Honey Free Lemon Garlic Herb Marinated Olives
Briny, fragrant, and deeply savory, these marinated olives are the kind of appetizer that disappears from the bowl before you even sit down. A trio of plump varieties — think buttery Castelvetrano, rich Kalamata, and meaty Cerignola — gets warmed in extra-virgin olive oil with sliced garlic, fresh rosemary, thyme, and a long strip of lemon zest until everything turns gloriously aromatic. A pinch of turmeric and ground ginger adds a subtle warmth that makes the whole thing feel a little unexpected in the best possible way. Many store-bought marinated olives sneak in sweeteners like honey or agave to round out the flavor, but this recipe relies entirely on citrus brightness and herb depth to do that job — no sweeteners needed, and nothing hidden. The technique is simple: a gentle warm-through in the infused oil lets the olives soak up every bit of flavor without losing their satisfying bite. Serve them straight from the pan while still warm, or let them cool to room temperature and watch them get even better as they sit.
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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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