Marinated Olives are an easy, elegant appetizer. Fresh herbs and garlic cloves infuse an olive oil marinade for kalamata and green olives.
Simple yet delicious appetizers, like Shrimp Cocktail, that you can prepare ahead of time make party planning a breeze (and way less stressful). We are experts at Appetizer Recipes that you can make in less than 20 minutes!
MARINATED OLIVES
No holiday spread would be complete without a bowl or two of Marinated Olives and pickled vegetables. They add a certain elegance while also giving guests something to snack on that won’t fill them up before dinner.
It’s pretty normal to only buy Marinated Olives on special occasions since that grocery store olive bar gets pretty pricey. But this homemade version is not only much more affordable, you can make them a week or two in advance. They get even better over time!
These Marinated Olives taste even better than the store bought olives, whether from a jar or the olive bar. They do take a little prep time because you need to let them marinate for at least 2 hours but preferably 1-2 days to really get the flavor infused. It’s so worth the wait though!
This easy appetizer will dress up any event, from casual game or wine nights to Christmas or New Years parties. You can use this marinade on other vegetables like artichoke hearts or roasted red peppers. Serve your Marinated Olives alongside appetizers like Hummus, cured meats, and a cheese plate.
When you are pouring your Marinated Olives into a serving bowl, save some of the olive oil that’s been infused. It makes a great dip for French Bread or mix it with a bit of vinegar to dress an Italian Pasta Salad!
The more you make these Marinated Olives, the more you will want to experiment with the flavors. Why not try stuffing them with cheese or pickled garlic clove for a fancy appetizer? It’s a little time consuming, but there are some tips below if you are feeling adventurous!
MORE HOLIDAY APPETIZER RECIPES
Ultimate Spinach Artichoke Dip
Sausage Balls
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Cheese Ball
TIPS FOR MAKING MARINATED OLIVES
- Use quality olive oil in your marinade. The best and most flavorful olive oil to use is a cold pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- It’s totally normal for olive oil to harden when refrigerated! Just set your jar on the counter to bring it to room temperature and soften the marinade.
- If you are using olives that have a pit (seed) in them, make sure to provide a small bowls for guests to discard their seeds easily.
- Marinated Olives make great gifts! Divide into small jars and let sit for at least a day in the fridge before giving away. Be sure to let them know to store in the refrigerator!
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes, dice up jarred pimentos to add to your marinade. This works especially well if you are using a mix of green olives.
You can add a variety of jarred or pickled vegetables like roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, or mushrooms. Also try adding Pickled Turnips for a bright, Middle Eastern flavor.
Play around with different fresh herbs and spices like fennel seeds, bay leaves, peppercorns, or oregano.
Use chili infused oil, or add red pepper flakes, hot peppers, or fresh jalapeños to make Spicy Marinated Olives.
Softer cheeses like feta, blue cheese, or goat cheese taste delicious both in the marinade or stuffed inside the olives. You can also add cubes of harder cheese or fresh mozzarella balls to Marinated Olives.
Stuff olives before marinating. To stuff olives with cheese, cream the cheese with a bit of heavy whipping cream in a stand mixer. You can also use goat’s milk if using goat’s cheese or feta. Place creamed cheese into a piping bag (like for frosting) and pipe into olives. For pimentos, roasted red peppers, or garlic, pat down to remove any slippery oil or brine. Cut into pieces slightly smaller than olive and stuff.
EVEN MORE HOLIDAY APPETIZER RECIPES
Cocktail Meatballs Recipe
Buffalo Wings
Cheesy Beef Rotel Dip
Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Smokies
HOW TO STORE MARINATED OLIVES
- Serve: Olives will need to be refrigerated after 2 hours at room temperature.
- Store: Keep your Marinated Olives in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Leave them on the counter for 20 minutes to come to room temperature.
- Freeze: Marinated Olives should not be frozen, they will not keep their texture when they have thawed.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pimiento stuffed olives
- 1 cup kalamata olives , pitted
- 1 cup medium olives , pitted
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 lemon , juiced and zested
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme , minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary , minced
- 3 cloves garlic , sliced thinly
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a large container that is sealable, stir well to combine.
- Refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving in a tightly sealed container.
Nutrition
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Can I substitute dried herbs for the Fresh herbs in this recipe? Thank you
I haven’t tested the recipe with dried herbs. If you do, please let us know how it turns out.
Once made, how long with they last in the fridge??
Store: Keep your Marinated Olives in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Leave them on the counter for 20 minutes to come to room temperature.
I want to make the marinated olives but I don’t know what medium olives are. Please tell me. Thank you!
At my local grocer it’s just an indication of the size of black olives. Any black olives would work for those.