Sesame Free Ginger-Scallion Marinated Olives
Warm, glossy, and packed with bold aromatics, these marinated olives are the kind of appetizer that disappears from the bowl before you've even finished pouring the drinks. A quick sauté of scallions, fresh ginger, and sliced garlic in good olive oil builds a fragrant base that clings to every olive and keeps tasting better as it sits. The combination of bright lemon zest, lemon juice, and earthy thyme rounds everything out into something that feels far more special than the effort involved. For anyone navigating sesame allergies or sensitivities, this recipe is a genuine relief — no tahini, no sesame oil, no hidden seeds that so often sneak into store-bought marinated olive blends. Every single ingredient here is straightforward and easy to verify, so you can serve these with total confidence at a party or a quiet night in. A 30-minute rest at room temperature is all it takes for the flavors to meld into something deeply savory and a little addictive. Scatter fresh parsley over the top before serving and watch them vanish.
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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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