This olive tapenade recipe has a scrumptious mixture of contemporary, salty, and briny flavors. Serve it with crackers or baguette for a easy summer season appetizer!
A number of years again, for those who’d provided me olive tapenade at a celebration or gathering, I’d have politely declined it. I’d at all times considered myself as an adventurous eater, however for some motive, olives simply hadn’t been for me. However not too long ago, I’ve lastly(!) began to return round to them. I like them in Greek salad and on bruschetta, and now, I even love olives in tapenade! Who is aware of? For those who’re an olive skeptic, this recipe may win you over too.
For those who’re not aware of tapenade, it’s a salty, briny olive unfold that originated within the Provençe area of France. It’s unbelievable on crackers and baguette, and it’s a powerful centerpiece for a summer season cheese board. My recipe requires a brief listing of pantry components, so it’s simple to whip up at a second’s discover. It will be an ideal last-minute appetizer for a celebration right now or anytime this season. Get pleasure from!
Olive Tapenade Recipe Substances
Conventional tapenade is made with anchovies along with olives and capers. To maintain this recipe vegetarian, I skip the anchovies, however don’t fear – it’s nonetheless intensely flavorful. Right here’s what you’ll have to make it:
- Olives, after all! A conventional recipe would name for black olives akin to niçoise or Nyon. For a colourful twist, I take advantage of a mixture of inexperienced olives, like Castelvetrano, and kalamata olives as a substitute. Tip: For fast and straightforward prep, purchase pitted olives on the grocery retailer as a substitute of pitting them your self!
- Capers – They amp up the tapenade’s salty, briny taste.
- Solar-dried tomatoes – They’re not fully conventional, however they add beautiful pink flecks and wealthy, savory taste to this recipe.
- Recent lemon juice – For brightness.
- Garlic – For chunk.
- Additional-virgin olive oil – It brings the tapenade collectively right into a cohesive paste.
- And contemporary basil or parsley – These herbs supply a contemporary distinction to all of the briny, salty components within the recipe.
Discover the whole recipe with measurements under.
Historically, olive tapenade is made in a mortar and pestle, however to streamline the method, I make mine in a meals processor as a substitute. It comes collectively in simply 5 minutes!
Olive Tapenade Serving Solutions
My favourite approach to serve tapenade is as an appetizer. Set it out with crackers or baguette, or serve it as a part of part of a snack board with parts akin to these:
- Creamy dips. You’ll be able to’t go fallacious with hummus or white bean dip.
- Cheeses. I like serving this olive tapenade with delicate, creamy cheeses like brie or contemporary mozzarella.
- Crunchy snacks. Roasted chickpeas and pecans are my go-tos.
- Recent veggies or fruit. No matter’s in season is your greatest guess!
However there are different methods to serve olive tapenade, too! Attempt dotting it onto pizza, or slather it onto a sandwich. Spoon it over hard-boiled eggs for a snack or onto scrambled eggs for breakfast. You may additionally add just a few dollops to a summer season salad, like a Caprese salad or this zucchini salad, for a daring punch of taste.
How do you prefer to serve olive tapenade? Let me know within the feedback!
Extra Favourite Summer time Appetizers
For those who love this olive tapenade recipe, attempt considered one of these summer season appetizers subsequent:

Olive Tapenade
Serves 4
This olive tapenade recipe is a straightforward, scrumptious appetizer! We like to serve it with crackers or baguette. Discover extra serving solutions within the publish above.
- 1½ cups pitted olives, mixture of kalamata and inexperienced olives
- 4 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon capers
- ½ tablespoon contemporary lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove
- ⅓ cup contemporary basil or parsley
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In a small meals processor, mix the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, capers, lemon juice, and garlic.
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Pulse till mixed however nonetheless chunky. Add the contemporary herbs and pulse once more.
Retailer leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
Sources: David Lebovitz and The Artwork of Easy Meals by Alice Waters