Castelvetrano Olives Recipe

Rinse and dry olives

Place the Castelvetrano olives in a colander and rinse briefly under cool running water to remove excess brine. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels. If olives are whole and you prefer, pit them now using an olive pitter or by pressing gently with the side of a knife.

Prepare aromatics

Thinly slice the garlic cloves. Zest the lemon using a fine grater, then squeeze 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Strip a few leaves from the rosemary and thyme sprigs (reserve the whole sprigs for presentation if desired).

Combine ingredients

In a small bowl or jar, combine the extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, sliced garlic, rosemary leaves, thyme leaves, peppercorns, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Stir or shake to mix.

Marinate olives

Place the rinsed and dried olives in a medium bowl or jar. Pour the seasoned oil mixture over the olives, turning to coat them evenly. If using whole sprigs of rosemary and thyme, tuck them among the olives for extra aroma.

Rest and develop flavor

Cover the bowl or seal the jar and let the olives marinate at room temperature for at least 1 hour. For best flavor, refrigerate and marinate for 8–24 hours; bring back to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving to allow the oil to soften and flavors to bloom.

Adjust seasoning

Taste an olive and the oil; if needed, add a pinch of coarse sea salt (or a sprinkle of Maldon) to taste. Stir gently to distribute.

Arrange marinated olives in a small serving bowl, spooning some of the flavored oil over them. Add the lemon slices and sprinkle chopped parsley over the top.

Serve at room temperature with toothpicks or small skewers for easy snacking. Leftover olives and oil can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks; bring to room temperature before serving. Use the leftover oil to dress salads or dip bread.