Olive Marinate
Sun-kissed Mediterranean olives dressed with fragrant herbs, citrus zest, and local olive oil. From buttery Castelvetrano to fruity Taggiasca, these marinated jewels are essential to any aperitivo spread.
- 2 cupsMixed Italian olives(Castelvetrano, Taggiasca, Gaeta)
- 1/2 cupExtra-virgin olive oil
- 2 stripsOrange zest
- 2 stripsLemon zest
- 2Garlic cloves(lightly crushed)
- 2 sprigsFresh rosemary
- 4 sprigsFresh thyme
- 1/4 tspRed pepper flakes
- 1/2 tspFennel seeds
Improves over 2-3 days. Keeps refrigerated up to 2 weeks.
- 1Gently warm olive oil with garlic, citrus zest, and spices over low heat for 5 minutes
- 2Remove from heat, add herbs, let cool to room temperature
- 3Combine olives in jar or bowl, pour infused oil over
- 4Marinate at room temperature at least 2 hours, or refrigerate overnight
- 5Bring to room temperature before serving
Use a mix of olive varieties for visual appeal and flavor complexity. Warm olives slightly before serving.
The marinated olive tradition is one of the Mediterranean's oldest culinary customs, rooted in a region where olive cultivation dates back more than six thousand years. Two varieties anchor this recipe: the Castelvetrano, also known as the Nocellara del Belice, a dual-purpose olive grown in the Valle del Belice of southwestern Sicily, prized for its buttery, mild flavor and meaty texture. It earned Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certification from the European Union in 1998. The Taggiasca olive from Liguria in northwestern Italy has an equally storied lineage — Benedictine monks from the island of Lerins on the French Côte d'Azur introduced the cultivar near the town of Taggia around the end of the 7th century, building the iconic dry-stone terraces that still define the Ligurian hillsides. Its DOP recognition came in 1997. Marinating olives in herbs, citrus, and good olive oil is a centuries-old practice found from Andalusia to the Levant, transforming already-flavorful fruit into a more complex, aromatic aperitivo staple. Together these two varieties represent the poles of Italian olive culture: the bold sunshine of Sicily and the delicate sea-kissed character of the Italian Riviera.