Cinnamon Free Lemon Garlic Herb Marinated Olives
Briny, buttery olives meet a fragrant bath of garlic, lemon, and fresh herbs in this effortless appetizer that feels genuinely restaurant-worthy. The technique is simple but smart — gently warming everything together in a single saucepan lets the olive oil pull flavor from the rosemary, thyme, and sliced garlic before the olives ever hit the pan. A strip of lemon zest and a splash of fresh juice keep things bright, while ground turmeric and ginger add a subtle warmth that makes the whole bowl taste more complex than the ingredient list suggests. For anyone avoiding cinnamon, this recipe is a natural fit — the spice simply never enters the picture, and the aromatics here do all the heavy lifting without it. Jarred or pre-marinated olives at the store often come loaded with unexpected seasonings, so making your own means you know exactly what's in the bowl. Serve them warm straight from the pan or let them cool to room temperature and watch them disappear at any gathering.
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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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