Mushroom Free Herb-Marinated Olives
Warm, glossy, and deeply aromatic, these marinated olives are the kind of appetizer that disappears from the table before you've even sat down. A mix of buttery Castelvetrano, briny Kalamata, and meaty Cerignola olives gets gently warmed in extra-virgin olive oil with sliced garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, and a bright hit of lemon zest — the result is something that tastes like it came from a very good Italian restaurant. The technique is simple but smart: heating the aromatics in oil first coaxes out every bit of flavor before the olives ever touch the pan. Many store-bought marinated olive blends sneak in unexpected ingredients, so making your own means you know exactly what's in the jar. After a 30-minute rest in that infused oil, the flavors meld into something genuinely special. These keep beautifully in an airtight container and can be gently rewarmed whenever you're ready to serve, making them a brilliant make-ahead option for entertaining or a low-effort weeknight snack.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 cups mixed olives (such as castelvetrano, kalamata, and cerignola), drained
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tsp fresh oregano leaves
- 1 tsp lemon zest (from about ½ lemon)
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
- 1
Combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. 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 at this stage.
- 2
Add the drained olives and lemon zest to the saucepan. Stir to coat and continue warming over medium-low heat until the olives are heated through and the oil is bubbling gently around them, about 3–4 minutes.
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