Olive Tapenade
Bring the taste of the Mediterranean to your table with this easy olive tapenade recipe. Briny olives and capers team up with fresh garlic, lemon juice, herbs, and flavor-packed sundried tomatoes to create this chunky, savory spread.
Enjoy it as a dip, spread, or a flavorful addition to pasta and grilled meats. And if you still have some extra olives leftover, use them up to make fried stuffed olives!
I've recently been trying my hands at Mediterranean condiments- especially those that could be used for parties. My Schug sauce turned out SO good, and my lemon white bean dip got wiped off within minutes! So of course, I had to try my hands at another classic too.
Traditional olive tapenade is made with anchovies added in, but for the sake of my vegetarian readers, I decided to skip it this time. And trust me- the flavors are still AMAZING!
Quick Look
- 🔪Prep time: 5 min.
- ⏲️Cook time: 0 min.
- 👪 Servings: 6.
- 📋Main ingredients: Olives, capers, garlic, sundried tomatoes, lemon juice, fresh herbs, olive oil.
- ♨️Cooking method: Add all ingredients to a food processor 🡢 blitz until coarse and chunky 🡢 season and serve.
- ⭐Difficulty: Easy.
- 🥣Serving ideas: Use in sandwiches, with grilled meats or as a dip on a holiday charcuterie board with crusty bread, cream cheese stuffed dates and other appetizers.
Jump to:
What's So Great About the Recipe?
- Zesty and tangy: Olives and capers team up beautifully to create a fresh, tangy dip- just like my lemon caper sauce.
- Simple ingredients: Comes together with just a few pantry staples and fresh herbs.
- Great for entertaining: Serve with bread, crackers, or alongside cheese and other mezze.
Recipe Ingredients
Olives: I used a mix of black and green olives here for that nice bit of color. Feel free to use either one of them.
Capers: For some extra briny deliciousness. You can skip these if you don't have them though.
Garlic: Fresh garlic, for that pungent, umami kick.
Sundried tomatoes: I love using my homemade oven dried tomatoes here, but if you're using the jarred ones, make sure you drain them before you use them here.
Fresh herbs: Parsley and basil, for that beautiful aroma and freshness.
Lemon juice: For the citrusy zing and to tie all those flavors together.
Apple cider vinegar: This one's optional, but adds a nice fruity flavor to the tapenade.
Seasonings: Salt and pepper. Add red pepper flakes if you want a spicy tapenade or some mixed herbs for extra flavor.
Olive oil: The best quality extra virgin olive oil you can find!
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- To add a smoky flavor to the tapenade, use air fried roasted garlic instead of raw garlic.
- If you're going to use salt to season the tapenade, consider using an infused salt like garlic parsley salt or citrus salt for more flavor.
How to Make Olive Tapenade
Step 1: Add all the ingredients to your food processor jar.
Step 2: Blitz for a minute until you get a coarse, chunky mixture.
💭Top Tip
Pulse, don't puree. Remember that you want the mixture to be spreadable, but not too pasty.
How to Store Leftover Olive Tapenade
Store your leftover olive tapenade in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. When you want to serve, allow it to sit at room temperature for a while before you do.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Taste first, then season. Keep in mind that olives and capers can be really salty already- add more salt ONLY if needed.
- It also makes sense to rinse the olives to remove some of the saltiness before you use them for the recipe.
- Use an infused oil like rosemary garlic oil or lemon infused olive oil to make the olive tapenade extra flavorful.
- If you're using dry packed sundried tomatoes, rehydrate them in some water before you use them for the recipe.
How to Serve Olive Tapenade
My favorite way to enjoy this olive tapenade is to feature it on a charcuterie board along with my favorite crackers and veggie sticks. I usually pair it with some other condiments like cherry tomato confit or Bruschetta dip, my favorite pickled rhubarb and some appetizers like candied dates and butternut squash chips and pita chips.
You can also add a few dollops of it to your fresh salads, or whisk it with some more olive oil and copious amounts of lemon juice to turn it into a vinaigrette. You can also dollop some of it over your devilled eggs!
Troubleshooting and FAQs
Yes! It's freezer-friendly too. Transfer it to freezer-safe bags or Souper cubes and freeze for up to 3 months. Remember to thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before you serve!
More Condiment Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this olive tapenade or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Olive Tapenade
Ingredients
- 2 cups olives
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1 cup sundried tomatoes
- 2 garlic
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 lemon juiced
- ½ cup parsley
- 1 tablespoon basil
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to your food processor jar.
- Blitz for a minute until you get a coarse, chunky mixture.
Notes
- Taste first, then season. Keep in mind that olives and capers can be really salty already- add more salt ONLY if needed.
- It also makes sense to rinse the olives to remove some of the saltiness before you use them for the recipe.
- Use an infused oil like rosemary garlic oil or lemon infused olive oil to make the olive tapenade extra flavorful.
- If you're using dry packed sundried tomatoes, rehydrate them in some water before you use them for the recipe.
