Marinated Olives with Lemon, Garlic and Greek Oregano

Marinated olives are one of the easiest ways to dress up a jar of olives for guests. Drained olives are tossed with olive oil, citrus, herbs and garlic and left to soak up the flavours for a few hours. This Greek-style version uses lemon, oregano and bay, and works with Kalamatas, green olives or a mix. It takes 10 minutes, plus marinating time.

Marinated olives recipe (Greek style, with lemon and oregano)

Serves: about 2 cups. Prep: 10 minutes. Cook: none. Total: at least 4 hours, including marinating.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (about 10 oz / 300 g drained) mixed olives, such as Kalamata olives and green olives
• 1 lemon: 3 strips of zest and 2 tbsp juice
• 1 tsp dried Greek oregano
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
• 1 tsp coriander or fennel seeds, lightly crushed (optional)
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil, such as our Rapti Koroneiki olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Method

1. Drain the olives well and pat them dry. If they are very salty, rinse them and dry them again. Make a small slit in each olive with a knife so the marinade can get in, or lightly crack them with the flat of a knife.
2. Wash the lemon (rinse it under running water and rub it). Pare off 3 strips of zest with a vegetable peeler and squeeze the juice.
3. In a bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, herbs, spices and garlic.
4. Add the olives and lemon zest and toss well.
5. Transfer to a clean jar or container, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, turning or shaking now and then.
6. Take the olives out 30 minutes before serving so the oil liquefies. Use within 4 days.

Which olives to use

Start with olives you already like, because the marinade adds flavour but doesn’t change the olive. A mix of colours and textures looks good in the bowl:

• Kalamata olives: fruity and firm, and often already slit, so they take on a marinade well.
• Green olives: crisp and sharp; cracked green olives absorb flavour fastest.
• Wrinkled dry-cured olives: intense and salty; use a few for contrast.

Whole olives with stones keep their texture better than pitted ones, but warn guests and put out a small dish for the stones. Our green vs black olives guide explains how the types differ.

How long to marinate

A few hours in the fridge is enough for the flavours to come through; overnight is better. Slitting or cracking each olive helps the marinade get inside. Because the olives are already cured and salty, the marinade is mainly about aroma: citrus zest, herbs, garlic and a little heat.

Storing marinated olives safely

This is the one rule to take seriously. Garlic, fresh herbs and other low-acid vegetables kept in oil create an oxygen-free environment in which Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that causes botulism, can grow. Oregon State University Extension advises that homemade mixtures of garlic or herbs in oil must be refrigerated and used within 4 days, or frozen. So:

• Keep marinated olives in the fridge, in a clean, covered container.
• Use them within 4 days, and label the container with the date.
• Don’t leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
• If you want olives that keep longer, leave the garlic out and add it just before serving.

Olive oil turns cloudy and thick in the fridge. That is normal: let the olives stand at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving.

Flavour variations

• Orange and fennel: swap the lemon for orange zest and use fennel seeds.
• Herby Greek: add fresh thyme and a little Greek seasoning.
• Feta and olive bowl: toss in cubes of feta just before serving.
• Warm olives: warm the olives gently in their oil for a few minutes before serving.

How to serve them

Serve marinated olives with bread to mop up the oil, alongside tirokafteri, melitzanosalata and other dips on a Greek mezze table. Leftover olive oil from the bowl makes a good salad dressing within the same 4-day window. For an olive spread instead, try our Kalamata olive tapenade.

Browse our Kalamata olive collection and more Greek pantry recipes.

Sources

• Oregon State University Extension: Herbs and vegetables in oil
• US FDA: 7 tips for cleaning fruits, vegetables

Marinated olives: frequently asked questions