Pistachio Free Herb-Marinated Olives
Briny, fragrant, and deeply savory, these marinated olives are the kind of appetizer that disappears from the table before anything else does. A mix of Castelvetrano, Kalamata, and Cerignola olives gets warmed low and slow in extra-virgin olive oil with sliced garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, and a bright hit of lemon zest — the result is an infused oil so good you'll want to mop it up with crusty bread. The gentle stovetop method coaxes every herb and spice into the oil without scorching, so the flavors are rounded and complex rather than sharp. Letting the olives rest in that fragrant oil for at least 30 minutes is the real secret — the longer they sit, the more deeply everything melds together. Store-bought marinated olives can be a gamble when it comes to mixed-nut processing facilities and shared equipment, so making your own at home puts you fully in control of every ingredient. These keep beautifully in a jar in the fridge and reheat in minutes, making them just as perfect for a casual weeknight snack as they are for a dinner party spread.
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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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