepper relish I add to mine. Not traditional, but I love it.
The Humble History of the Olive Burger
Like the origin of Coney Island Hot Dog Sauce, there’s controversy about the origin of this burger. It’s widely accepted that the olive burger got its start in Lansing, Michigan at a spot called Kewpee Hotel Hamburgs, where Gladys Bowlin created the first olive spread in the 1920s.
At some point, Kewpee Hotel Hamburgs became Halo Burger in Flint, and started serving their own olive burger, and it became just as popular there. These two places helped cement the olive burger as a mid-Michigan staple.
Over the years, plenty of other burger joints in Michigan have added it to their menus, each with their own spin. But outside of Michigan? Most people still have no idea this burger even exists.
Why This Burger Works
This burger is all about balance. The richness of the beef plays perfectly with the salty bite of green olives and the creamy mayo. It’s simple, delicious, and despite the abundance of olives, they aren’t overpowering.
It’s also super easy to make at home, no fancy ingredients required.
And if you’re into trying regional burgers, this one delivers something you won’t find at most restaurants.
About The Ingredients You’ll Need
For The Spread:
Green Olives: Pimento-stuffed, finely chopped. (I’ve been known to use blue cheese stuffed olives as well.)
Mayonnaise: Full-fat mayo, of course
Olive Brine: Just a touch to boost that salty flavor
For the Burger:
Fresh ground beef (80/20 works great)
Swiss cheese (optional, but common in many of the burger joints in Michigan)
Iceberg lettuce, shredded
Burger buns, toasted
Just like the olive burgers near my alma mater, lets go Sparty! The red pepper relish isn’t something I’ve had before but I tried it with these (I used some red pepper relish I grabbed at Jersey Mike’s) and really liked it. I haven’t heard of adding cream cheese to the spread but I can see how it would work.
Hey Dylan, I haven’t tried the cream cheese addition to the spread either, but I’ll give it a shot. Great call on the Jersey Mike’s relish, I love that stuff.
-M
I saw these on TikTok the other day and wanted to surprise my husband with them. (He’s from Northern Michigan) We all absolutely loved them, but surprisingly he hadn’t heard of them. They were so good!
So glad you tried them Renee. It’s crazy how regionally these burgers are!
-M
I grew up in Lansing and these were a Friday night tradition for my family. This recipe is perfect and brought back some great memories; I sent it to my sister to try as well! I didn’t use the red relish but I will next time for sure just to try it.
Corinna, this makes me so happy to hear! So glad you and your family made some memories, I hope your sister likes the burgers as well, let me know!
-M
Loved this recipe, it’s just like I remember these burgers. And I definitely remember hit n now, haven’t even seen one of those places in years.
So glad you liked them Roland, thanks for checking out the recipe!
-M
I was born and raised in Michigan and worked at Halo Burger. Olive burgers are amazing. I would have to bring some home for my parents after work.
Thanks for checking it out Terri, these always bring back such fond memories!
-M