Artificial Flavors Free Ginger-Scallion Marinated Olives
These marinated olives are the kind of appetizer that disappears before you even sit down — briny, fragrant, and layered with the kind of flavor that feels like it took way more effort than it did. Every ingredient here is exactly what it says it is: real ginger, real garlic, fresh scallions, and good olive oil doing all the heavy lifting. That matters more than you might think, because store-bought marinated olives often sneak in natural flavor blends or "flavor enhancers" that can be hard to trace back to anything recognizable. Here, you control every element from start to finish. The technique is simple — a quick warm infusion on the stovetop lets the scallions soften and the garlic turn golden and fragrant before the olives go in to soak everything up. A hit of lemon zest and fresh lemon juice at the end brightens the whole bowl, and a rest at room temperature lets the flavors fully bloom before serving. Serve them with crusty bread, alongside a cheese board, or honestly just straight from the bowl — no judgment.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 cups mixed olives, pitted or unpitted (such as castelvetrano, kalamata, or cerignola)
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the olive oil, scallions, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the scallions are softened and the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn golden at the edges, about 4–5 minutes. Watch closely — the garlic can brown quickly at this stage.
- 2
Add the olives and thyme sprigs to the pan. Stir to coat the olives in the oil, then cook until the olives are warmed through and fragrant, about 2–3 minutes.
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