Pistachio Free Garlic-Herb Marinated Olives
These marinated olives are the kind of appetizer that makes guests think you spent hours in the kitchen — when really, the stove does most of the work in under ten minutes. A mix of plump varieties like Castelvetrano, Kalamata, and Cerignola gives you a range of buttery, briny, and meaty bites all in one bowl. The magic happens when garlic, rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest slowly bloom in warm olive oil, picking up a subtle warmth from ground turmeric and ginger before the olives are added and coated in all that fragrant goodness. Letting everything rest for at least 30 minutes before serving is the step you don't want to skip — that's when the flavors really sink in and the oil turns into something you'll want to drizzle on everything. Store-bought marinated olives can be a gamble when you're navigating shared production lines and mystery spice blends, but this recipe keeps every ingredient completely visible and in your control. It's equally at home on a charcuterie board, alongside crusty bread, or just set out in a pretty jar at a dinner party. Simple, stunning, and completely free of any nut-based surprises.
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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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