Low Sugar Lemon Garlic Herb Marinated Olives
These marinated olives are the kind of appetizer that disappears from the bowl before you even sit down. A mix of buttery Castelvetrano, briny Kalamata, and meaty Cerignola olives gets warmed low and slow in extra-virgin olive oil with sliced garlic, fresh rosemary, thyme, and a long strip of lemon zest — the result is deeply fragrant and layered in a way that feels far more impressive than the effort involved. A pinch of turmeric and ground ginger add a subtle warmth that makes the whole thing feel a little unexpected and special. Because olives are naturally savory and rich on their own, there's absolutely no need for any sweetener here — every bit of flavor comes from real aromatics and good oil. This is exactly the kind of recipe that proves you don't need added sugar to make something taste complex and craveable. Serve them warm straight from the pan or let them cool to room temperature and watch the infused oil turn into something you'll want to drizzle on everything. A scatter of fresh parsley at the end keeps it bright and beautiful on the table.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 cups mixed olives, drained (such as castelvetrano, kalamata, and cerignola)
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 strip lemon zest (about 3 inches long), pith removed
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, lemon zest strip, turmeric, and ginger in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Warm until the garlic is softened and fragrant and small bubbles form steadily around the herbs, about 4–5 minutes. Watch closely — the garlic should turn pale golden at the edges but not brown.
- 2
Add the drained olives to the saucepan and stir to coat. Continue to heat, stirring occasionally, until the olives are warmed through and have absorbed the aromatics, about 3–4 minutes.
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