These marinated olives are an easy appetizer with huge flavor: garlicky, lemony, herby, and perfect for cheese boards or parties. A simple, make-ahead recipe!
Here’s a favorite party trick of mine that makes a tasty and healthy appetizer in just 5 minutes of hands on time: marinated olives! This dish will make an olive lover out of anyone. Using the right olives here results in smooth, rich flavor: not briny or overly salty. The garlic, lemon and herbs make a symphony of flavor!
Every time I make these and set them out on the table, people go crazy for them! They’re also great for an appetizer dinner at home: bread, cheese, marinated olives and wine. Here are a few tricks to the tastiest homemade marinated olives you’ll find (in my humble opinion).
5 Star Reader Review
“These are incredible! I bought a large jar of Castelvetrano olives and was looking for something interesting to do with them. I can’t wait to share them with others.” -J
The Secret Ingredient: Water-Packed Olives
Here’s our secret to these marinated olives. Use ripe olives packed in water. They have a rich and buttery flavor, nothing like a martini olive. These olives aren’t packed in brine, they’re simply packed in salt water. It makes for a clean, straightforward flavor: not too tangy, briny or salty. Exactly what kind of olives are we talking about?
- Use medium to large ripe olives that are pitted. Here’s a list of olives to buy for marinated olives: we like the Lindsay brand that you see listed. Look on the package to see if it says “packed in water” or if the ingredients specify. Castelvetrano olives are another great option.
- Use a mix of green and black. This makes a great color contrast.
- Avoid stuffed or flavored olives. You don’t want any competing flavors here.
Ingredients For Marinading
You can use lots of different flavors for making marinaded olives. Here’s what I use and some other options you can swap instead:
- Lemon: Use the lemon rind and lemon juice. Variation: Use orange instead.
- Garlic: Slice the garlic to infuse big flavors (no need to mince!). Do not omit.
- Olive oil: Olive oil infuses the flavor perfectly.
- Fresh herbs: Rosemary and tarragon are our favorites. Variation: Use thyme or oregano.
How to Make Marinated Olives (Basic Steps)
Want to make marinated olives? The hands on part is fast: it takes just about 5 minutes. The longest lead time item is the marinading. Make sure you set aside 2 to 4 hours for the marinading process. Here’s what to know:
- Place all the ingredients in a large jar or container. We like using a large mason jar. Cover the top and shake to get everything coated.
- Leave at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours. The wait time locks in the flavors.
How to Store
Once your marinaded olives are ready, you can save them for a few weeks. Leave them in the jar and refrigerate. But here’s a tip: the olive oil will solidify when it is chilled. So make sure to bring the olives to room temperature before serving.
Ways To Serve Marinaded Olives
Now for the fun part: ways to serve them! These marinaded olives are very versatile. They’re an easy side dish for a Mediterranean-style meal (like Italian or Spanish), or perfect for a gluten free appetizer spread. Here’s how I like to serve them:
- On a cheese board. Add a baguette, sliced manchego cheese and marcona almonds, and you’ve got a simple cheese board that doubles as dinner for two.
- In an appetizer spread. A few vegetarian appetizers that vibe well with marinaded olives: goat cheese crostini, tomato almond dip, stuffed dates,
- With paella. Make a Spanish-style meal with Classic Spanish Paella or Easy Vegetarian Paella.
Dietary Notes
This marinaded olives recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
For the best flavor, yes. You can eat them sooner, but the garlic, lemon, and herbs need time to infuse the olives and the oil. Overnight is even better.
Absolutely! Make them up to 1 week in advance and store in the fridge. Pull from the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving so the oil softens.
Always room temperature or gently warmed. Cold olives in solidified oil don’t show off their flavor.
Classic Marinated Olives
Pin RecipeThese marinated olives are an easy appetizer with huge flavor: garlicky, lemony, herby, and perfect for cheese boards or parties. A simple, make-ahead recipe!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes hands on, 2 hours hands off
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 6 to 8 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Marinated
- Cuisine: Italian Inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 6-ounce dry weight cans pitted ripe olives packed in water (green, Castelvetrano, medium black, or large black, not flavored or stuffed)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 lemon
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Scant ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 rosemary or tarragon sprigs, plus additional for serving if desired
Instructions
- Drain the olives. Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Cut 4 strips from the lemon peel, then squeeze out 1 tablespoon of the juice.
- In a 1 quart jar or covered container, combine all ingredients and shake gently to combine.
- Marinate for 2 to 4 hours at room temperature, shaking occasionally. Serve immediately, garnishing with additional rosemary sprigs if desired. Stores refrigerated for several weeks; allow to come to room temperature prior to serving.
More Olive Recipes To Try
- Kalamata Olive Spread or Tapenade: This olive spread (also called tapenade), is used in Italian cuisine to add big flavor to crostini and sandwiches.
- Pasta Puttanesca: This classic Italian pasta recipe features garlic, capers and olives in the sauce to give it a tangy burst of flavor.
- Olive Salad: This tangy condiment is perfect for sandwiches and as a dip.
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