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Honey Marinated Olives

Spanish-style marinated olives with honey, balsamic vinegar, garlic, olive oil and Mediterranean herbs. A sweet and savoury tapas dish that's perfect for sharing with drinks, cheese and crusty bread.
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Prep Time:10 minutes
Marinating Time:1 day
Total Time:25 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Tapas
Cuisine: Spanish
Keyword: balsamic marinated olives, easy olive recipe, homemade marinated olives, honey glazed olives, honey marinated olives, Mediterranean appetizer, Mediterranean marinated olives, olive appetizer, olives with honey, sweet and savory olives
Servings: 6 small tapas portions

Ingredients

  • 8.8 oz firm olives approximately 5.8 oz green and 3 oz black, drained
  • 1 tbsp + 2 tsp balsamic vinegar Aceto Balsamico di Modena
  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 0.9 oz light soft brown sugar
  • 1½ –2¼ tsp honey to taste
  • 1 small garlic clove thinly sliced
  • ¼ sprig fresh rosemary
  • ¼ sprig fresh thyme
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Salt optional, to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare the olives. Drain the olives thoroughly and place them in a clean, sealable container or glass jar.
  2. Make the marinade. Add the sunflower oil, balsamic vinegar, light soft brown sugar and honey to a small saucepan. Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme and some black pepper.
  3. Heat gently. Warm the marinade over low heat for approximately 5 minutes. Stir until the sugar and honey have dissolved. Do not allow the marinade to boil.
  4. Allow to cool. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the marinade cool for approximately 10 minutes, until lukewarm.
  5. Marinate the olives. Pour the lukewarm marinade over the olives and toss thoroughly to coat. The olives themselves are not heated or cooked.
  6. Allow the flavours to develop. Seal the container or jar and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, preferably 48 hours. Toss the olives several times during marinating to ensure they all come into contact with the marinade.
  7. Serve. Remove the olives from the refrigerator 20–30 minutes before serving. Toss again and taste to see whether additional pepper or salt is needed. Serve with a little of the marinade.
  8. Notes

Notes

Use firm olives; soft, wrinkled olives are less suitable for this recipe.
Use regular balsamic vinegar, not balsamic cream or glaze.
Start with 1½ teaspoons of honey. For a sweeter marinade, add up to an additional ¾ teaspoon. If it is not sweet enough, taste the olives once they are in the marinade and add more honey according to your preference.
The oil and balsamic vinegar may separate during marinating. This is normal; toss the olives occasionally to redistribute the marinade.
The stated total time excludes cooling and allowing the olives to come to serving temperature.