Warmed castelvetrano olives with lemon & garlic

Name: Warmed castelvetrano olives with lemon & garlic
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 6 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 7.5 ounces (drained weight) Castelvetrano olives; 6 sprigs of fresh thyme; 2 Tablespoons chopped garlic; 2 teaspoons lemon zest (Roughly the zest of one lemon)

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Remember this tempting warmed olives appetizer for your next dinner party. Buttery Castelvetrano olives are sautéed with garlic, fresh thyme, and lemon zest for a truly magical starter. Vegan & gluten-free.

Fingers holding shiny Castelvetrano olive over bowl.

I have a weakness for foods that seem fancy but aren’t actually complicated to make. They elicit oohs and aahs, but they don’t take much time on task.

A prime example? Buttery Castelvetrano olives warmed in a skillet with lemon zest, garlic, and fresh thyme.

Castelvetrano are the Adele of olives. They woo even those who typically shy away.

They are milder, more rounded in flavor, with less of that tinny quality that is common in a ripe olive.

Castelvetrano olives are easy to recognize by their bright green hue, the color of Kermit.

Even on their own, Castelvetrano are sure to impress. But when you dress them up in a delicious marinade? Watch out. They are absolutely addictive.

It usually takes me a while to work through a jar of olives. But when they’re warmed and popping with the flavors garlic, lemon, and fresh herbs, it’s easy to plow through half a jar in a sitting.

In this post:

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Ingredients
Step by step instructions
Make it your own
Serving ideas
Storage instructions
FAQ
📖 Recipe

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.

Extra virgin olive oil: This oil works as a carrier for lots of flavor from garlic, lemon zest, and fresh thyme. Choose a quality EVOO with a taste you enjoy.

Castelvetrano olives: Look for for unpitted Castelvetrano olives at health food markets and gourmet grocery stores. Options include: Natural Grocers, Whole Foods, Cost Plus World Market, Costco, your local co-op, or online.

Tip: Castelvetrano olives are also popular on olive bars, if you don’t feel like committing to a whole jar.

Thyme: Buy fresh thyme sprigs that are bright green and full of leaves.

Garlic: Choose firm garlic that doesn’t have dark spots. It should feel firm to the touch, not hollow.

You can mince the garlic by hand, but a garlic press makes easy work. (With my favorite garlic press, you can throw the whole clove in with the peel still on!)

Lemon zest: When using lemons for their zest, organic lemons are recommended. To zest the lemon, use a zester grater.

Step by step instructions

Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

Pile of minced garlic and lemon zest on olives in skillet.

Put the following in a warm skillet or saute pan:

Drained olives
Lemon zest
Chopped garlic
Fresh thyme
Extra virgin olive oil

Warm olives in skillet with minced garlic, fresh thyme, and lemon zest.

Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant.

Castelvetrano olives in skillet with oil, garlic, fresh thyme, and lemon zest.

Once the garlic is fragrant, turn off the heat. Allow the flavors to develop in the warm skillet until serving time.

Finally, pour the olives with seasoned oil into a serving bowl. Serve warm.

Make it your own

Shiny Castelvetrano olives in bowl by berries and bell peppers.

You can make this recipe your own by varying the ingredients.

If you can only find pitted Castelvetrano olives, those will work in a pinch
Instead of Castelvetrano, choose Cerignola, Kalamata, or a mix of high-quality green and black olives with pits
Replace garlic with minced shallots
Replace lemon zest with orange zest
Instead of fresh thyme, use sprigs of fresh rosemary

Serving ideas

Hand reaching for blueberries on vegan cheeseboard with warm olives.

Warmed Castelvetrano olives are a wonderful addition to a vegan charcuterie or cheese board.

Serve warm olives on a charcuterie board with:

Vegan feta cheese
Jalapeño cashew cheese
Hummus
Roasted chickpeas
Berries
Sliced bell peppers
Pickles
Pickled red onions
Pickled jalapeños
Jarred artichoke hearts
Dolmas
Crackers

A meal of finger foods feels a little luxurious and a little sexy. Perfect for Valentine’s Day or just another Tuesday night.

Storage instructions

Fingers pulling an olive from a bowl of warmed Castelvetrano olives.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for about 4 days.

(The olives will last longer if they are completely submerged in oil. If you’re planning on storing them longer, you may want to increase the amount of oil.)

You can enjoy the olives cold or gently re-warm them in a skillet.

After some marinating time, the flavors are a little more pronounced, but not to a tremendous degree.

After you’ve eaten all of the olives, use the remaining flavored oil for dunking bread. Or remove the sprigs of thyme, add a splash of vinegar, and make a flavorful salad dressing.

FAQ

Can olives be eaten warm?

Absolutely! While olives are totally delicious at room temperature or right out of the fridge, warming them with garlic, lemon zest, and fresh thyme makes them downright addictive. It boosts their flavor and brings out the Castelvetrano olive’s natural butteriness.

How long does it take to heat up olives?

Not long at all! This warmed olives recipe is ready in just 6 minutes.

Because olives can be eaten right out of the jar, you’re really only warming them. Once the garlic in this easy appetizer is fragrant, the olives are ready to eat.

Can olives be reheated?

Yes! Store leftover olives in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy them cold, or gently reheat them on the stove until just warm.

Vegan cheeseboard with warm Castelvetrano olives, fruit, and non-dairy cheese.

If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!

📖 Recipe