Why I love this olive tapenade
Before we left France, Ellie and I spent a few days by ourselves when Marc was on the road. Since I didn’t really feel like cooking, I made a meal of a fresh whole grain baguette and some olive tapenade from the grocery store. It was so good, I bought it again the next week for a little apero before dinner.
I figured it would be a cinch to make when I got home, and I finally made a batch last week. Turns out, homemade olive tapenade is even better than the store-bought.
This recipe comes together in about five minutes with just a handful of ingredients, and it’s super versatile. Use it as a dip, as a sandwich spread or add it to your next relish tray. We even love it on pasta – just use it as you would a pesto.
More dairy free recipes: olive oil bread dip / dairy free spinach artichoke dip / chipped beef dip / dairy free buffalo chicken dip
Melissa’s tips + tricks:
- Mix up your olives. You don’t need to use only Kalamata olives here. Sometimes we do half Kalamata and half green olives (no pimento please!).
- Don’t over-blend. Pulse until you get a grainy paste — you want a little texture, not a smooth purée.
- Make it ahead. Tapenade keeps well in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container. The flavor actually improves after a day or two.
- Serving ideas. Serve with pita chips, crackers, sliced baguette, or fresh veggies like carrots and cucumbers. It’s also great as a spread on sandwiches.
Frequently asked questions
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it will keep for up to one week. It can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
They are very similar but a pesto usually has a cheese or nuts included, so tapenade is a great option for people with dairy and/or nut allergies.
Kalamata olives give the best flavor here, but you can use any pitted green olives in a pinch. Just know the flavor will be a bit different.
More dairy free appetizers
Olive Tapenade
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted Kalamata olives
- 1/4 cup loosely packed parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon small capers
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Blend the tapenade. Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until a grainy paste forms with no large pieces remaining.
- Serve or store. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. Tapenade can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Tapenade is one of my absolute favorite things and I’m extremely jealous of how beautiful these pictures are. I always struggle to make the color pop in the right way. Yours are seriously gorgeous!
Thank you! I started using Lightroom and I think it’s made such a difference in my photos 🙂
For some reason I have never had or heard of tapenade. It sounds to me like hummus made from olives. I hope this doesn’t make me sound too ignorant 😉
Haha. No it doesn’t. I had actually only tried it a few years ago, but you should definitely try it (if you like olives.) It’s so flavorful. 🙂
I am Melissa’s husband so naturally I would have a bias but I will give an honest opinion and say that this Tapenade is amazing! I didn’t even eat olives a month ago and I could eat this entire recipe in one sitting.
I love olive tapenade. I’ve never tackled making it myself, but I think you’ve inspired me! I think it also makes a nice spread for a Mediterranean-inspired sandwich or wrap.
I think you should definitely try it soon! It’s so easy, and putting on a sandwich or wrap sounds like a fantastic idea. I may have to try that myself really soon.