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Lemon-Herb Marinated Olives

Warm mixed olives take on lemon, garlic, rosemary, and thyme in a make-ahead oil that suits a snack board or a broad range of meals.
Green and black olives glisten in lemon-herb oil beside slices of crusty vegan bread.

These olives are gently warmed in olive oil until the lemon and herbs perfume it, then left to marinate before serving. Their savory, bright flavor works alongside a wide range of meals, and crusty vegan bread makes the infused oil part of the appetizer.

Warm the oil gently

Low heat releases aroma from the lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, and garlic without frying them. Keep the oil barely shimmering; sizzling can brown the garlic and leave the herbs harsh instead of fragrant.

Let the olives absorb the aromatics

Once the olives are glossy, lemon juice and parsley bring a fresh edge to the warm, savory oil. Chilling for at least 60 minutes gives the flavors time to settle, and the dish can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead.

Olives are gently stirred with lemon zest, garlic, and herb sprigs in shimmering oil.
The lemon and herb sprigs warm quietly in olive oil before the olives are stirred in.

Serve at room temperature

A short rest out of the refrigerator loosens the chilled oil and makes it easy to spoon over each olive. Serve with sliced vegan baguette so guests can catch the lemon-herb oil, or place the dish beside a larger spread of varied foods.

Plan ahead and store leftovers

Keep the covered olives refrigerated until shortly before serving because the infused oil contains fresh garlic and herbs. Return leftovers to the refrigerator within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the room is above 90 F, and use them within 4 days.

A close view shows glossy olives, lemon zest, rosemary, and thyme in golden oil.
Glossy green and black olives sit in golden oil with lemon zest and fresh herbs.

Lemon-Herb Marinated Olives

8 appetizer servings
100 minutes total

Ingredients

  • •  2 lb mixed pitted green and black olives, drained
  • •  1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • •  2 medium lemons, zest removed in wide strips; reserve 1 tbsp juice
  • •  4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
  • •  2 rosemary sprigs
  • •  6 fresh thyme sprigs
  • •  1/4 tsp red-pepper flakes
  • •  1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns, lightly crushed
  • •  1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • •  1 large vegan crusty baguette, sliced

Method

  1. Prepare the olives and lemon

    Drain the pitted green and black olives and pat them dry so the warm oil clings evenly. Remove wide strips of zest from the lemons, then squeeze and measure 1 tbsp juice for finishing.

    Look for: The olives are drained with no brine pooling beneath them, and the lemon strips have little white pith.

  2. Combine the aromatics

    In a small saucepan, combine the olive oil, lemon zest strips, smashed garlic cloves, rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, red-pepper flakes, and crushed black peppercorns.

    Look for: The lemon peel and herb sprigs are fully coated in oil and the garlic is intact enough to lift out later.

  3. Warm without frying

    Set the saucepan over low heat and warm the oil for 3 minutes, swirling occasionally, until it smells fragrant and just begins to shimmer; keep the garlic and herbs from sizzling or browning.

    Look for: The oil is aromatic and lightly shimmering, with no vigorous bubbles, browned garlic, or crisp herbs.

  4. Coat the olives

    Stir the drained olives into the warm oil and turn them gently for 2 minutes, just until warmed through and glossy without letting the oil fry them.

    Look for: The olives are glossy and gently warm while the oil remains quiet rather than bubbling.

  5. Finish and transfer

    Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the reserved lemon juice and chopped parsley. Transfer the olives and oil with the aromatics to a shallow glass or ceramic dish so the mixture cools evenly.

    Look for: The parsley is vivid, the lemon smells fresh, and the olives sit in a shallow layer of infused oil.

  6. Cool and marinate

    Let the dish cool until it no longer feels warm, then cover and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes so the flavors can settle; for a make-ahead batch, chill up to 24 hours.

    Look for: The olives are cool before they are covered, and the oil and aromatics have had time to infuse the fruit.

  7. Take off the chill

    Set the covered dish at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving, then uncover and taste an olive; the oil should loosen and the lemon, garlic, and herbs should taste balanced.

    Look for: The oil is fluid again and the olives are cool-room-temperature, not warm.

  8. Serve and store safely

    Serve the olives at room temperature with the sliced vegan baguette for catching the oil. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is above 90 F, and use them within 4 days.

    Look for: The bread is ready beside the dish, and any remaining olives are covered and returned promptly to the refrigerator.