Marinated Greek Olives

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Spanish Queen, Kalamata, and lightly salted black olives meet oregano, thyme, and truffle oil to make this mouthwatering appetizer, Marinated Greek Olives, just in time for the holidays. {Paleo + Vegan}

Marinated Greek Olives were and STILL CONTINUE TO BE one of my absolute favorite party/appetizer/finger food/holiday recipes. K-Hubs and I can’t get enough. Confession: the first time I photographed these, I had to transfer them to a smaller bowl because I ate too many during the photoshoot. What can I say? Mistakes were made? Hardly. These olives are too good to pass up, whether during a photoshoot or at a party. They are a top crowd pleaser in my family (immediate, extended, and otherwise). So it’s no wonder they disappear one olive at a time.

But here’s the kicker: Marinated Greek Olives take something like 5-10 minutes to make. This is the snack you throw together at the last minute. Or the appetizer you take to a friend’s house when you don’t want to return home with a bunch of your own leftovers. It makes just enough to share (and is easy to double or triple for larger crowds) and boasts all the flavor but without the super-long ingredient list one might expect. And while I’ve included them as part of a larger charcuterie spread, they are just as easy to enjoy by themselves.

Marinated Greek Olives are the let it be easy recipe of the holiday season. You don’t need a lot of energy or minutes to get this one done, Spiriteds. If you’ve got 10 minutes, then I’ve got a recipe for you!

So let’s marinate some olives, wow our guests, and all without whiling away the hours.  and nibble away!

Marinated Greek Olives are:

• Quick to prep. We’re talking maybe 5-10 minutes here. And kids can help, too!
• Easy to store. Do you have something with a lid that can also sit in the fridge until you’re ready to serve these delicious bites? If yes, then you’re in business.
• Paleo and vegan. Always check labels beforehand to make sure any added ingredients still meet your needs.  

Side note: This recipe couldn’t be simpler, and if you want to double or triple the batch, then go for it. This appetizer recipe is easy to adjust as needed. It also travels well, so if you want to take them to a party, then store them in airtight glass jars or a bowl with an airtight lid. The whole “airtight” thing is more so the oil doesn’t spill out of its container. 

Marinated Greek Olives ingredients

• White truffle oil or extra virgin olive oil. Each one has its own benefits, and much of it comes down to access, price, and personal preference for flavor.
• Olives. Large Spanish Queen, Kalamata, and lightly-salted/no-salt black olives. Yo can also use small green olives, if you’d like. You can also slice the larger green olives into smaller sizes, if desired.
• Lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. I don’t go overboard on these because a little goes a long way with each, and I don’t want the olives to be soggy. However, these two ingredients do the trick of enhancing the flavors and keeping the overall taste bright and piquant.
• Dried oregano and thyme. While fresh is always a good choice (and you can use fresh herbs here, if you’d like), I used dried for a few reasons. One, ease. I like to throw this recipe together in a matter of minutes, and dried herbs make that easier to do. Two, the dried herbs quickly absorb the liquids in the recipe and hold everything together. If you do want to use fresh herbs, then plan to mince them into tiny pieces and use more of each.
• Sea salt and coarse black pepper. These are to taste and will depend largely on whether the olives were already seasoned when packaged.

Tips to make your own seasoned Greek olives recipe

• Pay attention to the oil used. Truffle oil has a more pungent flavor than olive oil. If you’re big on flavor, then you might like white truffle oil. And if you want a milder flavor, then go for the olive oil.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve. When you first make Marinated Greek Olives, they’ll be soft and oily and maybe a little messy. Refrigerating them until you’re ready to serve them gives the oil and spices a chance to adhere to the olives.
• Stir before serving. If the oil goes from messy to congealed in the refrigerator then let Marinated Greek Olives sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving and give them a brisk stir to recombine the ingredients.

Pictured on the charcuterie board

Here are a few of my favorite additions to a savory charcuterie board. Brand names are not paid mentions.

• Tomatoes, cauliflower, and broccoli
• Almonds and pecans
• Salami (Applegate Uncured Genoa Salami)
• Arugula Bean Dip
• Pomegranate arils
• Gluten-free crackers: Good & Gather Multi-Grain Rice Crackers and Simple Mills Fine Ground Sea Salt Almond Flour Crackers

Side note: You can also add more flavor and texture with Spicy Roasted Cashews or Roasted Pumpkin Seeds. And if you feel you need another filling food, then consider Spicy Avocado Deviled Eggs. They are so ridiculously good.

Take your appetizer spreads to the next level!

All of these dips are not only delicious and tantalizing but also work well together as part of a charcuterie spread or snack table! 

• Olive Tapenade {Vegan + Paleo}
• Lemon Avocado Dip {Vegan and Paleo}
• Creamy Avocado Lime Spread
• Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Spiriteds, stay well and stay wild. Jump into the fun when you can, and always remember I’m glad you’re here. ❤️

Marinated Greek Olives

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Spanish Queen, Kalamata, and lightly salted black olives meet oregano, thyme, and truffle oil to make this mouthwatering appetizer, Marinated Greek Olives, just in time for the holidays. {Paleo + Vegan}

• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins
• Total Time: 10 mins
• Yield: Approximately 4 cups 1x
• Category: Appetizers and Snacks
• Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 6 ounces cups Kalamata olives (I use a generic brand from Aldi)
• 8 ounces all-natural, lightly salted black olives (I use Lindsay brand from Costco)
• 2 cups Spanish Queen green olives (I use Kirkland brand from Costco)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2–3 tablespoons white truffle or olive oil (more as desired)
• 1 tsp dried oregano leaves
• 1 tsp ground thyme
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• Pepper for garnishing

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Instructions

1. Drain olives and combine in large bowl.
2. In a separate dish, combine lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, white truffle oil (or olive oil), seasonings, and sea salt.
3. Pour seasoned oil mixture over the olives and stir until evenly coated. I found alternating between a large spoon and a fork helped me get an even coating on the olives.
4. Pour marinated olives into a large, wide mouth olive jar, and store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
5. For best results, let sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes and stir before serving as separation will occur. Store refrigerated and consume within one week.

Notes

• Pay attention to the oil used. Truffle oil has a more pungent flavor than olive oil. If you’re big on flavor, then you might like white truffle oil. And if you want a milder flavor, then go for the olive oil.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve. When you first make Marinated Greek Olives, they’ll be soft and oily and maybe a little messy. Refrigerating them until you’re ready to serve them gives the oil and spices a chance to adhere to the olives.
• Stir before serving. If the oil goes from messy to congealed in the refrigerator then let Marinated Greek Olives sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving and give them a brisk stir to recombine the ingredients.