Marinated Olives

16
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

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 olives in bowl with fresh herb and lemon garnishes

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!

Marinated Olives Collage

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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!
Marinated Olives olives in bowl with fresh herb and lemon garnishes

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I add pimentos to Marinated Olives?

Yes, dice up jarred pimentos to add to your marinade. This works especially well if you are using a mix of green olives.

What other vegetables can be added to Marinated 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.

What other spices can be used in this recipe?

Play around with different fresh herbs and spices like fennel seeds, bay leaves, peppercorns, or oregano.

How do I make Spicy Marinated Olives?

Use chili infused oil, or add red pepper flakes, hot peppers, or fresh jalapeños to make Spicy Marinated Olives.

What cheeses work well for 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.

How do I stuff 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

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.
Marinated Olives olives in bowl with fresh herb and lemon garnishes and spoon

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Marinated Olives

Marinated Olives are an easy, elegant appetizer. Fresh herbs and garlic cloves infuse an olive oil marinade for kalamata and green olives.
Yield 16
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Author Sabrina Snyder

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

Calories: 81kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 525mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 153IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
Marinated Olives Collage

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

    1. 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.

    1. At my local grocer it’s just an indication of the size of black olives. Any black olives would work for those.