Vegan Mediterranean Marinated Olives
These olives are the kind of thing you set out as a snack and watch disappear before the main course even hits the table. A warm bath of extra-virgin olive oil, sliced garlic, rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest does all the heavy lifting here, coaxing deep, fragrant flavor into every olive in the jar. A pinch of turmeric and ground ginger adds a subtle warmth that makes this marinade feel a little more interesting than anything you'd grab off a grocery store shelf. The whole process is beautifully plant-based by nature — no swaps needed, no ingredients to second-guess. You simply warm the aromatics in a pan, pour them over your olives, and let time do the rest. The longer they sit, the better they get, so making a batch the night before is genuinely rewarded. Finish with a scatter of fresh parsley and serve alongside crusty bread, a mezze spread, or honestly just a glass of wine.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 1 ½ cups mixed olives (such as castelvetrano, kalamata, and cerignola), pitted or whole
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 strip lemon zest (about 3 inches), pith removed
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Drain the olives and pat them dry with a paper towel, then transfer to a clean jar or heatproof bowl.
- 2
Combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, turmeric, ginger, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Warm until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn golden at the edges, about 3–4 minutes — watch closely, as the garlic can brown quickly.
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