Herbed Marinated Olives with Honey and Garlic

This Herbed Marinated Olives with Honey & Garlic is a sweet and savoury Mediterranean-inspired appetizer.  A mix of olives are marinated with olive oil, herbs, garlic, and a touch of honey.

Recently, I visited Malta with my family, and whenever we are there we like to host as much as we can. We enjoy meeting family and friends and spend some time with them by sharing food. It’s our love language. I always take advantage to test as much recipes as I can. I find it’s the best way to see if a recipe was enjoyed or not! This recipe was one of the most successful test recipes I made. These Herbed Marinated Olives with Honey and Garlic were a big hit!

This fragrant appetizer has the best marinade for olives, as it adds a sweetness touch to the salty tangy olives. I am obsessed with olives, and I could literally eat them with every meal. However, I sometimes find that some marinated olives can be a tad too sour. With this sweet honeyed marinade, it balances out the tanginess and leaves just the right amount, whilst adding a subtle sweet aftertaste. 

Ingredients for these Herbed Marinated Olives with Honey and Garlic

• Olives: they are the main ingredient so I suggest that you use the best quality ones. I opt for a mix of green and kalamata olives. 
• Coriander Seeds: a few crushed coriander seeds add another level of flavour and with its floral and nutty aroma it balances well with this savoury yet sweet appetizer.
• Garlic: for a stronger garlic flavour, bashing the fresh cloves of garlic is the way to go. The crushed pieces will also be a handy treat when you’re picking up the marinated olives. 
• Honey: the secret key ingredient for this marinade that’ll make the olives taste absolutely divine. It’s a game changer which changes the flavour profile and adds a touch of sweetness that’ll make your taste buds sing. Use the finest pure honey for this recipe,  so that the sweetness isn’t too overpowering. 
• Olive oil: only the best! It will be used for the marinade of these olives which will help add a deeper flavour to the olives.
• Herbs: a mix of fresh and dried herbs will add the freshness and depth. I like to use fresh parsley and dried oregano and mint as I always have them on hand.
• Lemon Juice: a citrusy and acidic touch is needed to make this marinade. You can substitute the lemon juice with lemon zest!
• Chili Flakes: a touch of spice makes everything better!
• Sesame Seeds: this is totally optional! I like adding just a touch as I like how they look in this dish with the coriander seeds.

How to make Herbed Marinated Olives with Honey & Garlic

Making these marinated olives is effortless. All you need to do is to simply toss all the ingredients together in a container or jar. Shake everything well together until the marinade covers all the olives. The tricky part is waiting until they marinate. I have found that it’s best to let them mingle untouched for at least a day. This way the flavours of the marinade can get to know each other better and the olives absorb some of the aromatic marinade. In my opinion they will taste better the longer they marinate, however I wouldn’t exceed 7 days, because the garlic can go rancid. 

FAQs

How to store?

Store in the fridge for up to 7 days in an airtight container with the marinade. Before serving take out 5 minutes before so that any solidified oil will melt. Add a drizzle of olive before serving. 

How to serve these olives?

These marinated olives are perfect to be served as an appetizer with a cold refreshing drink. Add them to a platter or a board with other nibbles, serve them as a party food, or even include them in your favourite salad or sandwich. You can also just serve them with crusty bread so that you can scoop up the delicious marinade as a dipping oil. Or else you can simple nibble on them whenever you are craving something savoury. 

If you have any questions, feedback or comments on this recipe, please leave a comment below. Please also rate this recipe by double clicking on the stars below. If you did make this recipe, tag @apronandwhisk and hashtag #apronandwhisk, as I’m curious to see what you create! Don’t forget to subscribe to the mailing list down below so to receive the recipe updates straight to your mailbox!