BHA & BHT Free Citrus & Herb Marinated Olives
Warm, fragrant, and impossibly easy to pull together, these marinated olives are the kind of appetizer that makes guests think you spent far more effort than you actually did. Jarred and packaged olives from the store often contain preservatives like BHA and BHT to extend shelf life, so making your own infused batch at home is a genuinely smart move for anyone keeping those additives out of their diet. Here, everything is clean and straightforward — good extra-virgin olive oil, fresh citrus zest, garlic, and real herb sprigs do all the heavy lifting. The brief time on the stove blooms the rosemary, thyme, turmeric, and ginger into the oil, turning it into something deeply aromatic that coats every olive beautifully. A splash of fresh orange juice stirred in at the end adds a bright, slightly sweet note that balances the briny depth of the olives perfectly. Letting the whole thing rest for thirty minutes before serving is the move — the flavors meld and intensify in a way that makes the first bite genuinely impressive. Serve them alongside crusty bread or a cheese board and watch them disappear.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 cups mixed olives, pitted or unpitted
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp orange zest (from about ½ orange)
- 1 tsp lemon zest (from about ½ lemon)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp fresh orange juice
Instructions
- 1
Combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary sprigs, and thyme sprigs in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until the garlic is softened and just beginning to turn golden at the edges, about 4–5 minutes — watch closely, as the garlic can brown quickly.
- 2
Add the olives, orange zest, lemon zest, turmeric, ginger, and salt to the pan. Stir to coat the olives in the oil and spices, then cook until the olives are warmed through and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes.
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