Beef Free Lemon Garlic Herb Marinated Olives
These marinated olives are the kind of appetizer that disappears from the table before anyone even sits down. A mix of plump Castelvetrano, Kalamata, and Cerignola olives gets warmed 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 adds a subtle warmth that makes this stand out from any jar of plain marinated olives you'd find at the store. The technique is simple: you're essentially blooming the aromatics in oil over gentle heat, letting everything meld together before the olives go in to soak it all up. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end brightens the whole thing and keeps the flavors lively. Serve them warm straight from the pan or let them cool to room temperature — either way, the infused oil pooling at the bottom of the bowl is practically made for tearing bread into. This is effortlessly crowd-pleasing, naturally plant-based, and completely free of any meat-based ingredients.
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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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