Marinated Olives, Feta, and Anchovies Recipe

This Marinated Olives, Feta, and Anchovies recipe combines three kinds of olives, creamy Macedonian feta, white anchovies, citrus peel, garlic, herbs, spices, and warm olive oil for a bold Mediterranean-inspired appetizer. Featured on Gusto TV’s Bring on the Karbs, this improvised recipe from Erica and Josh Karbelnik is a flavour-packed starter that brings briny, creamy, herbal, and citrusy notes to the Sunday dinner table.

The Inspiration

Marinated olives are a classic part of Mediterranean-style eating, often served before a meal with bread, cheese, wine, cured fish, or simple snacks designed for sharing. This Marinated Olives, Feta, and Anchovies recipe builds on that tradition by layering different olive varieties with warm infused olive oil, aromatic citrus peel, crushed garlic, rosemary, dried oregano, Aleppo pepper, coriander seed, fennel seed, creamy feta, and delicate white anchovies. The result is not just a bowl of olives, but a composed appetizer with depth, contrast, and personality.

In this recipe, white anchovies are used as a garnish, bringing a bright, briny, slightly tangy character that complements the richness of the feta and the fruitiness of the olive oil. Unlike stronger cured anchovies, white anchovies often have a cleaner, more delicate taste, making them especially good in appetizers and antipasti-style platters.

On Bring on the Karbs, Erica and Josh Karbelnik bring a joyful, improvisational style to food. This dish fits that spirit perfectly. It can be served before a roast chicken, alongside pasta, with a salad, or as part of a larger spread. It is simple enough to prepare quickly, but it feels generous and thoughtful because of the warm infused oil and carefully layered ingredient

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (59 ml) kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup (59 ml) Castelvetrano olives
• 1/4 cup (59 ml) arbequina olives
• 100 g Macedonian feta
• 8 white anchovies
• 1 tsp (5 ml) Aleppo pepper
• 1 tsp (5 ml) dried oregano
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 orange, peel cut into large strips
• 1 lemon, peel cut into large strips
• 1 tsp (5 ml) coriander seed
• 1 tsp (5 ml) fennel seed
• 1 cup (237 ml) olive oil

Method

• Mix together olives in a bowl.
• In a pot, heat olive oil over medium low heat. Add herbs and seeds. Crush garlic and add along with strips of citrus peel. Pour oil over the olives and let cool.
• Dice cheese. Pour oil and olives over the cheese and garnish with anchovies.

Serving Suggestions

This Marinated Olives, Feta, and Anchovies recipe is a perfect appetizer for Sunday dinner, especially when served before a comforting main course like roasted chicken, creamy pasta, grilled meat, or seafood.

For entertaining, present this dish in a shallow bowl or on a small platter as part of a Mediterranean-inspired spread. It pairs beautifully with roasted vegetables, cured meats, marinated artichokes, fresh tomatoes, cucumber slices, hummus, baba ganoush, or simple salads.

It is excellent for date night, cocktail hour, holiday hosting, family-style dinners, or a casual weekend snack board. The brininess of the olives and anchovies balances the creaminess of the feta, while the citrus peel and herbs keep the dish from feeling too heavy.

Final Thoughts

This Marinated Olives, Feta, and Anchovies recipe is a bold, beautiful appetizer that turns simple pantry and deli ingredients into something memorable. With kalamata olives, Castelvetrano olives, arbequina olives, Macedonian feta, white anchovies, olive oil, citrus peel, garlic, rosemary, oregano, Aleppo pepper, coriander seed, and fennel seed, it delivers layers of flavour in every bite. It is briny, creamy, herbal, citrusy, lightly spicy, and deeply savoury.

This recipe is especially useful for anyone looking for an easy Mediterranean appetizer, a marinated olives recipe, a feta appetizer, or a flavour-packed dish for entertaining. It takes minimal active cooking time, but the finished result feels thoughtful and restaurant-worthy.

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