Marinated Olives Spanish-Style
(Easy 5-Minute Tapas Recipe)
Marinated olives Spanish style is a classic tapas that’s served all over the country. From dusty roadside bars to the most decadent restaurants in the capital of Madrid. Spanish olives adorn every table and are a staple tapas.
The good news is that marinated olives are very easy to make at home. With only 5 minutes of prep time and a handful of easy-to-find ingredients, you can make Spanish-style marinated olives for your next dinner party or tapas night.
This recipe makes 1 large jar of around 24oz/700g and your marinated olives can be stored in the fridge in an airtight jar for 2 weeks.
Vegan | Vegetarian | easy Recipe | Easy to Make | 5-Min Prep | No-Cooking | Authentic Spanish Recipe | Mediterranean Recipe | Olives | Tapas
Serving:
Makes 24oz/700g
Ready in:
2 hours
Skill level:
Easy
Serve with:
Fresh bread
Ingredients
- 17oz/500g mixture of Olives (green, black, red)
- 12 garlic cloves (peeled)
- 2-3 tablespoons of Capers (optional)
- Rind from 1 orange
- 2 tablespoons of red onion, chopped fine
- 1 lemon
- 6 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon of Red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili oil
- 1 tablespoon of dried rosemary
- A few sprigs of fresh rosemary
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
Equipment
- 1 medium size Glass bowl (for mixing the olives)
- 1 large sealable jar or container.
Watch step-by-step recipe video
If you’re looking for this recipe’s video and many other great recipe ideas, why not check out our Spanish Radish YouTube Channel? We’ve got everything from quick and easy tapas recipes, delicious main meals, and incredible Spanish dessert options too.
How to make marinated olives
Marinated olives Spanish-style is an easy tapas recipe that takes just 5 minutes to prepare. Spanish olives are easy to source at any decent supermarket and the other ingredients are store-bought staples you’ll likely already have in your kitchen pantry.
- For this recipe, you literally throw all the ingredients in a bowl, add a squeeze of lemon juice, mix well, season to taste, cover and leave to marinate.
How long does it take to marinate olives?
Marinate your olives for at least 2 hours. Whenever we make this recipe, we make a big batch in advance and give the olives at least 24 hours to marinate. The longer you leave your olives to marinade, the better they will taste. The good news is once they’re marinating in the fridge, your olives will last up to 2 weeks when stored in an airtight container or jar.
Best olives to use
We used three different types of olives for this recipe; Spanish Manzanilla olives, red Italian Gaeta olives, and black Niçoise olives from France. This allows for some great colors and various tastes and textures from this international mix of olives!
Of course, you can use just Spanish olives for a truly authentic take, but it’s really the marinade that makes this recipe quintessentially Spanish!
Here are a few popular varieties of olives from around the world:
- Gordal olives (Spain)
- Manzanilla olives (Spain)
- Amfissa olives (Greece)
- Kalamata olives (Greece)
- Liguria (Italy)
- Gaeta olives (Italy)
- Cerignola (Italy)
- Castelvetrano (Italy)
- Niçoise olives (France)
- Picholine (France)
- Nyon olives (France)
- Alfonso olives (Chile)
- Mission Olives (USA)
Different types of Spanish olives
The most prominent olive-growing region in Spain is Andalusia, located in southern Spain where the climate is hot and very dry with little rainfall. While a majority of olives are used for producing olive oil, there are plenty that are used to produce delicious, full-flavored table olives.
Gordal (Aceituna Gordal de Sevilla)
In Spain, the most common variety of olives is Gordal Olives (literally translates to “fat one”) from the Andalusia region, Southern Spain. These large green olives are plump and have a rich full flavor with little bitterness.
Manzanilla
This brine-cured olive is oval in shape and is commonly stuffed with red pepper, almond, or anchovy. They have a soft buttery flavor and are often served cracked as a tapas alongside pickled or fresh garlic.
Arbequina
Native to the Spanish city of Arbeca, Arbequina olives are prized for their fruity flavor and firm, meaty texture. In color, Arbequina olives range from light pink to a deep earthy orange color. They are usually used for producing olive oil but can be found in Spain and served as table olives.
Aceituna Aloreña de Málaga
Available seasonally from around the city of Malaga in southern Spain, Aloreña de Málaga olives are brine-cured table olive that are pale green in color and has a crisp flavor. They have a low concentration of oleuropein and can be cured in water and salt. They are most commonly served split and seasoned with herbs such as thyme, fennel, or rosemary.
Aceituna de Mallorca
Aceituna de Mallorca is a popular variety of table olives found exclusively on the Balearic Island of Mallorca. These olive are either black or dark green, depending on their time of harvest.
Read about the best Spanish extra virgin olive oils to try in 2024.
Nutrition facts
|
Serving size: 50g |
|
|
Servings: 15 |
|
|
Amount per serving |
|
|
Calories |
113 |
|
% Daily Value* |
|
|
Total Fat 11.3g |
14% |
|
Saturated Fat 1.6g |
8% |
|
Cholesterol 0mg |
0% |
|
Sodium 419mg |
18% |
|
Total Carbohydrate 4.2g |
2% |
|
Dietary Fiber 1.7g |
6% |
|
Total Sugars 0.1g |
|
|
Protein 0.6g |
|
|
Vitamin D 0mcg |
0% |
|
Calcium 48mg |
4% |
|
Iron 2mg |
9% |
|
Potassium 24mg |
1% |
|
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
|
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Marinated Olives Spanish-Style (Easy 5-Minute Tapas Recipe)
Equipment
- 1 medium size bowl (for mixing the olives)
- 1 large sealable jar or container.
Ingredients
- 17 oz/500g mixture of olives green, black, red
- 12 garlic cloves peeled
- 2-3 tablespoons of capers optional
- Rind from 1 orange
- 2 tablespoons of red onion chopped fine
- 1 lemon
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of Red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili oil
- 1 tablespoon of chopped rosemary stalk removed
- A few sprigs of fresh rosemary
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
Instructions
- For this recipe, you literally throw all the ingredients in a bowl, add a squeeze of lemon juice, mix well, season to taste, cover and leave to marinate for at least 2 hours in the fridge.17 oz/500g mixture of olives, 12 garlic cloves, 2-3 tablespoons of capers, Rind from 1 orange, 2 tablespoons of red onion, 1 lemon, 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon of Red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon chili oil, 1 tablespoon of chopped rosemary, A few sprigs of fresh rosemary, ½ teaspoon chili flakes
Video
Cooking Tips and FAQs
How long does it take to make marinated olives?
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Marinate time: 2 hours (minimum), 24 hours is better.
- Total time: 2 hours, 5 minutes
Are marinated olives gluten-free?
Yes, this recipe is 100% gluten-free.
What’s the best way to store olives once they are marinated?
Any jar or container that can be sealed airtight works fine. We Recycle and clean a large pickle jar, just don’t forget to label your olives and add the date they were prepared.
Can I harvest olives straight from the tree and use them for this recipe?
No, olives that are picked from a tree will taste bitter due to them containing oleuropein. Raw olives must undergo a curing process before they are ready for consumption.
How to cure olives for consumption
Olives require curing in one of 4 different methods;
- Brine curing
- Water curing
- Dry curing
- Sun curing
Is this recipe vegan?
Yep, this marinated olives tapas recipe is 100% vegan-friendly!
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