These Citrus Marinated Olives are a wonderful appetizer or addition to a charcuterie board. No matter how you serve them these easy and delicious olives are sure to impress everyone!
Appetizers are always my favorite part of hosting a party. I love to mixup the kinds of appetizers I serve because everyone has different tastes and different diets. These olives lean more toward the healthy side but when I serve them I always serve something a little less healthy like this Bacon and Chive Cheese Ball or these Fried Ravioli to go with them.
I love the salty flavor of olives in fact they are one of my favorite snacks. One of the grocery stores here sells a variety of olives in the deli section and I enjoy buying different varieties for snacking or serving to guests.
What kind of olives can I use in this recipe?
You can use any kind of olives you want. I used Gaeta and Castelvetrano varieties. Honestly, you could use cheap olives in a jar or can if you want. There’s no right or wrong olive to use.
Besides olives you will need:
- a lemon rind
- an orange rind
- lemon juice
- orange juice
- olive oil
- garlic
- and red pepper flakes
How do you cut the rind of citrus fruit like an orange or lemon?
To do this properly begin by cutting the end from the lemon or orange. Then using a sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler remove the outer membrane cutting as little of the white pith as possible. You want to avoid the white skin underneath as it has a bitter taste.
How to make Citrus Marinaded Olives:
- Rinse the olives and pat dry with a paper towel then set aside.
- Combine all ingredients except olives in a medium sauce pan. Combine everything together over medium high heat until just simmering.
- Add olives to liquid mixture and toss until well coated. Simmer for 2 – 3 minutes then transfer to a bowl with lid and allow to rest on the counter for an hour. Serve at room temperature.
- If you’re making these in advance of your party store in a sealed container in the fridge for up five days. Before guests arrive remove transfer the olives to a serving dish and allow them to warm to room temperature.
My tips for this recipe:
Buy pitted olives. Save your guests the embarrassment of having to spit out the pit. No one looks or feels their best when they are spitting food into a napkin or their fingers.
Use toothpicks serve these olives. Guests will appreciate not having to grab the olives with their fingers or sharing the bowl with other’s fingers.
These olives are also perfect for snacking or as a side with lunch. Another serving option is to add a few to a salad.
Happy Cooking Y’all!
Susanne
Looking for more delicious ways to serve olives? You’ll love these:
Citrus Marinated Olives
Ingredients
- 2 cups olives rinsed, and patted dry
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 strip lemon rind* peeled
- 1 strip orange rind* peeled
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon red peppers flakes
Instructions
-
Rinse the olives and pat dry with a paper towel then set aside.
-
Combine all ingredients except olives in a medium sauce pan. Combine everything together over medium high heat until just simmering.
-
Add olives to liquid mixture and toss until well coated. Simmer for 2 - 3 minutes then transfer to a bowl with lid and allow to rest on the counter for an hour. Serve at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
*see my tips in the post for the easiest way to remove the zest from the fruit
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