Extend summer’s bounty by Preserving Veggies in Olive Oil– serve with Cheese or Charcuterie boards and Mezze Platters. Delicious, quick & simple, these marinated veggies are a great up to use up your harvest!
These Olive Oil Marinated Vegetables are a simple tasty way to preserve summer’s bounty well into fall. Toss them into fresh green salads, with basil, feta, vine-ripened tomatoes and olives and add them to simple pasta dishes. Or my favorite, pile them into sandwiches slathered with pesto….so so so good!
During the last several weeks the most popular recipe on the blog has been Quick Pickled Veggies, which tells me, many of you are in the same predicament as me, trying to preserve summer veggies before they all go south. So many veggies, so little time! Like you, I’ve been busy pickling away, in hopes of preserving a little of summers’ goodness into fall and winter. But I’ve been doing something else in addition – Preserving Veggies in Olive Oil.
Roasted Bell peppers, grilled zucchini, blanched beets and green beans, are soaked in a herb and garlic-infused olive oil bath. These sumptuous beauties are pure decadence served on charcuterie boards, cheese boards or at your next Mezze Party. They will be a hit for sure!
I know there is a bit of fear around preserving this way, the word botulism pops up on the internet all over the place when googling this – but I’m alive and well to tell you that as long as you follow the easy steps in the recipe, your marinated veggies will be perfectly safe…. and absolutely delicious.
TIPS to Preserving Vegetables in Olive Oil
- Your vegetables must be cooked. You can grill them, roast them, or blanch them.
- Use clean sterile jars – especially if preserving for over a week.
- The marinade consists of 2 parts olive oil to 1 part vinegar. And salt and pepper. The acid and salt will keep unhealthy bacteria at bay.
- The marinated vegetables must be refrigerated and will keep for 3-4 months as long as the veggies are completely submerged in the marinade liquid and there are no raw components (like raw garlic or herbs- I remove these if storing for longer than a week).
- The olive oil will harden in the fridge — this is a good sign. If the oil doesn’t harden after 24 hours, your fridge is not cold enough. My suggestion would be to place in the freezer.
If you are hesitant to try this, you can start by marinating quick-pickled vegetables.
If still hesitant, just consume within a week.
These marinated, cook beets are infused with fresh rosemary and garlic.
If eating within a week, you can leave these fresh ingredients in (stored in the fridge in a jar).
***But if preserving for longer, remove the garlic and herbs before storing for long-term use.
Here I’v marinated roasted peppers and grilled zucchini.
Blanched Green beans also work!
Whatever veggie you decide to preserve– just make sure the olive oil marinade completely covers the cooked veggies. This will give it the protective layer it needs to keep bad bacteria at bay.
Keep in mind this is not “canning recipe”. You must refrigerate!
How to serve Marinated Veggies:
- add to cheese plates
- add to charcuterie boards
- add to hummus platters
- add to mezze platters
- toss into salads!
- toss into pasta or grain salads
- Add to sandwiches
Have fun with this one.
I hope you enjoy this as much as we have…give a whirl and be sure to give us your feedback. Always love hearing from you!
Happy preserving!
PRESERVING VEGGIES IN OLIVE OIL
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 50 mins
- Yield: 1 quart jar
- Category: Vegan
- Method: preserved
- Cuisine: Tuscan or Provincial
- Diet: Vegan
Description
An easy delicious way to preserve summer’s vegetables in Olive oil and vinegar. Serve these in salads, pastas, or piled into sandwiches with pesto. A great addition to cheese and charcuterie boards, perfect for Mezze Partys!
Ingredients
- 4 cups vegetable of your choosing: beets, zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, green beans, heirloom beans.
- 2 parts Olive oil
- 1 part Vinegar – balsamic, white, apple cider, red wine, rice wine, champagne, sherry vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Herbs- rosemary, basil, thyme, sage,
- Flavorings- roasted garlic, garlic scapes, chili flakes, lemon zest, preserved lemon, dried chilies
Instructions
- Choose your vegetable and cooking technique.
- Roast (or grill) – zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, eggplant, sliced onions, whole garlic cloves, etc.
- Blanch things like beets, green beans, artichoke hearts, heirloom beans etc.
- Place cooked vegetables in a bowl.
- Season generously with salt and pepper and 1/4 cup vinegar, enough to generously coat, and let stand 15 minutes. Add ½ cup olive oil. Add more of each if needed, sticking with proportions. ( 2 parts oil to one part vinegar.)
- Add flavorings – fresh herbs, lemon zest, garlic cloves, preserved lemon, roasted garlic, chile flakes and hot chilies.
- If planning to eat within the week, place all in a clean jar, removing air bubbles by stirring with a skewer or spoon, top with more oil, vinegar combination so veggies are completely submerged. Refrigerate.
- If preserving for longer, after infusing with fresh herbs and garlic ( I just leave everything in the bowl, in the fridge overnight ) remove any fresh ingredients ( like herbs and raw garlic). Pack in a sterile jar- cover with oil vinegar marinade, remove any air bubbles, by stirring with a skewer. Refrigerate.
Notes
- NOTES: The Olive Oil will harden in the fridge and this is a good really good sign that your veggies are cold enough.
- To serve, just pull them out, setting on counter for 15 minutes before using, so oil liquifies. Give a good shake.
- When you go back to store them add enough oil and vinegar to cover. 2 parts oil to one part vinegar.
- Keep in mind this is not a “canning recipe” and this is not shelf stable. Use the fridge!
Keywords: marinated veggies, preserved veggies, oil preserved vegetables, how to preserve vegetables, how to preserve veggies in olive oil
Getting ready like right now; just came in from the garden and my one question
is could I use lemon juice instead of vinegar?
Hi. Becky- the vinegar is here to help preserve them. If consuming right away, lemon juice should be ok, but I would consume within 4-5 days.
Can you freeze?
Can you can (like boil in jar) to keep longer?
I think freezing would be ok here!
Hi , do you have rec we’re you leave in vinegar over night .
Then ring out ,then put in olive oil .
Thanks , yours sounds good .
Hi Terry, I have not tried that but I do really love the idea. Seems like it would work great? Will have to try and will report back.
Hi Sylvia
Thank you for the recipe and guidance, extremely helpful.
However, some questions please:
1. can ACV be used instead of white vinegar
2. is it safe to use fried garlic if preserving for longer
3. I have to avoid salt in my food, is there any alternative to using salt in this recipe?
4. Is it not necessary to use the hot water bath method – so confused as there are so many methods of preservation for longer periods, say up to six months.
Any further guidance would be appreciated.
Many thanks
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Hi! All great questions. Yes, apple cider vinegar is fine and I updated the recipe to include it. Fried Garlic should be fine! You absolutely need the salt here to help unwanted bacteria growth- unless you plan on consuming within a week. To answer your last question, to be clear, this is not a “canning recipe” and you absolutely must refrigerate these. The hot water bath you mention is used for traditional canning. This is not the same- because of the olive oil. You must refrigerate these.
Thank you Sylvia. Your quick response is much appreciated.
I will now start to add salt though whatever I have made so far has been for personal consumption in the home and does not last long and always kept in the fridge.
What do I need to do to preserve this for longer period if I am to gift these?
Regards
I have not tested this for preserving longer than the stated amount. Have always just refrigerated. I’m sure it can be done, but haven’t experimented enough with it!
I would like be able to Marinate my own vegetables and bottle them like you can buy in the stores but can’t find a recipe on how to do it do you have any ideas.
Thank You
John
I’m sorry- not sure how to bottle this- haven’t tried it.
This is super interesting as well as the comments thread. I’ve been looking into different ways to preserve veggies other than just canning or freezing (canned veggies aren’t my favorite). From some preliminary research, it seems the Italians have been preserving veggies in olive oil with some salt and vinegar added, for eons without fear- and storing them in the pantry. Thanks for the instructions, definitely going to try your method in the summer!
Two days after doing 10 pints worth of grilled eggplant, zucchini and red peppers, my vegetables are leaking olive oil and appear to be fermenting. What have I done wrong? and is there any way of saving this?
Leaking? From the jar? Sorry not understanding what you are saying. Are they frigerated?
Can these vegetables marinated in olive oil be canned in a hot water bath canner?
I actually don’t know the answer to this. It would need some sort of acid, and not an expert in this department.
Could you freeze this if you don’t have fridge space?
I don’t see why not?!
I’ve been wanting to make-ahead a Christmas gift of infused olive oils with my produce that’s ready now. Further research told me of food safety issues, and eventually led me here. Your recipe is the closest thing I’ve found to being able to put the herbs into the oil whole, leave them in and give them away. I’ve read the questions and answers at the bottom, and I got the impression that if I dry the rosemary and oregano, put them in the oil / vinegar mix and freeze until December, and tell the recipient to keep it refrigerated, that it should be safe.
I can handle the garlic by following the instructions and freezing.
I was really hoping I wouldn’t need to cook the tomatoes. Do you think sliced and dehydrated would be okay? I’d be willing to rinse them with vinegar before placing in the mix if that would help.
I like the idea of dehydrating the tomatoes. Seems like it should work? I bet you could also dehydrate the garlic as another option.
I am looking for a recipe that uses olive oil to perserve/can long term.
Can you water bath can with olive oil?
Hi Julie, Yes, I think you can, but not sure how. Not an expert in canning for long term storage. But, for example, if you look at canned marinated artichokes at the store, they are shelf-stable, so I know it can be done!
Can this be canned to keep longer?
Great question- I’m not sure, canning is not my area of expertise. Sorry. Does anyone else have thoughts about this???
Hi, if you watch youtube cooking videos in Italian you can see that they do water boil with olive oil for longer term preserving. First sterilize jars, then fill, then boil again for 20 min and let sit in the water overnight. They also do not require you to keep jars in the fridge with oil. As long as the vegetables are covered in oil, they will stay fresh. I would recommend looking up recipes in Italian and watching them on youtube. Some of them have translations underneath in English.
I will look into this- great to hear! It makes sense!
Dear Nicole
I have been searching on how to preserve the shelf life of my relish using oil and vinegar and came across your response regarding YouTube videos in Italian. Would you mind sharing a link or two so I can better understand the process involved in increasing the shelf life of my relish.
Regards
Hi! I came across a side dish at a little place in Eugene called Noisette. They are offering something called olive-cured cherries. I’d love to try that at home. Would it be ok to saute some bing cherries, or maybe poaching them would be better? How would you go about oil-curing cherries? The offering is described like this: “Olive oil cured cherries with garlic, orange and lemon zest, rosemary and thyme”
I’m asking you because there was no answer to my search for a recipe for olive cured cherries, or olive cured fruit. You were the only website offering any advice or directions for olive curing anything. 🙂 If you were going to olive cure cherries, how would you cook them?
Hey Kate, it sounds really delicious! Sometimes I’ll call restaurants and just ask to speak with the chef- they are usually happy to share how they prepare things. I’d try that!
I have nine cups of roasted vegetables. How much vinegar and olive oil do I need to add please?
Enough to amply cover. Using the proportions. Sorry I don’t know exactly- I would have to make this much to tell you. 😉
I sauteed my onions and peppers in a little olive oil before adding my water, salt and vinegar and then I read somewhere that you shouldn’t put oil in your hot sauce for fear of botulinum. I proceeded to try to skim off as much as I could but there was still some oily residue in the finished hot sauce. Is it going to go bad if I keep it on the shelf after water bath canning it?
Hummmmmm, ok are you making hot sauce? or making this recipe for preserved Veggies in Olive oil. I’m sorry… a bit confused!
According to the NCHFP, there is no safe method for canning basic vegetables in oil with a boiling water canner; a pressure canner must be used.
More info here:
https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can4_vegetable.html
Hi Patrick- This is not a canning recipe. It is a marinating recipe. It is not shelf stable- requires refrigeration.
Totally random question – what about preserving kale in olive oil? I’ve made kale chips, I’ve dried kale and pulverized it into a powder for morning shakes, I’ve frozen kale (then crumble it into bits and refroze/sealed it) for winter soups/stews, but what about preserving it in some olive oil and spices? Do you think this would work? How would you go about doing it? Rinse raw de-stemmed kale, or blanch first? Love to know your thoughts. I’m also thinking pickled kale would be kinda tasty.
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That’s a great question! And i don’t know?? Make sure to use the vinegar if you do try it and let me know how it goes. Have you ever tried fermenting it? Like kraut or kimchi?
Hi there, I am about to try preserving end of summer veg as suggested above. I was wondering if one could use apple cider vinegar -which was not mentioned in the list of alternative vinegars. Many thanks.
Yes of course!
This requires a lot of expensive olive oil! Can you re-use it after the vegetables are eaten?
Why must the veggies be cooked first? Is it the low acidity, bacteria, etc.? I wanted to do some peppadews but I wanted them as crunchy as possible.
Give it a try!
Can this recipe once refrigerated and all herbs have been infused into oil…… can it be frozen in a ziplock bag if all vegetables remain covered in oil?
I haven’t personally tried it but feel confident this would be fine!
Thank you so much for your very thorough and concise instructions on how to preserve veggies in oil. Due the exceptionally hot weather we have an abundant crop of peppers this year, so I needed a recipe that wasn’t predominately made with vinegar as some of my family cannot tolerate the acidity.
Just wanted to point out that in your text you wrote “Lathered with pesto…” but the actual verb is “slathered” which means to spread thickly where as to lather means to use soap/wash etc. Just thought you might want to know! Thanks again
What if you roast the garlic and use dry herbs can you leave them in for over A month or longer
I think as long as it is covered in oil and refrigerated, it should be fine.
Is there anyway to keep the olive oil from hardening? I’ve read that pure olive oil won’t harden if refrigerated but mine did.
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You know, mine does the same! The good thing is if you leave it at room temp for 10-15 minutes it liquifies again. 😉
I would like to stuff Banana Peppers with prosciutto and mozzarella then preserve in your olive oil recipe. Would that work if I consume within a week?
That is a great question, I LOVE the idea of it, but do not know for sure how well this would preserve??? My guess is, it would be fine refrigerated, but honestly I’m guessing here. I’ve seen plenty of marinated mozzarella, but not prosciutto- it is cured though… so that makes it seem like it would be ok. Try it and see!!
I came across your website today while I was looking for recipes to make use of the beautiful abundance of farmers market vegetables that I purchased yesterday interparcel attempt to cheer myself up usually I have a garden each summer and grow this bounty myself but this summer I was scheduled to have knee replacement surgery for which I have waited ten long years because of those lovely rules of hmos and insurance stating I was too young until I was 55 to have the surgery then four days before the surgery date and the surgeon calls and cancels this long-awaited for surgery saying my 3 Month blood sugar level lab was elevated unfortunately my own primary physician and two of the orthopedic Physicians that had been working with me had failed to notice this so surgery was put on hold that hold resulted in me needing to cancel a surgical Eve which long story short ended the job I was holding and has now made me unemployable for a future employer if I wish to have this surgery anytime soon so I am faced with waiting another full year before I can take an FMLA leave to have that knee replacement surgery in the meantime I get to focus on Progressive diabetes which now has be placed on insulin it doesn’t help that I can’t exercise because both of my knees and both hips need replacing.
As I read your words experience with their own father’s dementia journey I could well relate I lost my father in May of 2016 after a two-year very intense Wicked battle with this Darkness call dementia. His decline was made more rapid because he insisted soon after the official dementia diagnosis to have his other knee replaced because he was experiencing more Falls I being a well-versed nurse of 32 plus years at that time do that more than likely the dementia was contributing to his Falls but there was no dissuading the stubborn man who was at that time still remained his own power of attorney his own person and he move forward with the surgery many complications to near death ICU stays 1 and my that stopped his heart a stroke and many many months of rehab and stays in Assisted Living later the eventualities was that he could no longer remain in his retirement apartments and my sisters and I faced don’t hurt wrenching decision to place him in an assisted living facility. At 83 he had worked many many years and did not retire from his own business until after the age of 73 yet he was left with little free cash or assets to support himself in a more than satisfactory type of assisted living facility these places are very expensive my sisters and I did everything we could not Place him in the county supported nursing home even though it was by nursing home standards a good nursing home he just knew enough at that time that he said he wanted to die rather than go to the nursing home so for a few short months he was in the Assisted Living facility until he was welcomed to our Heavenly father’s arms in May of 2015 he had been a widower for 17 years so the smallest consolation was that he was once again with the love of his life, our mom.
Just two short months later I received the shocking news that I had breast cancer found after a routine mammogram luckily I had excellent care with a renowned cancer center and one year later I am cancer-free but that makes for a tough year when your 55 needing your own too nice and too hips replaced because of degenerative changes still raising active children the eldest of which will lunch from home in two short weeks for college and the youngest are daughter still 12. How I could ever have managed through all this without my husband of 19 years I don’t know.
Then finally deciding after a long ten year wait because of HMO and insurance rules that wouldn’t let me have a knee replacement surgery until I reach the age of 55 this too and I decided to have one of my knees replaced surgery is all scheduled a leave of absence is approved from work and 4 days before my surgery the or the surgeon canceled the surgery because my 3 Month blood sugar level was too high sad to say three positions following me for the last six months while I prepared for this surgery failed to notice or do anything about this blood sugar level with my diabetes until it was too late come to find out medication I’ve been taking and treatment they receive for the cancer have a way of making your diabetes worsen and your blood sugar be more out of control the result of all this is one I lost my job because of all the commotion going on 2 I cannot have surgery until the insulin I’m not required to start taking gets the blood sugar under control three I’ve been searching for a job while being extremely depressed about all this and we’ll start a new job in a week but we’ll have to wait another full year before I am allowed to apply for a medical leave that will not jeopardize my employment.
So it’s been a hell of an 18 months and I turn to the beautiful things that come from the garden this year not my own so the farmers market and I was searching for recipes 4 things that I can begin canning preserving pickling and now doing oil infusion to give as gifts to family and friends for Christmas. So even as I write this and tears are streaming down my face (some days it’s just damn hard to keep going and the hormone blocking medications I have to take daily to keep the cancer at bay cause wicked wild roller coaster emotional rides and hot flashes) I appreciate not only your recipes but your story, Bless you.
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Thank you Melody. Wow, that must be so hard, too much to go through in one lifetime. In between all the heartache, challenges and hardships I hope you find moments of peace, of beauty and healing. I find, being in the kitchen with my hands on beautiful produce helps in small yet profound ways. I love how you say you turn to “all the beautiful things that come”, and this I believe is the secret to getting through the dark times, because the beauty is always there. Sending you love and healing today. Sylvia
These are beautiful! I’ve done some quick pickling recently but this is another great way to get some extra flavor and mileage out of my produce!
Thanks Mary…. yes a fun and different way to preserve them!
Hello Sylvia, what a nice and easy idea to make my own vegetables. I often buy the ready ones from the Supermarket because my hubby really love balsamic onions. I Need to try out this method. Thank you for sharin. xoxo Janine
Thanks Janine….Give it a try and see what you think!!