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A bowl of citrus marinated olives with a cocktail fork.

Easy and Addictive Warm Citrus Marinated Olives

These easy and addictive Warm Citrus Marinated Olives are a delicious appetizer or snack made with just a few simple ingredients in less than 20 minutes. Plump, juicy olives steeped in herb-infused olive oil made flavorful with lots of tangy citrus, red chili flakes, and garlic. Perfect for serving at parties and gatherings or as a simple mid-day treat. 
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: antipasto, appetizer, garlic, lemon, orange, rosemary, thyme
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2 cups
Calories: 711kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 lemon
  • 1 small orange or clementine
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic smashed and peeled
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1 small dried red chili pepper
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups assorted green and black olives
  • ¼ cup olive brine

Instructions

  • Use a vegetable peeler to remove big pieces of zest from the lemon and orange, being careful to avoid as much of the white pith as you can. 
  • Roughly chop the thyme, rosemary and bay leaves so they're in large pieces. 
  • Add the citrus peels, herbs, garlic, chili flakes and olive oil to a medium saucepan, then place it on the stove over medium low heat. 
  • Bring up to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, then turn off the heat. 
  • Add the olives and toss with the hot oil. Add the olive brine and juice from the lemon and orange, then mix to combine
  • Transfer to a bowl, then cover and let marinate for at least an hour and up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving

Video

Notes

  • Swap out the orange and lemon for two Meyer lemons instead if you can find them. They have incredible flavor!
  • You can use either thyme or rosemary or both. If only dry herbs are available, use ¼ teaspoon of each.
  • I prefer mostly green olives for this mix, but any variety will work. My favorites are are cerignola, castelvetrano and lucque - just use high quality olives, with the pit if possible.

Nutrition

Calories: 711kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 75g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 55g | Sodium: 2109mg | Potassium: 213mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 573IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 2mg