If you’ve never made marinated olives before, let’s change that!
Marinated olives are beyond easy to make and taste so much better than store-bought.
They make an amazing snack and are perfect for parties.
And guess what? You don’t have to feel guilty eating something so delicious. These olive-oil-marinated olives are full of monounsaturated fats (the good kind) and are a nutritional powerhouse.
Why You’ll Love This Marinated Olives Recipe
10-Minute Prep – Making the marinade is as simple as combining some herbs, garlic and lemon zest with olive oil and vinegar. Then it’s poured over a bowl of olives. This recipe is the epitome of quick and easy.
So many ways to enjoy – Marinated olives are perfect for parties, served on their own or with sliced artisan bread on the side. They make a wonderful addition to grazing boards, antipasto spreads and can be used in other appetizer recipes, like these Greek salad skewers or baked feta.
These marinated olives are also really delicious tossed in salads or on pasta dishes.
Easy to play around with the flavors – I would say garlic is a must and some red pepper chilli flakes add a subtle touch of heat you don’t want to miss out on, but you can customize the herbs and spices to your liking beyond that.
In this recipe I opt for fresh Italian parsley and thyme, but rosemary and oregano are also lovely. I’ve even seen recipes with fennel seeds. The point is, this recipe is a starting point and if you don’t have parsley on-hand but have rosemary, then you can certainly use it instead.
Ingredients Needed
Olives – Use your favorite variety of pitted olives or a combination of types and colors. I used Kalamata and Manzanilla stuffed with pimementos.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Olive oil is the base of the marinade, so go for the good kind.
Red Wine Vinegar – A little is all that’s needed to add a nice acidic, tangy punch to the marinade.
Lemon Zest – Citrus adds a bright layer of flavor to the marinade. I like to use the zest of a lemon, but for a more subtle citrus flavor that builds over time, you can add some thin strips of lemon peel or orange peel.
Garlic – Use freshly minced garlic to pack in the flavor. You can also thinly slice peeled garlic cloves.
Red Pepper Flakes – For a little heat and bits of color and texture, chilli flakes get the job done.
Fresh Herbs and Spices – For this recipe I used a combination of two fresh herbs, Italian parsley and thyme. Don’t feel like you have to use these exact herbs, however. Fresh rosemary and dried oregano are great options, too.
How to Make Marinated Olives
- Drain the olives if packed in brine. If desired, rinse the olives to remove any brine flavor. Place drained olives in a shallow bowl, so the marinade can evenly cover the olives. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, chopped herbs, red pepper flakes, freshly minced garlic, and lemon zest. Whisk until well combined.
- Pour marinade over olives. Gently stir to coat all the olives. Cover and marinate for at least an hour before serving.
Detailed recipe and instructions are in recipe card at bottom of post.
Recipe Notes
- If all the olives aren’t completely submerged in the marinade, gently stir the olives every so often while marinating them.
- You can marinate the olives at room temperature if you plan on serving them soon. Otherwise, place in the fridge. If the oil solidifies (after many hours of exposure to cold), remove from the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour before serving.
- If you plan on serving the marinated olives shortly after making them, be sure to mince the garlic and zest the citrus for stronger flavor. The flavor from sliced garlic and citrus peels takes longer to develop in the marinade.
- Use pitted olives, especially if serving the marinated olives as part of a party spread.
What to Serve with Marinated Olives
Here are a few easy ways to enjoy your homemade marinated olives.
- For an easy party appetizer, serve in a small bowl with party picks to the side.
- Serve as a part of an antipasto spread or on a grazing board.
- Add some sliced artisan bread, bowl of marinated olives and these easy marinated mozzarella balls to a board or tray, for a simple self-serve appetizer. The olive oil marinade drizzled on the bread is amazing!
- Marinated kalamata olives are a delicious addition to salads, like my mason jar Greek salad recipe or these Greek salad skewers.
- You can’t go wrong with a few garlicy olives tossed on top of your pasta. I love these marinated olives with my 15-minute cherry tomato pasta recipe.
More Quick & Easy Appetizer Recipes
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10-Minute Marinated Olives
Skip store-bought marinated olives and make them yourself! This easy marinated olives recipe only takes 10 minutes to prepare and tastes amazing. The marinade is loaded with lots of fresh flavors and the olives are a fantastic addition to party spreads, salads and meals.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whole olives, pitted and drained
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and freshly minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Drain the olives if packed in brine. If desired, rinse the olives to remove any brine flavor. Place drained olives in a shallow bowl, so the marinade can evenly cover the olives. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, chopped herbs, red pepper flakes, freshly minced garlic, and lemon zest. Whisk until well combined.
- Pour marinade over olives. Gently stir to coat all the olives. Marinate for at least an hour before serving.
Notes
- If all the olives aren't completely submerged in the marinade, gently stir the olives every so often while marinating them.
- You can marinate the olives at room temperature if you plan on serving them soon. Otherwise, place in the fridge. If the oil solidifies (after many hours), remove from the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour before serving.
- If you plan on serving the marinated olives shortly after making them, be sure to mince the garlic and zest the citrus for stronger flavor. The flavor from sliced garlic and citrus peels takes longer to develop in the marinade.
- Use pitted olives, especially if serving the marinated olives as part of a party spread.
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