Olive Tapenade
Salty, briny and full of flavor, this easy olive tapenade is made with kalamata olives for a simple spread that works as an appetizer or condiment. Serve with crackers, fresh veggies or with olive oil to dip bread. Either way you’ll love it.

Why I love this olive tapenade recipe
Before we left France, Ellie and I spent a few days by ourselves when Marc was on the road. Sadly, I didn’t really feel like cooking, so I made a meal of a whole grain baguette and some olive tapenade I bought at the grocery store.
I ended up eating the whole thing – the entire baguette and most of the tapenade. It was so good, I bought it again the next week, and we had it as an apero before dinner.
I figured it would be a cinch to make when I got home. So I made a mental note of the ingredients that were listed on the package, and I made a batch of fresh olive tapenade last week. And guess what, the homemade version is even better than the store-bought stuff.
Fun idea: Add this olive tapenade to your next relish tray.

Here’s what you’ll need to make olive tapenade



How to make and serve olive tapenade
Combine ingredients in a food processor. Blend until a grainy paste forms. Put in a bowl to serve. I served it with pita chips and multigrain crackers, but I was also really pleased with how it tasted with some carrots and cucumbers. Either way, tapenade will be my new go-to appetizer dip from here on out.

FAQs and tips on making olive tapenade
Not really, although it is quite salty, it is full of flavor and has plenty of nutrients.
Tapenade is made to be spread, so it is very finely processed versus a bruschetta is coarsely chopped.
They are very similar but a pesto usually has a cheese or nuts included, so tapenade is a great option for people with dairy or nut allergies.

More dairy free dips you will love
Other appetizer recipes you should try
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Olive Tapenade
Salty, briny and full of flavor, this easy olive tapenade is made with kalamata olives for a simple spread that works as an appetizer or condiment. Serve with crackers, fresh veggies or with olive oil to dip bread. Either way you’ll love it.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: about 2 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted kalamata olives
- 1/4 cup packed parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon small capers
- 1 large garlic clove (about 1/2 teaspoon minced)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- In a food processor, blend all ingredients until texture is grainy and no large pieces remain.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 111
- Sugar: 0.2 g
- Sodium: 276.2 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 8.1 g
- Fiber: 1.6 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Published: April 21, 2015. Updated: November 30, 2021.
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