Easy Marinated Sicilian Olives Recipe

Marinated Sicilian olives are great as an appetizer, added to pizzas, or in a salad. It only takes a few minutes to prepare the olives and can be kept on hand in your refrigerator.

What are Sicilian olives?

What makes these olives special is they are grown in Sicily. After the harvest, they are washed in lye for several hours to lose their bitter taste. Then, they are repeatedly washed with normal water to remove the lye. When all traces of lye are washed off, the olives are packed in a light brine. This production method also preserves the vibrant green color of the olives. Even if they are cured, they still assume a brown-greenish color. 

They have an extremely mild flavor, almost sweet, with a touch of buttery fruitiness. They are grown as a dual-purpose olive, both for oil and for table olives  

Should the olives be pitted?

The olive could be pitted or not. If the pits are removed, it is easier to serve the olives in a salad or on a pizza. However, it’s fine to leave the pits in if they are being served as an appetizer, and there is a place for guests to put the pits when eating them. 

What fresh herbs are used?

Using fresh herbs will infuse the most flavor to this recipe. Fresh parsley and basil are both easy to get in your local produce section. Be sure and wash them first, then pick the leave from the stems. Finely chop with a sharp knife. You could also stack bunches together and slice them into small pieces using kitchen scissors. 

What type of garlic should be used?

It is best to use only whole fresh garlic cloves taken from a garlic bulb for this recipe. Slice the root end off and peel the outer paper-like skin off. Then thinly slice each clove into pieces.

What type of olive oil should be used?

Olive oil is like wine. It tastes different due to the growing conditions, variety, and climate. For this recipe, I like using an oil from the same region as the olives are from, Sicily.

Instructions

1. Rinse olives in a colander under running water. Place the olives on a towl and gently pat dry. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
2. Pour olive oil over the olives and then toss using a spoon.
3. Add celery, garlic, chili pepper flakes, parsley, basil, oregano, and wite-wine vinegar. Stir until all olives are coated evenly.
4. Let the olives stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
5. Serve the olives with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and chili pepper flakes on top.
6. Place any leftover olives in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate. Use within a week.

Variations of the recipe

• Add one tablespoon of lemon zest.
• Mix in 1/4 cup pimento pepper pieces.
• If you would like it spicier, add 1 cored and seeded diced jalapeno pepper.
• My favorite, 1 tablespoon finely diced anchovies.

How to serve

These Sicilian marinated olives are the perfect addition when creating an olive bar at your next party. 

Storage

After you make the marinated olives, they are best stored in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. They should be refrigerated and then allowed to come to room temperature before serving.