Roasted Olives

Set out a bowl of these irresistible, warm from the oven, za’atar roasted olives and almonds at your next party.

Planning a holiday party menu can quickly become overwhelming with a main course, multiple sides and dessert to consider; but one thing that doesn’t need to cause stress are the appetizers.  Tasty pre-party nibbles should be quick and easy to prepare.

So if you’re looking for a simple yet sophisticated snack to start the festivities with this year then look no further than roasted olives and almonds.

Roasted Olives

These herb and spice roasted olives and almonds combine two dependable favorites into one irresistible starter for your guests to nosh on while they mingle.  These are definitely not your typical supermarket olive bar mix.  They’re salty, savory and fill the kitchen with the most enticing aroma as they come out of the oven.

Roasting olives is a simple trick that transforms an otherwise ordinary appetizer into something extra-ordinary.  The heat of the oven turns up the flavor and brings out the briny best in the olives, while the almonds are crisp, toasty and lightly coated in the most delicious seasoning. Here's what you'll need:

Ingredient Notes:

(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe.  As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)

• Almonds – You’ll need raw whole almonds.
• Olives – You’ll want to be sure to use an interesting mix of un-pitted and different sized black and green olives for this (bright green Castelvetrano olives are one of my favorite olives so I always make sure to include those).
• Lemon – You’ll need the zest of ½ a lemon, cut into long strips.
• Olive Oil – Use your favorite extra-virgin olive oil.
• Herbs and Spices – You’ll need za’atar seasoning. If you’ve never tried za’atar before, it’s a blend of dried herbs with sumac and sesame seeds that jazzes up almost everything it touches.  If you have a mortar and pestle you can make it yourself or simply buy it pre-made.

How to Make Roasted Olives:

(Here are the basic steps and some helpful tips on how to make the recipe.  Find the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)

The trick to getting the almonds to stay crisp amongst all those olives is a double roast in the oven, the first time on their own to toast, and then again with the za’atar, olive oil and olives to season them.  This way you get a mix of warm buttery olives and crunchy almonds that sits well together.

1. Start by combining the almonds, a bit of water and salt and and roast for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile combine the olives, lemon zest, olive oil and za’atar.
3. Remove the hot almonds from the oven combine with the olives.
4. Return the olive almond mixture to the oven to roast until almonds are toasted but not brown and olives are warmed.

So ease your holiday stress by popping a batch of these in the oven next time you have friends or family over.  Happy holidays!

More Nut Mixes:

• Pesto Roasted Walnuts
• Sesame Nori Roasted Cashews

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Yield: 6 Servings

Za’atar Roasted Olives and Almonds

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Set out a bowl of these irresistible, warm from the oven, za’atar roasted olives and almonds at your next party.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup/120g whole almonds
• 1 teaspoon/5ml filtered water
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 10oz/285g assorted un-pitted green and black olives, rinsed and pat dry
• Zest of ½ a lemon, cut into long strips
• 1 Tablespoon/15ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon za’atar seasoning 

Instructions

1. Preheat an oven to 375°F.
2. In a small bowl, combine the almonds, water and salt and toss to coat. Transfer almonds to a parchment lined baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile in large bowl combine olives, lemon zest, olive oil and za’atar; mix to coat.
4. Remove hot almonds from the oven and add to the olives. Mix thoroughly.
5. Spread olive almond mixture out in a single layer on parchment-lined baking sheet and return to the oven to roast for another 10-15 minutes until almonds are toasted but not brown and olives are warmed.
6. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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• 
  Spicely Organic Seasoning Zaatar W/Salt 0.35 Ounce ecoBox Certified Gluten Free

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 226Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 842mgCarbohydrates: 6gSugar: 1gProtein: 5g

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Sylvie

Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.