Nitrate & Nitrite Free Herb-Marinated Olives
Briny, fragrant, and deeply savory, these herb-marinated olives are the kind of effortless appetizer that looks like you spent way more time than you actually did. A mix of Castelvetrano, Kalamata, and Cerignola olives gets gently warmed in extra-virgin olive oil with sliced garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, lemon zest, and a pinch of red pepper flakes — and the result is something genuinely special. The low-and-slow warming step is what makes this recipe sing, coaxing every bit of flavor out of the fresh herbs and letting the garlic turn just golden before the olives join the party. Because this dish is built entirely from whole, unprocessed ingredients, you never have to second-guess what's in it — no cured meats, no packaged seasonings, no hidden preservatives to worry about. After a 30-minute rest in that infused oil, the flavors meld into something rich and aromatic that tastes like it came straight from a Mediterranean kitchen. Serve them at room temperature straight from the jar, or rewarm gently for a cozy, crowd-pleasing spread alongside crusty bread or a cheese board.
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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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