Artificial Flavors Free Cilantro-Lime Marinated Olives
These marinated olives are the kind of appetizer that makes guests think you spent way more effort than you actually did. Briny mixed olives get bathed in a warm, fragrant oil infused with fresh garlic, grated ginger, lime zest, and a whisper of turmeric — then finished with a squeeze of lime juice and handfuls of fresh cilantro. The result is bright, herby, and deeply savory all at once. Store-bought flavored olives often rely on artificial flavor additives to mimic that fresh, zesty character, but here every bit of complexity comes straight from real ingredients you can see and smell. Gently warming the oil with the aromatics before pouring it over the olives is the move that makes everything bloom — it coaxes out the garlic and ginger without cooking them down to nothing. After just an hour of marinating at room temperature, the olives have soaked up all that citrusy, spiced goodness and are ready to serve. Set them out with toothpicks and watch them disappear.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 cups mixed olives, pitted or unpitted, drained
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp lime zest (from about 1 lime)
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly torn
- 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the olive oil, garlic, ginger, lime zest, turmeric, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Warm, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn golden at the edges, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
- 2
Place the drained olives in a jar or airtight container. Pour the warm oil mixture over the olives, then add the lime juice and cilantro (and parsley, if using). Stir gently to coat.
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