Let’s keep this short and sweet. I recently saw a video of a clever lady making negroni olives on TikTok. I thought it was genius and figured I’d test the theory with my own favourite drink. Enter: these Italian Margarita olives made with tequila, amaretto, lime juice and a sprinkle of tajin.
Italian Margarita olives
Can you make a margarita? Great, because that means you can make these Italian margarita olives. They are incredibly easy to make and require naught but some time in the fridge to infuse.
We’ll go into ratios below, but for ease let’s just say that the recipe is essentially equal parts of lime juice and amaretto with slightly less tequila or mezcal. I like to add some lime zest and a sprinkle of tajin for some salty, smoky chilli margarita rim vibes. Optional but delicious.
These olives would be perfectly at home on any entertaining table. They’re something a little different, for sure, but fun to make and very easy to eat. Personally, I’d serve them ahead of a taco night and alongside some guac and corn chips as starters. Alternatively, I’d eat them straight out of the jar for a snacky dinner and pre-drink in one go.
Recipe notes
There are two main things to consider when making these margarita olives. The first is: how much do you like tequila (or mezcal)? If the answer is not much, I recommend using slightly less tequila/mezcal than lime juice and amaretto. In my experience, the tequila tends to soak into the olive flesh while the lime juice and amaretto seem to sit on the outside. The recipe reflects this already, but you can drop it back further if you like. I daresay you could also experiment with using gin in place of tequila, too.
Secondly, consider if you are using pitted or non-pitted green olives. Needless to say, pitted olives have more flesh exposed and therefore potentially soak up more liquid. As such, I find they need less tequila or mezcal than whole olives.
On the note of experimenting with different liquors, you can use Cointreau instead of amaretto for a traditional margarita flavour. I personally adore the combination of olives with the almond flavour of amaretto, but this also works with Cointreau. I haven’t tried this recipe as a Tommy’s style margarita (with agave syrup instead of Cointreau).
Tips for your Italian Margarita olives
- You need to use Sicilian olives or green olives in brine for this recipe. Kalamata or black olives have too strong of a flavour and won’t hold these flavours well.
- Lime zest, 1/2 teaspoon of tajin and a pinch of white sugar go such a long way in adding a depth of flavour to this recipe.
- I haven’t tested this recipe with bottled lime juice, but I recommend fresh because the zest is a great addition too.
- As we discussed, you can experiment with using gin in place of tequila or mezcal. You can also use Cointreau in place of Amaretto for a traditional margarita.
- Keep in mind that Amaretto is a potential issue for those with nut allergies (have a read of this article for more information). I think the jury is out as to whether it’s a risk, but worth considering. If in doubt, use Cointreau instead.
- Be sure to put your olives in a clean jar. I recommend eating them the day of or the day after making them, but they’ll keep in the fridge for a week or more.
- This recipe is very low key. If you have 20g more olives than the recipe specifies, use them. You can add liquid according to how many olives you have.
More easy entertaining recipes
- Low FODMAP bread dipping oil
- Non alcoholic margarita recipe
- Gluten free vegan buckwheat focaccia from my Substack
- Lactose free low FODMAP creme caramel
- Lactose free egg free chocolate mousse
Italian margarita olives
Ingredients
- 200-300 g Sicilian olives in brine pitted or whole, I personally prefer pitted
- 20 ml (1 tablespoon)* tequila or mezcal (see notes)
- 40 ml (2 tablespoons)* fresh lime juice
- 40 ml (2 tablespoons)* Amaretto (see notes)
- ½ teaspoon Tajin seasoning optional but absolutely delicious
- Lime zest to your tastes
- Pinch of white sugar to your tastes
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the Sicilian olives. Make sure you have a clean dry jar for your olives (you can use the jar they came in, just be sure to thoroughly wash and dry it first).
- Combine all the ingredients in the jar and shake to combine. Taste and adjust according to your preferences.
- Allow the flavours to meld for a few hours or overnight before serving. You can absolutely drink the dirty margarita left in the jar, too.
Notes
- Tequila and mezcal both work nicely here. Although I haven’t tried it, you can also probably use gin.
- You can use Cointreau in place of Amaretto. Be sure to triple check Amaretto is fine for your guests if anyone has a nut allergy – the jury seems to be out on whether it presents an allergy issue. If in doubt, use Cointreau instead.
- Tajin is optional but adds such an amazing layer of flavour. Sicilian olives can sometimes be more neutral once you rinse the brine off, so tajin not only adds smoky flavour but also a bit of salt.
- Lime zest adds a delightful extra layer of flavour and the pinch of sugar helps to round everything out. I don’t recommend omitting either.
- The cleaner the jar you use, the longer you can keep the olives. You can sterilise the jar to be on the safe side, if you like.
- I recommend making these olives the morning of or the night before you need them. Tequila can become a bit overbearing if you leave them too long.
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