Easy Olive Tapenade recipe (2024)

by Erin

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This easyOlive Spread recipecomes together in just 10 minutes in your food processor or blender. Serve this olive tapenade as an appetizer, served as part of a charcuterie board withcrostini, baguette slices or used as a sandwich spread.

Easy Olive Tapenade recipe (1)

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Ingredients needed

How to make it

FAQs

Recipe variations

What do you eat olive spread with?

More easy appetizer recipes

Olive Tapenade

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Equipment

Nutrition

Olive Spreadis salty, tangy, garlicky. Basically all things amazing. Especially for all you olive lovers out there!

But the best part is that you can make this easy recipe in just 10 minutes with the help of your food processor or blender. Plus, it’ll keep in the fridge for up to two weeks, meaning that you can make it way ahead of time.

It’s perfect to keep on hand to use as a delicious spread for sandwiches throughout the week. Or, serve it as a party appetizer or quick snack with some crostini or pita bread.

Ingredients needed

You’ll need the following ingredients:

  • Kalamata Olives – Or, a blend of your favorite olives, green or black.
  • Sun Dried Tomatoes
  • Capers
  • Fresh Garlic Cloves
  • Anchovy Fillets – To make this vegetarian-friendly, simply leave out the anchovy. After processing you may find that your tapenade needs a bit more salt, so simply adjust that to taste with some kosher salt.
  • Fresh Basil & Parsley
  • Lemon Juice
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil

How to make it

  • Simply add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and process until a smooth paste forms.
Easy Olive Tapenade recipe (2)
Easy Olive Tapenade recipe (3)

FAQs

How long does olive spread last in the fridge?

Tapenade will last up to two weeks in the refrigerator stored in an airtight container.

Can you freeze tapenade?

Yes! You can freeze tapenade in a covered container for up to three months.

Is olive spread keto?

Tapenade is keto-friendly.

Is olive tapenade vegan?

As written this tapenade recipe is not vegan because it includes anchovies. However, you can change that!

Recipe variations

  • Try switching things up by using your favorite olives from the olive bar – black olives, green olives, castelvetrano olives, niçoise olives.
  • Add in some roasted red peppers.
  • Make an artichoke tapenade by using artichoke hearts.
Easy Olive Tapenade recipe (4)

What do you eat olive spread with?

  • I love it served oncrostiniwith goat cheese or cream cheese andsun dried tomatoes.
  • Served with pita bread.
  • Include the tapenade on a charcuterie or cheese board.
  • Serve it as a dip with crackers.
  • Swirl it into hummus.
  • Combine it with a bit more oil and vinegar to make a yummy salad dressing.
  • Spread it on sandwiches.
  • Add a small amount to some slicedroasted chickenorpork tenderloin.

Wine pairings

  • Look for a red with a bit of tannins to stand up to this salty spread. Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot are all great pairings.
Easy Olive Tapenade recipe (5)

More easy appetizer recipes

  • Blistered Shish*to Peppers
  • Prosciutto Wrapped Avocado Bites
  • Mexican Meatballs (Albondigas)

Did you try this olive spread recipe?

If you loved this olive tapenade recipe I would appreciate it so much if you would leave a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me onInstagramusing the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

For more great Platings and Pairings recipes, be sure to follow me onInstagram,TikTok,PinterestandFacebook.

Easy Olive Tapenade recipe (6)

Olive Tapenade

This easy Olive Spread recipe comes together in just 10 minutes in your food processor or blender. It's amazing as an appetizer for parties, served as part of a charcuterie board, or used as a sandwich spread.

5 from 7 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Created by Platings and Pairings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups pitted mixed olives (rinsed in warm water (black kalamata, green, nicoise))
  • 1/4 cup marinated sun-dried tomatoes (drained)
  • 1 Tablespoon capers (rinsed)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 anchovy fillet
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh basil leaves chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley leaves chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  • In food processor or blender, combine all ingredients except olive oil. Pulse a few times until coarsely chopped.

  • Slowly drizzle in olive oil while processing until it reaches your desired texture.

  • Serve at room temperature.

Notes

Tapenade will keep up to 2 weeks, refrigerated, in a covered container.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

Equipment

Food processor or blender

Nutrition

Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1124mg | Potassium: 264mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 325IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg

This olive tapenade post was originally published in 2020. It was updated in 2021 to add new photographs, and again in 2023 to add new content. The olive spread recipe remains the same. Enjoy!

Check out the web story here.

Easy Olive Tapenade recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a traditional tapenade made of? ›

Place the olives, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, drained capers, garlic, anchovies, thyme, and black pepper in a food processor. Process until all the ingredients are finely chopped, but not completely pureed. Serve the olive spread on baguette slices or with fresh crudités. Enjoy!

What are the ingredients in olive spread? ›

INGREDIENTS: Water, Palm Oil, Rapeseed Oil, Olive Oil (10%), Palm Kernel Oil, Salt (1%), Vitamin E, Acidity Regulator (Citric Acid), Flavouring, Colour (Beta-Carotene), Vitamin A, Vitamin D.

How long does homemade tapenade last in the fridge? ›

Any opened jar of store-bought tapenade in the refrigerator should be consumed within two weeks for the best quality. Homemade versions might have a shorter lifespan, usually around seven days, due to the absence of commercial preservatives.

What is a good substitute for olive tapenade? ›

Tapenade can be made with black or green olives, each having the distinct flavour of its key ingredient. Alternative ingredients include savoury cousins- sun-dried tomato, artichoke, roasted aubergine, feta, etc.

What is a traditional tapenade made of olives? ›

Tapenade is made with olives and capers, then flavored with other herbs and spices. The dish is finished with plenty of olive oil to give it the desired consistency. What does tapenade taste like? Olive tapenade has a briny, salty flavor from the olives.

Are there different types of tapenade? ›

However, nowadays, tapenade doesn't just mean olive spread - through the years, it has almost become an umbrella term for a wide variety of pates, mostly made of different types of vegetables. From tomato to mushroom and even eggplant tapenade, there is no end to all the decadent pastes you can make!

What are the ingredients in Trader Joe's olive tapenade? ›

Ingredients. Black olives (ferrous sulfate gluconate to stabilize color), green olives, canola oil, olive oil, fresh roasted garlic, capers, red pimientos, mustard, spices.

Why are Castelvetrano olives so good? ›

Instead, these olives are processed in a bath of fresh water and lye solution for multiple times in a two-week period. This process removes bitter compounds more quickly and so the olive retains its crisp, meaty texture but develops that buttery, mild olive flavor you love.

What is muffuletta spread made of? ›

Flavourful Olive Salad blended with cream cheese, sour cream and mortadella makes a delicious and versatile spread that you will use in so many summer dishes.

How to tell if olive tapenade is bad? ›

Lastly, always be mindful of the expiration date, especially with store-bought tapenade. In any case, no matter the storage conditions of your olive-based spread, if you ever notice an off smell, mold, or questionable change in texture, it's better to be safe and discard it.

Can I freeze tapenade? ›

Yes – absolutely! Simply add your leftover homemade tapenade to an ice cube tray covered in cling film and freeze. Once frozen, you can transfer the cubes to a freezer bag. To use, simply defrost a few cubes overnight in the fridge.

Why is tapenade good for you? ›

Together with garlic, a natural immune booster, and olive oil, which further enhances heart health and aids in nutrient absorption, olive tapenade becomes a powerhouse of nutrition.

Does olive tapenade go bad? ›

Any opened jar of store-bought tapenade in the refrigerator should be consumed within two weeks for the best quality. Homemade versions might have a shorter lifespan, usually around seven days, due to the absence of commercial preservatives.

Is olive tapenade French or Italian? ›

Tapenade
TypeSpread
Place of originFrance
Region or stateProvence
Main ingredientsOlives, capers, anchovies
Cookbook: Tapenade Media: Tapenade
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What is the meaning of black olive tapenade? ›

: a seasoned spread made chiefly with mashed black olives, capers, and anchovies.

Does tapenade always have olives? ›

Traditional tapenade is made with anchovies in addition to olives and capers. To keep this recipe vegetarian, I skip the anchovies, but don't worry – it's still intensely flavorful. Here's what you'll need to make it: Olives, of course!

Is tapenade always made of olives? ›

Over time, in France, the United States, and elsewhere, olives gradually became the dominant ingredient, to the point where today almost everyone thinks of tapenade as an olive paste that's flavored with lesser amounts of other ingredients, from capers and anchovies to herbs like basil and thyme and aromatics like ...

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