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Italian

Italian Marinated Olives

Mixed olives with fennel, orange, and rosemary in herbed olive oil

snackEasyItalian
Prep5 minCook5 minTotal10 minServes12Temproom_temp
✓ vegan✓ vegetarian✓ gluten-free✓ dairy-free✓ paleo✓ keto
Recipe
Ingredients
  • 2 cupsmixed Italian olives(Castelvetrano, Cerignola, Gaeta)
  • 0.5 cupextra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 stripsorange zest
  • 2 clovesgarlic(smashed)
  • 1 sprigfresh rosemary
  • 0.5 tspfennel seeds(lightly crushed)
  • 0.25 tspred pepper flakes
Make Ahead

Keep refrigerated in oil up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before serving. Flavor improves after a day or two.

Instructions
  1. 1Drain olives and pat dry
  2. 2In small saucepan, combine olive oil, orange zest, garlic, rosemary, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes
  3. 3Warm gently over low heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes
  4. 4Pour warm oil over olives in bowl or jar
  5. 5Let marinate at room temperature at least 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight
  6. 6Serve at room temperature with crusty bread
Notes
Pro Tips

Mix olive varieties for visual appeal and flavor complexity. Castelvetrano (bright green, buttery) and Cerignola (mild, meaty) are excellent choices. The oil becomes flavored and is excellent for dipping bread. Fennel is distinctly Italian - it appears throughout the cuisine.

History & Origin

Italy produces over 50 varieties of olives, each region proud of its local cultivars. Marinating olives in olive oil with aromatics is an ancient preservation technique that also builds complex flavors. Every Italian grandmother has her signature blend.

Cocktail Pairings
Pairs Well With
proseccowineaperolnegronivermouth
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Italian◆Easy