Artificial Food Coloring Free Garlic-Herb Marinated Olives
Warm, glistening olives infused with garlic, fresh herbs, and a bright curl of lemon zest — this appetizer is the kind of thing that disappears from the table before anyone even sits down. The marinade comes together in a single small saucepan, where olive oil slowly draws out the fragrance of rosemary, thyme, and a whisper of turmeric and ginger, turning everything golden and deeply aromatic. Store-bought flavored olives and jarred antipasto can be sneaky sources of synthetic dyes and artificial additives, but every single ingredient here is exactly what it looks like — real food, nothing hidden. The turmeric does double duty, lending a subtle warmth and a gorgeous natural hue without a drop of artificial coloring in sight. Letting the olives rest in that infused oil for at least thirty minutes is the move that takes this from good to genuinely memorable, as the flavors keep building the longer they sit. Serve them warm straight from the pan or at room temperature alongside crusty bread, and don't skip pouring every last drop of that herb oil into the bowl.
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Learn more →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)
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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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