Carrageenan Free Lemon Garlic Herb Marinated Olives
Briny, fragrant, and impossibly easy to pull together, these marinated olives are the kind of appetizer that makes guests think you spent far more effort than you actually did. A mix of plump varieties like Castelvetrano, Kalamata, and Cerignola brings a range of textures and flavors, and warming them gently in olive oil with garlic, rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest coaxes out something truly special. The brief time on the stove lets the aromatics bloom without burning, so every olive ends up glossy and deeply savory with bright citrus running through it. Many jarred or store-bought marinated olives sneak in additives and thickeners — including carrageenan, which is sometimes used in brined or processed olive products — so making your own from scratch puts you fully in control of what goes into the bowl. Here, the infused oil does all the work: no stabilizers, no fillers, just real ingredients. A pinch of turmeric and ginger adds a subtle warmth that you might not be able to place but absolutely will not want to leave out. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and a scatter of fresh parsley, and you have something that works as a cocktail snack, a cheese board centerpiece, or an anytime nibble you'll keep coming back to.
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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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