Low Iodine Garlic-Herb Marinated Olives

Total time50 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time10 min

4.8

(18)

Briny, fragrant, and deeply satisfying, these marinated olives are the kind of appetizer that disappears from the bowl before anyone even sits down. Warm olive oil carries sliced garlic, fresh rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest into every crevice of the olives, while a pinch of turmeric and ginger add a subtle, earthy warmth that makes the whole thing feel a little unexpected. One of the trickier parts of eating low-iodine is navigating packaged snacks and restaurant appetizers, where hidden additives and iodized salt can sneak in without warning — this recipe sidesteps all of that by keeping the ingredient list clean and simple. The salt here is fine sea salt, not iodized table salt, which is exactly what this kind of diet calls for. Letting the olives rest in the infused oil for at least 30 minutes before serving is the move that takes this from good to genuinely great, so don't skip that step. Serve them warm or at room temperature alongside crusty bread, or just set them out on their own — they hold their own either way.

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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
Chef's tip
Fine sea salt and table salt measure the same - no conversion needed.
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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