Description
This Marinated Olives recipe features a flavorful blend of mixed olives simmered in fragrant olive oil infused with garlic, fennel seeds, oregano, chili, and fresh lemon zest and juice. It’s a quick and easy appetizer or snack that highlights Mediterranean flavors and is perfect served warm with crusty bread to soak up the aromatic oil.
Ingredients
Scale
Olives and Marinade
- 1½ cups mixed olives
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced or smashed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (or to taste)
- 1 small fresh red chili pepper (or ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste), chopped
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat the Olive Oil: Pour the extra virgin olive oil into a small frying pan and place it over medium heat.
- Add Aromatics: Add sliced or smashed garlic cloves, fennel seeds, dried oregano, chopped red chili pepper, and lemon zest to the pan. Stir well to combine and cook gently.
- Infuse the Oil: Cook the mixture for about 1 minute until aromatic, taking care not to let the garlic brown. Reduce heat if the oil is heating too rapidly.
- Cook the Olives: Add the mixed olives to the pan, stirring continuously to coat them evenly in the fragrant oil. Cook for 3 minutes until the olives are heated through completely.
- Finish with Lemon Juice: Pour in the lemon juice and let the mixture simmer for 30 seconds to blend the flavors.
- Serve Warm: Transfer the marinated olives to a serving dish and serve warm to enjoy the best flavor. These olives can also be served at room temperature, or gently reheated in a microwave or on the stove.
- Enjoy: Pair with crusty bread for mopping up the delicious, aromatic oil.
Notes
- Use a variety of mixed olives such as Kalamata, Castelvetrano, and green olives for depth of flavor.
- You can adjust the amount of chili pepper or red pepper flakes according to your spice preference.
- Serving the olives warm brings out the best flavor and aroma, but they can also be enjoyed at room temperature.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and gently reheat before serving.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: Marinated olives, Mediterranean appetizer, garlic olives, lemon olives, fennel seeds olives, easy olive recipe
