Sun-Dried Black Olives with Herbs
Make your own sun-dried black olives at home, wrinkled and full of flavor, perfect for fasting periods or as a savory snack.
- Prep10 min
- DifficultyEasy
- Servings4
These homemade black olives are slowly dried with coarse salt, thyme, and oregano, developing a concentrated, briny flavor and a wrinkled texture. They are a traditional Greek preserve, perfect for Lent when eaten without oil.
You can also oven-dry them for a quicker result, then store them in the freezer or in jars. The process is simple but requires patience as the olives cure over 10 days.
Ingredients
Servings
Converted amounts are rounded.
Method
- Place a large basket (kofini) or a big colander over a basin to catch the drips. Layer the olives inside, sprinkling each layer with coarse salt, dried thyme (throubi), and oregano.
- Set the basket in a cool, airy place. Twice a day, gently shake or stir the olives so the ones on top move to the bottom, ensuring even drying.
- After about 10 days, the olives will have shriveled and wrinkled.
- To check if they are ready, cut one olive open. If the flesh has darkened significantly, all the olives are done.
- Spread the olives on a clean cloth or in a sack and leave them for another day to dry thoroughly.
- If you prefer oven-dried olives, preheat the oven to 340°F. Spread the olives on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until completely dry.
- Store the dried olives in bags in the freezer or in airtight jars. They keep for months.
💡 Tips
- Use a variety of black olives that are naturally ripe, like Amfissis or Kalamata.
- If you don't have throubi, you can substitute with dried thyme or a mix of thyme and oregano.
- For a softer texture, you can skip the oven step and just let them air-dry longer.
Inspired by a recipe from Αργυρώ Μπαρμπαρίγου