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Marinated olives are perfect for the holidays! Elevate your olives in a zesty marinade with warm spice notes, a hint of sweet orange, and fresh herbs. Enjoy them as a snack, condiment, or party food. They make a great holiday gift, too!
I’ve always liked olives, but I fell in love when my husband and I traveled first to Spain. Olives in marinade are a common tapas dish. I’ve tried buying them in the US, but the flavor just isn’t there. I created this recipe to enjoy a taste of Spain at home.
Table of Contents
What are the best olives to use?
- Type of olives: Use your favorites! I use a mix for different colors, flavors, and textures. Black and green olives (like Castelvetrano olives) are my go-to. Kalamata olives would work, too.
- Brined or fresh (not marinated): You can use fresh or jarred olives in brine. Just make sure they’re not stuffed or marinated.
- Pitted vs whole olives: Both are great! I prefer unpitted olives because they have more flavor and firmness—plus that’s what they use in Spain. Pitted are convenient and easy to eat.
Ingredients
This olive recipe uses few, simple ingredients for a perfect balance of acidity, sweetness, and warming spice. Fresh herbs, citrus, and dry-roasted spices bring bold Spanish flavors to these seasoned olives.
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- Seeds: Fennel seeds and cumin seeds are dry-roasted for maximum flavor.
- Substitution: If you don’t have seeds, use powder and cut the roasting time in half.
- Olives: I use a mix of whole green and black olives, but you can use what you like.
- Citrus: A mix of grated blood orange rind and lemon rind brings citrusy notes.
- Shallot
- Ground cinnamon: A warming spice to bring depth of flavor
- White wine vinegar: Acidity balances the sweet, salty flavors of the marinade.
- Substitution: Champagne vinegar
- Spanish extra virgin olive oil
- Blood orange juice: For sweetness. I use store-bought to keep things easy.
- Substitution: You can use regular orange juice and rind if you can’t find blood orange.
- Fresh herbs: Chopped mint and parsley for fresh herbal notes.
How to make marinated olives
Marinating olives couldn’t be simpler. I like to dry-roast my spices for maximum flavor, but this recipe requires no other cooking. Simply combine, marinate, and enjoy at room temperature.
- Dry-roast the spices: Add fennel seeds and cumin seeds to a small, heavy-bottom skillet. Roast over low heat, shaking the pan frequently to bring out the aroma. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Combine olives and seasonings: Drain the olives and add them to a shallow mixing bowl with orange peel, lemon peel, shallot, cinnamon, and roasted seeds.
- Add wet ingredients and herbs: In a measuring cup, whisk the vinegar, olive oil, orange juice, mint, and parsley together and pour over the olive mixture.
- Mix and marinate: Toss well, cover, and marinate in the fridge for 1-2 days before serving at room temp.
Tip
Use a shallow dish for even flavor
Use a shallow dish so the olives soak up all the flavors evenly. In larger containers, spices and herbs can sink to the bottom of the olive marinade and the flavor won’t distribute as well.
Good to know
How long to marinate olives?
While you could enjoy these olives right away, letting them marinate for 1-2 days will allow the flavors to combine and deepen. The longer they marinate, the better they’ll taste!
How long do marinated olives keep?
Once marinated, olives will keep fresh in the fridge for up to two weeks. Make sure they’re fully submerged in the marinade and stored in a sealed jar or container. This helps keep the flavors even and stops them from drying out.
Over time, the marinade actually makes the olives taste even better as the flavors soak in more. If you notice the olive oil solidifies in the fridge, no worries! Just let the olives sit out at room temperature for a bit, and the oil will melt back to a smooth texture.
How to serve olives
Seasoned olives are versatile and add a delicious pop of flavor to so many dishes. Toss them into pasta, pizza, salads, or sandwiches for a savory upgrade, or serve them on their own with toothpicks as an easy appetizer. They’re perfect for holiday spreads or casual gatherings!
- Recipes with olives: Use them in my charcuterie skewers or this Chicken with olives and squash stir fry. They’re great on cheese boards, too!
- Party foods: Serve with my Paleo sandwich bread to sop up extra marinade. Pair with an olive oil bundt cake or ginger spiced mixed nuts for a seasonal twist.
- Drinks: Pair these olives with a sake grapefruit cocktail or strawberry lemonade vodka for something festive. For a non-alcoholic option, try the refreshing watermelon peach mocktail—it’s a hit with everyone!
ChihYu’s helpful notes
- Olive Choice & Preparation: Whole olives have more flavor, but pitted olives work well for convenience. Use fresh or brined olives (not pre-marinated) and drain them before adding to your marinade.
- Marinate Evenly: Use a shallow dish so the olives soak up all the flavors evenly. In larger containers, spices and herbs can sink to the bottom, so the flavor won’t distribute as well.
- Storage & Shelf Life: Once marinated, store your olives in a clean, airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks to keep flavors fresh.
- Oil Consistency: If the olive oil solidifies in the fridge, let the olives sit at room temperature before serving; the oil will liquefy naturally.
- Flavor & Safety: Ensure olives are fully submerged in the marinade to prevent mold and keep flavors even. Use a clean utensil to scoop olives to avoid bacteria.
Marinated olives recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 ¼ cup whole green olives 8 oz., either fresh or brined
- 1 ¼ cup whole black olives 8 oz., either fresh or brined
- 1 tbsp blood orange rind
- 1 tbsp lemon rind
- 1.7 oz shallot finely chopped, 1 medium
- Pinch ground cinnamon
- 4 tbsp white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
- 5 tbsp Spanish extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp blood orange juice store-bought
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Dry roast seeds: In a small, heavy-bottom skillet, dry roast the fennel seeds and cumin seeds over low heat, shaking the skillet frequently until they begin to pop and you can smell the aroma, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and let cool.
- Combine olives: In a large shallow mixing bowl, add the green and black olives, orange and lemon rind, shallot, cinnamon, and roasted seeds.
- Olive marinade: In a measuring cup, whisk the vinegar, olive oil, orange juice, mint, and parsley together and pour over the olives.
- Toss and marinate: Toss well then cover and let chill for 1-2 days before serving.
Notes
- Olive choice: Whole olives pack more flavor, but pitted olives work well too for convenience.
- Use fresh or brined olives (not pre-marinated) and drain them before adding to your marinade.
- Substitutes:
- If fennel or cumin seeds aren’t available, use ¼ tsp each of ground fennel and cumin powder. Lightly dry roast them for about 2 minutes.
- No blood orange? Substitute with orange rind and a splash of store-bought orange juice for a more concentrated citrus flavor.
- How long do marinated olives keep? Marinated olives stay fresh for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. Keep them fully submerged in the marinade to lock in flavor and prevent drying. If the olive oil solidifies, let them sit at room temp before serving to melt it back.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
