Shellfish Free Ginger-Scallion Marinated Olives
These marinated olives are the kind of appetizer that disappears before anyone even sits down. A mix of plump, meaty olives — think buttery Castelvetrano or briny Kalamata — gets warmed in fragrant olive oil with scallions, fresh ginger, and thin slices of garlic until everything turns silky and deeply aromatic. A hit of lemon zest and lemon juice at the end cuts through the richness and ties all those bold flavors together beautifully. The thyme sprigs steep right in the warm oil, adding an herby, almost floral note that makes the whole bowl feel effortlessly sophisticated. Letting the olives rest for at least thirty minutes before serving is the real secret — the oil becomes this incredible, flavor-packed dipping situation that you'll want to mop up with crusty bread. There's no hidden seafood-derived brine or shellfish-based seasoning to worry about here, just clean, whole ingredients you can feel good about putting on the table. Whether you're hosting a crowd or just treating yourself to a fancy snack night, this one is genuinely hard to beat.
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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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