Classic Marinated Olives

Pickled olives make a stunning appetizer or side dish! Flavored with garlic and lemon, they make a great appetizer for cheeseboards or parties.

Here’s our favorite party hack that makes a delicious and versatile appetizer in just 5 minutes. That is Marinated Olives! This dish will turn anyone into an olive lover. Using the right olives results in a smooth, rich flavor here: not brackish or overly salty. Garlic, lemon and herbs form a taste symphony! Every time we make them and put them on the table, people go crazy over them! They are also perfect for an aperitif dinner at home: bread, cheese, marinated olives and wine. Here are some tips for making the tastiest homemade pickled olives you can find (in our humble opinion).

The secret: use olives packed in water!

Here’s our secret to these marinated olives. Use ripe olives packed in water. They have a rich, buttery flavor, nothing like an olive martini. These olives are not packed in brine, but simply in salt water. This results in a clean, simple taste: not too spicy, brackish, or salty. What kind of olives are we talking about exactly?

• Use medium to large pitted ripe olives. Here’s a list of olives to buy for pickled olives: We like the Lindsay brand you see listed. Check the packaging to see if it says “packed in water” or if the ingredients say so. Castelvetrano olives are another great option.
• Use a mix of green and black. This creates an excellent color contrast.
• Avoid stuffed or flavored olives. You don’t want any competing flavors here.

Flavors of marinades

You can use many different flavors to make pickled olives. Here’s what we used and a few other options you can trade instead:

• Lemon: Use lemon zest and juice. Variation: Use orange instead.
• Garlic: Slice garlic for great flavors (no chopping needed!). Don’t miss out.
• Olive oil: The olive oil completes the taste perfectly.
• Fresh herbs: Rosemary and tarragon are our favorites. Variation: Use thyme or oregano.

How to Make Pickled Olives: Basic Steps

Would you like to prepare pickled olives? Getting started is quick: it only takes about 5 minutes. The longest element is the marinade. Definitely set aside 2 to 4 hours for the marinating process. Here’s what you need to know:

• Place all ingredients in a large jar or container. We like to use a large mason jar. Cover the top and shake to coat well.
• Leave at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours. The wait locks in the flavors.

Refrigerate for several weeks

Once your marinated olives are ready, you can store them for a few weeks. Leave them in the jar and cool them down. But here’s a tip: olive oil will solidify once it’s cooled. Be sure to bring the olives to room temperature before serving.

Ways to serve pickled olives

Now for the fun part: how to serve them! These pickled olives are very versatile. They’re an easy side dish for a Mediterranean meal (like Italian or Spanish) or perfect for a gluten-free appetizer spread. How we like to serve them:

More olive recipes

There are so many types of olives and ways to incorporate them into recipes! Here are some of our favorite olive recipes:

• Kalamata Olive Spread Want to up your sandwich game? This Kalamata olive spread (also called tapenade) is used in Italian cuisine to flavor crostini and sandwiches.
• Puttanesca Pasta This classic Italian pasta recipe uses garlic, capers and olives in the sauce to give it a savory kick.

This marinated olives recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

More vegan appetizers

These pickled olives make a fantastic herb appetizer. Here are some other vegan appetizer recipes that we love: