Seed Oil Free Marinated Olives with Citrus and Herbs
Briny, fragrant, and impossibly easy to pull together, these citrus-and-herb marinated olives are the kind of appetizer that makes guests think you spent far more effort than you actually did. A mix of Castelvetrano, Kalamata, and Cerignola olives brings a range of textures and flavors — buttery, meaty, and rich — all soaking up a warm bath of extra-virgin olive oil infused with garlic, orange zest, lemon zest, rosemary, and thyme. That's the key detail here: the only fat in this recipe is pure extra-virgin olive oil, so there's no canola, soybean, or sunflower oil hiding in the marinade the way it often does in jarred or restaurant versions. Gently warming everything together in a saucepan coaxes the citrus oils and herbs into the fat in a way that cold-mixing simply can't match. A pinch of red pepper flakes adds just enough heat to keep things interesting, and the optional fennel seeds bring a subtle anise note that plays beautifully against the bright zest. After a 30-minute rest, the oil becomes something you'll want to drizzle over everything. Serve them warm or at room temperature alongside crusty bread, a cheese board, or honestly just straight from the bowl.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 cups mixed olives, drained (such as castelvetrano, kalamata, and cerignola)
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed and peeled
- 3 wide strips orange zest (removed with a vegetable peeler)
- 2 wide strips lemon zest (removed with a vegetable peeler)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ tsp fennel seeds (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the olive oil, garlic, orange zest, lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, red pepper flakes, and fennel seeds (if using) in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Warm until the oil begins to sizzle gently around the garlic and the herbs are fragrant, about 4–5 minutes. Do not let the garlic brown.
- 2
Add the drained olives to the saucepan and stir to coat. Continue to warm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the olives are heated through and the oil is deeply fragrant, about 4–5 minutes.
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