Paraben Free Garlic-Herb Marinated Olives
Briny, fragrant, and impossibly easy to pull together, these marinated olives are the kind of appetizer that disappears before you've even finished setting out the rest of the spread. A mix of Castelvetrano, Kalamata, and Cerignola olives gets gently warmed in extra-virgin olive oil with thinly sliced garlic, fresh rosemary, thyme, and bright strips of lemon zest — the result is deeply aromatic and far more impressive than anything that comes out of a jar. A pinch of turmeric and ground ginger add a subtle warmth that makes the whole thing feel a little unexpected in the best way. For anyone navigating paraben-free eating, store-bought marinated olives can be a minefield of preservatives and additives that are hard to identify on a label. Making them at home with whole, recognizable ingredients means you know exactly what's going into the bowl — every single element here is a fresh herb, a spice, or a whole food. The technique is straightforward: warm the oil with the aromatics until the garlic just starts to turn golden, then add the olives and let everything meld together. That 30-minute rest at room temperature is where the magic really happens, as the infused oil soaks into every olive. Serve them warm or at room temperature alongside crusty bread or a cheese board, and watch them vanish.
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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)
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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