These Italian Marinated Olives are the easiest appetizer ever! Garlic, rosemary, orange and hot chili peppers turn olive oil into a spicy sweet marinade for olives! These are perfect for snacking and they are always a hit at parties!
Marinated Olives
Raise your hand if you love olives? My hand is most decidedly raised. I have loved olives ever since I was a little girl. Even back when you could only get about 3 different kinds of olives at the grocery store.
As a confirmed olive lover, the variety of olives now available at the store is a dream come true. Standing in front of the olive bar at Whole Foods, I am like a kid in a candy store.
While I am fine with olives just as they are, with a few minutes and a few ingredients, you can make them even more amazing, into a party worthy appetizer. If you haven't tried marinated olives, you are in for a real treat!
Ingredients to Make Italian Marinated Olives
With just a handful of ingredients you can make the most amazing olives.
- Olive oil - extra virgin olive oil. I use a medium priced brand, since I will be infusing it with other flavors, it doesn't have to be super premium. I save the really good stuff for vinaigrettes.
- Hot Peppers - I used two dried chili peppers from my garden. These were dried cayenne peppers. If you don't have dried chili peppers, substitute about ¼ to ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- Rosemary - two sprigs of fresh or substitute 1 teaspoon of dried.
- Garlic - two cloves or more if you like it garlicky.
- Orange - since you'll be using whole slices, try to find organic oranges. If you can't find organic, scrub them really well.
- Olives - for this recipe I like to use a mix that I get from the olive bar. You can use a mix or all of one kind of you'd like.
Steps for Making this Easy Appetizer!
You can have this easy appetizer ready in about 15 minutes! It gets even better as it sits, so make it early in the day and let the flavors blend.
Begin by peeling and slightly crushing two garlic cloves. I do this by laying them on my cutting board and giving them a whack with the flat side of my knife. This crushes them and helps the peel come right off.
Cut two slices off of the orange, save the rest of the orange and make Honey Orange Roasted Carrots!
In a small saucepan, add the olive oil, garlic cloves, red peppers and orange slices. Heat slowly to a simmer over medium low heat, about 5 to 10 minutes.
You can marinate the olives in a glass jar or a bowl, I used a mason jar. Place your olives into a bowl or jar and pour over the warm olive oil.
Let cool to room temperature.
You can start eating them as soon as they cool. If you plan on eating them later, store them in the fridge.
These rosemary and orange olives are so good! I took them to a party and didn't even get to eat any of them, they were gone that quickly. Luckily for me, they are so easy to make, I whipped up another batch the next day!
These go really fast at my house, but I have stored them for up to a couple of weeks in the fridge. You'll have some leftover oil, which I'm sure I don't have to tell you is amazing.
Use the extra olive oil in salad dressings or as dipping sauce for bread. So good!
I originally made this recipe back in 2008 for Tyler Florence Fridays! The recipe that he has posted on the web is similar, but it includes smoked paprika. That sounds interesting, but I think I prefer the clean flavors from this simpler version.
Looking for more appetizer or olive recipes?!
More delicious appetizer recipes: Sweet and Tangy Roasted Mini Peppers, Spicy Pita Chips and Easy Caponata.
More recipes using olives: Braised Chicken with Olives, Roasted Chicken with Olives and Tangerines, and Harissa Chicken with Olives.
If you make this I would love it if you would follow me and tag me on Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook
Rosemary and Orange Marinated Olives
Ingredients
- 1 pound olives mixed
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 slices orange
- 2 red chili peppers
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, over medium low heat, combine the olive oil, garlic, orange slices, hot peppers, and rosemary sprigs.
- Heat to a gentle simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Place olives in a jar or bowl and pour over the warm olive oil.
- Let cool to room temperature.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2008 and has been updated for 2020.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE olives! I have got to try this!
I did not understand part of the recipe : "pour over the warm vinegar". Did not see any reference to the amount of vinegar in the list of ingredients. Would you please clarify?
Oh my gosh, it's supposed to say warm olive oil! Thank you so much for catching that!
Made these for my husband and he is already requesting me to make them again - so so good! Thank you!!
I love how this adds such great flavors to the olives. We really enjoyed it.
Wow! What a great way to spice up any party! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe!
Olives are one of my favorite foods to snack on. And this flavor combination sounds heavenly. I'll definitely have to give this recipe a try.
This is a nice way to add flavors to olives. And it looks great as gift too. 🙂
This sounds like a nice way to enjoy olives.
Cali - I don't think so. I just used some small red ones, because that is what I had.
Is there a particular type of "hot chilies" to use?
This sounds wonderful.
Great idea for a gift. I wouldn't have thought to heat it up, sounds excellent.
I'm with you on New Year's Eve, this one is my holiday to stay home with bubbly too.
Happy New Year to you and your family Pam!
Oh, and your daughter's idea of Christmas Adam is adorable...
LL
Made a similar olive combo last year...love orange w/ rosemary.
Definitely going to try this one!
Are you enjoying a winter break now?
sounds absolutely fabulous! thank you!
hehehe I love the way you make food for certain days. I believe a few blog posts ago, you had a recipe that you were wondering when you could make it again. Me, I'd probably make these over and over and leave them in the fridge for a snack, probably better than grabbing that humongous bag-o-chips!!!
Bright blessings!!
Hi Pam,
The olives look and sound delicious--I love orange and rosemary!
The TFF post is now up. Thanks for participating this week!
Aloha,
Deb
those look gorgeous!! I love olives and that recipe sounds delicious...thanks for sharing!
You are absolutely right - we stay home on New Years as well. I don't feel the need to go out amongst the crazies!
Those olives look smashing, my husband would love love love them! Great idea!
This sounds awesome and easy!
Aha... For a change,I have all the ingredients on hand !
And who cares if I'm just staying home on New Years Eve and watching The Waltons by my lonesome?
I deserve these!!
Bless you, bless you, bless you!