MSG Free Garlic-Herb Marinated Olives

Total time50 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time10 min

4.8

(18)

These marinated olives are the kind of appetizer that makes guests think you spent hours in the kitchen — but the whole thing comes together in under fifteen minutes on the stovetop. Briny mixed olives get warmed in a fragrant bath of extra-virgin olive oil, thinly sliced garlic, fresh rosemary, thyme, and bright strips of lemon zest, with a whisper of turmeric and ginger rounding everything out. That gentle heat on the stovetop is the real magic here — it coaxes the garlic to the edge of golden and lets every herb and spice bloom into the oil before the olives even hit the pan. Packaged marinated olives often rely on flavor enhancers and additives you can't always identify on the label, so making your own means you know exactly what's in the bowl. The 30-minute rest at room temperature is worth every second — the flavors meld into something deeply savory and aromatic that tastes like it came from a Mediterranean deli counter. Serve them warm alongside crusty bread or as part of a cheese board, and don't skip leaving those herb sprigs in the bowl for a gorgeous, rustic presentation.

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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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