Olive Tapenade: A salty, garlicky, lemony snack, spread or appetizer. This olive tapenade recipe takes ten minutes to whip up and is make ahead easy! This recipe is vegetarian, vegan + gluten free. [ VIDEO in recipe card below ]
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Everyone Loves Olive Tapenade!
You know those recipes that you make over and over again and can rely on each and every time? This easy Olive Tapenade Recipe is it! From the pickiest of eaters to the vast array of friends and family with varying diets, just about everyone can agree on this recipe. It uses 10 fresh ingredients and takes only 10 minutes to make.
My taste for briny/salty flavors is no secret. Olives tend to sooth salty cravings but add capers to the mix and and their briny flavor takes this olive tapenade recipe over the top! And did I mention it’s SO easy? Scroll down to see a video on how to make Olive Tapenade!
Stock up on Olives
Olives are a pantry staple in our home. They make a quick snack and add a good bit of briny/salty flavor, especially in Italian recipes and salads like this Italian Pressed Sandwich, Spinach Pecan Brown Rice Salad and Farro Kale and Olive Salad.
I’ve also included olives in this Olive Artichoke Crostini recipe.
How to Make Olive Tapenade
Because we eat vegetarian in our home, I make this olive tapenade recipe without anchovies opting for capers instead. They are a perfect stand in for that briny/salty flavor anchovies are known for. Whip this tapenade recipe up in the food processor as a spread, dip or as a relish. For a chunkier relish only pulse a few times. For a spread, process longer. In summary, here’s how to do it (see recipe card for details):
- First: add olives, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, oregano, parsley, basil, lemon juice, olive oil and black pepper to a food processor.
- Second: pulse until you get your desired consistency.
- Last: share with crackers or a baguette. Garnish with parsley leaves and drizzle with olive oil.
Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up two weeks (!!).
A Few Recipe Notes
- A Versatile Recipe! Olive tapenade is fabulous served simply with crackers, a baguette, pita or veggies such as cucumber, or celery. It can also be used as a spread or relish on sandwiches, or toast. It’s delicious too as bruschetta or crostini or enjoyed with hummus or goat cheese. So many possibilities!
- Relish or Spread? The main difference in consistency between a spread and relish is how long it spends being processed in the food processor. For a relish, pulse only a few times. For a spread, process until almost a paste forms.
- Tapenade makes a perfect picnic companion alone or slathered on this Italian pressed sandwich, with red wine or if you prefer, a martini.
- This olive tapendade tastes best with a mix of olives. I like Kalamata olives, black olives and buttery green olives in this recipe.
More Appetizers and Snacks to Love
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Habanero Carrot Salsa
- Mushroom Crostini with Goat Cheese
- Chipotle Black Bean Dip
- Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde
- Smoky Roasted Eggplant Hummus
the recipe
Olive Tapenade
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 C (345g) Mixed Pitted Olives such as Black, Kalamata, Green, drained
- 2 Tbs Capers drained
- 2 Tbs Marinated Sun Dried Tomatoes drained
- 1 Tbs Garlic chopped
- 1 tsp Oregano dried
- 4 Tbs Fresh Parsley Leaves chopped, or 1 Tbs dried
- 1 Tbs Fresh Basil Leaves chopped, or 1 tsp dried
- 1 Tbs Lemon Juice about 1/2 a lemon
- 1/4 C (50g) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- A few grinds of black pepper
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the olives, capers, tomatoes, garlic, oregano, parsley, basil, lemon juice, olive oil, and black pepper.
- For a relish, pulse a few times, then scrape down the bowl. Pulse a few more times, and the relish will be ready.
- For a chunky spread (pictured here), pulse up to 15-17 times, stopping to scrape down the bowl a few times.
- For a spreadable tapenade, process until a paste is formed, stopping to scrape down the bowl a few times.
- Garnish with parsley leaves and olive oil for drizzling. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up two weeks.
Video
Notes
- Serve with crackers, a baguette, pita or veggies such as cucumber, or celery, it can also be used as a spread or relish on sandwiches, or toast. It's fabulous too as bruschetta or crostini.
- For a relish, pulse only a few times. For a spread, process until almost a paste forms.
- It pairs well with a good red wine.
- Olive Tapenade makes a perfect picnic companion alone or slathered on this sandwich, with that red wine or if you prefer, a martini.
I made this once and found it too salty for my taste. The second time I rinsed the olives and capers and liked it much better. Delicious!
Hi Laurie! Thank you for your note, giving the recipe a go and sharing your tip! SO happy you were able to adapt the recipe to your taste.
What is a serving size? 510 calories per? It must be a large serving! Also, when I tried to pin this recipe, it didn’t come up as the olive tapenade, it was just your website. Perhaps I missed the actual recipe pin?
Jutta
Hi Jutta – I’m sorry for the confusion. The serving size is 2 Cups (top right corner of the recipe card), so 510 calories is per cup, which makes it 32 calories per Tablespoon. I don’t know what’s going on with the recipe pin… with I click on the grey circle P at the top and bottom of the post, it brings up a new page with all the pins available, so it’s working on my end. I hope this helps!
Oh my! This is fabulous! Can’t wait to eat the sandwich tonight. Thank you!
Hii Melissa! Did you make the Italian pressed sandwich too? So happy to hear you like the olive tapenade! So simple and totally mouthwatering. Thank you for your note!
WoW! I already make your tapenade recipe that I LOVE!!! Now my next project is to make that super Italian sandwich with it! Thank you! Denise from Montreal
This tampenade is delicious! I buy some of the ingredients from my grocer’s olive bar. When done making, I add desired spoonfuls to bowl and combine with 2 (6oz) cans albacore tuna, drained and crumbled feta cheese for a mayo free tuna salad. Tastes great stuffed in pita bread for lunch.
Hi Amy! Thank you so much for coming back, leaving a note and your tips! I love how versatile this spread/dip/relish is too!
Amy
That’s sounds delicious! I’m going to try that. The tapenade is delicious on its own!
Olive tapenade is great with hummus. Good, healthy snack
Mmmmm… agreed! Thank you for your note, Marilyn!
I want to make this up ahead of time for a family trip….will it keep in the fridge, covered for up to three weeks, I mean, generally, olives keep for several months in the fridge so why wouldn’t this keep as well?
Hi Sue, thank you for your note… since I wrote this recipe I’ve stored it in the fridge for, I think, up to a month! It lasts and lasts. I wouldn’t hesitate making it in advance for your family trip! Y’all have fun!
Thank you SO much for responding!! I am experimenting a bit here…I plan to make the tapenade to enjoy as it is and also to add some to cream cheese for a nice alternate cracker spread. I’m excited to give it a try! Thanks again!
I had my husband make this for a family gathering over the summer. It was such a great hit. Thanks.
So happy to hear, Angelica! Thank you for your note! :D
This is a great tapenade. I am bringing it to a community theatre event to spread on mini toast. Hope others are as excited about it as I am.
Can you can this recipe?
Hi Wendy… I’ve not tried canning the recipe. I did find a forum on the subject here: http://forums.finecooking.com/cookstalk/archives/canning-experts-tapenade I hope this helps.
This was my first time making this. Delish and was a hit. I served it with thinly sliced baguette and goat cheese. Will make this again for sure.
I’ve made this twice now in the last month for friend’s birthdays and each time is been devoured within an hour. Absolutely brilliant recipe!
I really loved this recipe :) thanks dear
greetings from Egypt
Tanks a lot for this recipes! its so goog! we loved it!
hanna
Hooray Hanna! Thank you for sharing! Day made!
Hello Traci, I was looking for an appetizer to start a theme for cocktail time on New Year’s Eve this year. Your tapenade is what inspired me the most. The ingredients are so mouth watering. I just made it this afternoon and just had to treat myself a bit. WOW! Delicious! My guests will love it, I’m sure. Thanks for sharing this tapenade!
Hooray Denise! So happy you love it and thank you for sharing your success! :D This is a snack I have on hand pretty regularly. It’s just so darn good and easy to whip up! I find I often have to make a double batch because it goes so fast! Have a fabulous new year my dear!
I just made this tapenade for our holiday party tomorrow to serve on crackers! Easy, simple, and a great addition to the rest of our menu! Thanks!
Hooray! You’re welcome, Anjali. :D Thank you for sharing!
Traci, I think you may have read my mind when you decided to create a tapenade recipe! I just bought a whole big tub of kalamata olives for a tapenade! Gorgeous, Traci! I just signed up for IFBC in Sacramento next year! I felt that I had to go because it’ll be practically right next door to me. Will you attend next year, Traci?
Thank you, Lisa! Hooray for a big tub of kalamata! I think it’s my favorite olive for it’s sharp flavor. Oh that’s great about IFBC and it being just around the corner from you. I don’t plan on attending… although it might be fun. IDK yet.. :D
Aww, shucks. Well, if you ever decide to come down to the Sacramento area, let me know!
Will do, Lisa! :D
I love olives! I cannot believe I’ve never made my own tapenade before! But I’m so glad because now your recipe has come into my life and I won’t have to settle for searching for the perfect one because you’ve already created it!
I love that you’ve used a mix of olives here! And capers too! I can never decide which olives I love the most (Equal Opportunity Olive Consumer) so the mix is just perfection!
This is going to feature very heavily in all of our summer and holiday entertaining!
Oh Amy… It’s TIME!! You’d love it for sure! There are SO many good olives and I recently learned that they apparently taste better if the pit is left in. Who knew? Enjoy, Amy! :D
I LOVE OLIVES! Traci, this looks so amazing… I can taste the salty earthiness just looking at your lovely photos :) The conference sounds like fun! Hope you enjoyed :)
Hooray for Olives, Alison! Thank you my dear! :D
Yum, Traci! I love olives, too! They are the perfect snack and this olive tapenade looks fantastic. I have never tried making my own before but now I”m totally inspired. I, too, stock all sorts of olives in our pantry/fridge. I especially adore cipollini green olives and any marinated in red pepper flakes…kalamata obviously…I could go on and on! Thank you for sharing this simple recipe! XX Katie
Oh Katie, you must give it a go. You already have most of the ingredients on hand! It’s super quick to whip up.. and add a pinch of red pepper flakes.. I’ve done that too and It’s fabulous! :D
This olive tapenade looks awesome Traci! I was way too lazy and just bough a jar yesterday :) But once we finish it, I’ll give your recipe a try! Pinning
Heyyy Mira! Thank you my dear and for your pin! I hope you’ll give this a go… you’ll love it! :D
I thought about going to the IFBC! I wish I would have! Next year we should all arrange to meet and go for drinks and dinner! : ) Love this tapenade, especially with the sun-dried tomatoes! They add such a special, rich flavor. Keeping this appetizer in mind for the holidays (oh, I can’t believe I just said the “H” word haha!)
Yeah, if it were going to be in Seattle, I’d consider it, but it’s in N.Cal next year, so I won’t be going. Thank you, Donna! We love this one with sun-dried tomatoes… and those briny capers! I know, right??? You said it, H——!! YIKES!! :D
That last shot is crazy beautiful, Traci! My husband goes nuts over olives so I know he’d love this. And I can see myself enjoying it with a nice glass of red wine. Mmm,,,
IFBC sounds like it was so much fun too! I haven’t been to a conference yet but I’m hoping too soon. I’m excited to hear more about your time there!
Thank you Sarah! :D Oh, yes! Make this, Sarah! He’ll love it for sure… with Red wine of course! IFBC was good… It’s in N. Cal next year, so I probably wont be going, but there are so many bloggers who can benefit from it in that area!
Ooo… martinis? Olives? Sounds like my kind of event! I am an olive fiend! Seriously – my parents still tell the story of when I ruined my Grandmothers cocktail party because I ate all of the olives. Obviously my family takes their martinis very seriously :P
I would devour this tapenade! I wish I could just reach through the monitor and grab a crusty slice of baguette piled high with tapenade!
HAaahaa! Kathleen! You ARE an olive connoisseur for sure, and you started at such a young age! A crusty baguette is a must! :D
Yesssss I love olives! And tapenade! Growing up whenever there was a party, my mom would make these bite-sized appetizers with tapenade, feta, and tomatoes in puff pastry. I’ve loved tapenade eer since! I’ve always bought mine premade, but I love this homemade recipe. Definitely pinning it to try!
Oh now, the addition of Feta is a good one.. but then theres that puff pastry and tomatoes!? Whaaa? Your Mom knows where its at! Fabulous appetizer idea! No wonder why you love it so much. Chelsea, make your own! It’s so much more economical… and I know you like to know what’s in your stuff! Enjoy my dear!
Ha! I’m the exact same way about capers! Show me some salty briny olives, and I’m all over that too! So funny… Love the idea of tapenade by the way, although I haven’t had it in ages. I need to make this recipe, grab a bottle of Rose, and pretend I’m in Provence (baguette included). Just beautiful! xx
Oh I know! Capers are amazing and so flavorful. I need to buy them in bulk because those little jars hardly last anytime around here! No doubt, an easy and quick recipe to whip up. I”ll pretend too, were in Provence together, with wine and plenty of baguettes… oh and an accordion is a must! hehe! xx https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebv9VeW1u74
So jealous you got to go to IFBC! I really wanted to go to that, but we have had a wedding every single weekend since mid august. Sigh. Maybe next time. This looks like the best little appetizer. My husband freaks over his love of olives : )
Check it out next year, Natalie… they’re coming to your area! Maybe you’ll have a break by then? My goodness! How do you do it all!?! LOL – Olive Freak! :D
All I can say is YUM. I love olives, Traci – I put them in almost all my salads – so I just love this tapenade – the more olives the better! I’m envious that you went to the Blogger conference – did you learn a lot? All the food, seminars and wine tasting must have been amazing. Beautiful pictures as always – I just want to slather some on french bread!
Yes, in your salads! I’ve seen them and I love em’ every time! You know your olives! Yes, I learned, but found too, that there were things I already knew too, which was nice because last year I was clueless! They’re having it in California next year, so in your neck of the woods. Thank you, Geraldine! :D
Traci, this olive tapenade sounds absolutely right up my alley! I totally love olives and serve them at parties with cheese, crackers and marcona almonds all the time! I will definitely be trying this for my next get together. I love the addition of the sun dried tomatoes. I’ll be enjoying it with a nice glass of red! Cheers! Thanks for sharing!
Oh, I hope you’ll give this a go Mary Ann.. it’s just perfect for sharing, and that wine, well, you know I’m in! :D
So now I really want to go on a picnic this weekend…red wine and all. I love olive tapenade – hubby and I shared an amazing one while in Italy and we paired it with a pistachio liqueur that was out of this world. I haven’t found it in the states but I’m determined to get back there just for that magnificent pairing! haha! Thanks for sharing, my dear! I’m a briny kinda girl, too!
I know, right? It’s still so nice out too. Perfect picnic weather for sure. I’ve not heard of pistachio liqueur.. oh my! I can only imagine how it tastes! Let me know when you find it so I can get some! Thank you my briny friend! :D
STUNNING. I have no words. So delicate and delicious- love that briny, salty, olive flavor :) Pinning!
Thank you so much Medha and for your pin! :D
I absolutely adore olives, Traci! They are some of my favorite things to snack on or serve with cheese and crackers. And I love eating them as I sip on a nice glass of cabernet! :) Your tapenade looks divine – I wish I could snatch one of those crackers right now and dig right in. I’ve always wanted to make a great tapenade at home, so I’m excited you’ve shared your recipe with us! Beautiful job, love!
Yeah, and they’re so convenient too, eh? Olives. I think my favorite are green, and I hear they taste better with the pit! I hope you enjoy the recipe Beeta! Thank you my dear! :D