Low Sugar Garlic-Herb Marinated Olives

Total time50 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time10 min

4.8

(18)

Briny, fragrant, and impossibly easy to pull together, these marinated olives are the kind of appetizer that looks like you spent hours on it. A quick warm bath in extra-virgin olive oil with sliced garlic, fresh rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, and a pinch each of turmeric and ginger transforms a simple bowl of mixed olives into something genuinely special. Every ingredient here is exactly what it sounds like — no hidden sweeteners, no sugary marinades, just pure savory depth from real herbs and spices. That 30-minute rest at room temperature is where the magic happens, letting all those aromatics fully sink into the olives before the first bite. Serve them warm straight from the pan or let them cool to room temp alongside crusty bread and a glass of wine, and watch them disappear. They also keep beautifully in a jar with the infused oil, so the flavor only deepens over time.

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 cups mixed olives, pitted or unpitted (such as castelvetrano, kalamata, and cerignola)
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 strips lemon zest (each about 3 inches long), removed with a vegetable peeler
¼ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp fine sea salt
2 sprigs fresh oregano (optional)

Instructions

1
Drain the olives and pat them dry with a paper towel. Set aside.
2
Combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, lemon zest strips, turmeric, ginger, and oregano (if using) in a small saucepan. Set over medium-low heat and warm until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn golden at the edges, about 4–5 minutes. Watch closely — the garlic can brown quickly and turn bitter.

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