Olive tapenade is a delicious, flavorful, and easy dip that comes together in just minutes. It's made with the perfect combination of sharp and tangy olives and capers, blended with fresh herbs, lemon juice, and garlic, and a dash of anchovy paste for an added depth of saltiness, all brought together in olive oil. Serve it on its own as a dip for your next party or on game day, as a spread in sandwiches for a healthy lunch, or top in on pastas, pizza, and more. There are so many ways to enjoy this unique dip.
Why You'll Love Olive Tapenade
- It’s ready to eat in five minutes. Olive tapenade is a chinky dip made by combining all the ingredients into a food processor and blending together until your desired consistency is reached. Which means it takes literally 5 minutes from start to finish — ten if you count washing the dishes.
- You only need 7 simple ingredients. When you hear the words olive tapenade, you might think it's a fancy recipe that sounds complicated. Well, it’s really not. For this recipe, all you need are olives, parsley, capers, anchovy paste, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil.
- It’s has the best flavor. The flavors in this dish are bursting from that combination of ingredients — tangy, salty, and savory. Capers, olives, and anchovies bring a pleasant sourness and saltiness. And fresh, clean flavors of lemon, garlic, and parsley help balance it all out.
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make this delicious Olive Tapenade, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):
- kalamata olives - feel free to substitute with pitted green olives (like Castelvetrano or Cerignola olives) or a combination of kalamata and green olives for a different version.
- parsley - you can substitute with basil for a different flavor.
- capers
- anchovy paste - or subsittute with 2 minced anchovy filets. You could also leave it out completely but it won't have the distinct tapenade taste.
- lemon juice
- garlic
- olive oil
You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a food processor.
How to Make the Best Olive Tapenade
- In a food processor, add olives, parsley, capers, anchovy paste, lemon juice, and garlic. Pulse mix 3-4 times until coarsely chopped.
- Drizzle in olive oil and pulse a few more times until desired consistency is achieved, scraping down the sides in between as needed. The texture should be chunky bits, similar in size to minced garlic.
How to Serve and Store
- How to serve: You can serve olive tapenade in so many different ways:
- Serve it as a dip with Pita Bread, crackers, bread, and veggies like carrots, cucumbers, and celery.
- As a sandwich spread or pizza topping.
- Garnish it on top of other dips like Hummus or Whipped Feta to add flavor and create something new and delicious.
- Mix in into saucy meals like pasta, gnocchi, polenta, and rice.
- Add it to a Charcuterie Board or Veggie Tray.
- Top it on a Whipped Feta Crostini.
- How to store: Store olive tapenade in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
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More Dip Recipes
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- Baba Ganoush Eggplant Dip
- Caramelized Onion Dip
- Pico de Gallo Chunky Salsa
- Easy Tzatziki Sauce
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Recipe
Olive Tapenade
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2.5 cups
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Olive tapenade is a delicious, flavorful, easy dip that comes together in minutes, made with the perfect combination of sharp, tangy, salty, and savory.
Ingredients
- 1 + ½ cups kalamata olives, pitted
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- In a food processor, add olives, parsley, capers, anchovy paste, lemon juice, and garlic. Pulse mix 3-4 times until coarsely chopped.
- Drizzle in olive oil and pulse a few more times until desired consistency is achieved, scraping down the sides in between as needed. The texture should be chunky bits, similar in size to minced garlic.
Notes
How to serve: You can serve olive tapenade in so many different ways:
- Serve it as a dip with pita bread, crackers, bread, and veggies like carrots, cucumbers, and celery.
- As a sandwich spread or pizza topping.
- Garnish it on top of other dips like hummus or whipped feta to add flavor and create something new and delicious.
- Mix in into saucy meals like pasta, gnocchi, polenta, and rice.
- Add it to a Charcuterie Board or Veggie Tray.
- Top it on a whipped feta crostini.
How to store: Store olive tapenade in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dip
- Method: Food Proccessor
- Cuisine: French
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