Olive lovers, tapenade is for you! Tapenade is an olive spread or dip hailing from the Provence region in France. It’s bold, zippy, briny and salty, though we’ll be sure to keep the salt level in check.
Served with crostini or crackers, tapenade is a wonderful appetizer with drinks. It offers some welcome contrast when served with creamy dips, like hummus or spinach artichoke dip. You can also spread it onto sandwiches, dollop it onto salads, and more. Tapenade will keep for a week or two in the fridge, so you’ll find many uses for it.
Tapenade is named after the Provençal word for capers, tapenas. Over the years, olives have become the predominant ingredient, and I used capers as a subtle accent. Similar olive spreads have been served in the Mediterranean for ages, which is why tapenade is a natural pairing with your favorite Mediterranean flavors.
Traditional tapenade also includes anchovies, but being vegetarian, I omitted them. This dip is loaded with complex flavor regardless, and it’s suitable for vegans and those with shellfish allergies as well.
To make this easy tapenade, you’ll need just a few basic ingredients and a food processor. It comes together in about 10 minutes with mostly pantry ingredients! You’ll need Castelvetrano and Kalamata olives, fresh parsley, capers, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice. Let’s make some already.
The Best Olives for Tapenade
In France, you’ll find tapenades made entirely with black olives (typically Niçoise olives), or green olives, or a combination of the two. While it’s a matter of preference, I highly recommend a combination of green olives (specifically, Castelvetrano) and black (Niçoise or Kalamata, not the squeaky canned kind). You’ll find both of these varieties in well-stocked American grocery stores.
Castelvetrano olives are rich, buttery, fleshy and not too salty, as many olives can be. Kalamata olives pack more of a briny punch, which is why we’ll use half as much black olive as green. Then we’ll add just a tablespoon of drained capers. Keeping the salt level in check is key to a truly enjoyable, flavorful dip.
The Easiest Way to Pit Olives
After some experimentation, I’m pleased to report that I’ve found a very easy way to pit olives. Hooray!
Here’s how: Place a small handful of olives on a cutting board. Find a sturdy liquid measuring cup or jar with a wide base (I imagine a skillet would work, too). Press the base of the jar down over the olives until they break into pieces (see photo above). Now, you can remove the pits with ease.
Pitted Olive Safety Note
Even if you are using pre-pitted olives, check each one to ensure that it’s actually been pitted. It’s not unusual to find some olive pits along the way. It’s best to find the pits before they go into the food processor and break into smaller pieces. The pits are very hard and could break a tooth!
How to Serve Tapenade
Tapenade is a lovely appetizer with a glass of wine (especially a crisp rosé or sauvignon blanc) or a stiff gin or vodka-based cocktail (think gin and tonic or martini).
Tapenade has many uses, though. Here are some serving suggestions:
- Cheese plates: Serve tapenade in place of whole olives (or in addition to them, if you’re serving olive lovers).
- Salads: Whisk a dollop of tapenade into a vinaigrette or spoon it sparingly over tomato salad.
- Sandwiches: Tapenade is a great sandwich spread, especially with avocado, creamy cheese, tomatoes and cucumbers.
- Savory breakfasts: Tapenade would be nice on scrambled or fried eggs, with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh parsley or basil, and creamy cheese, such as goat cheese or feta.
- Or simply with crostini, crackers or crusty bread
Please let me know how your tapenade turns out in the comments! I love hearing how you serve my recipes.
Easy Tapenade
- Author:
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 ½ cups 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Food processor
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Vegan
This tapenade recipe tastes so fresh and comes together so easily! Serve this French olive spread with crackers, crostini, cheese plates or on sandwiches. Recipe yields 1 ½ cups tapenade.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted*
- ½ cup Niçoise or Kalamata olives, pitted*
- ¼ cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley (thin stems are ok)
- 1 tablespoon drained capers
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- In the bowl of your food processor, combine all of the ingredients (pitted olives, parsley, capers, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice). Pulse briefly about 10 times, then scrape down the sides of the jar.
- Pulse 5 to 10 more times until well chopped, but not pureed, or until you reach your desired texture. Serve as desired. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
*Safety note/how to pit olives: Even if buying pitted olives, check to ensure each olive has actually been pitted (sometimes they sneak through). To pit olives with ease, place several olives on a cutting board, then press a sturdy, large liquid measuring cup or jar down over them. The olives will break into pieces, making it easy to remove the pits.
No food processor? Finely chop the solid ingredients by hand, then stir all of the ingredients together in a bowl.
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
4waystoyummy
I love tapenade! Luckily I have all the things I need to make a batch right now. I will be substituting traditional capers with my preserved nasturtium bud capers. Fingers crossed! Happy New Year!
★★★★★
Kate
Hope it turns out great!
Kate
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it!
Kate
Thanks Kate! Let me know how it turns out!
Kathy Metcalf
Just started receiving your emails. Where have you been all my life? . Love the way you go into detail on everything. It just makes me want to try every one of your recipes. Wish your book was sold in our local Target store. Please don’t stop creating and sending me your recipes. Happy New Year!!! Thanks so much
Kate
Thank you so much for your note, Kathy! It brightened my day. Happy New Year!
Ivory
I never had this dish before, but thank God I am not a picky eater for trying new dishes, because this one looks amazing. Can hardly wait to give it a try. Yum!!!
★★★★★
Michele
Excellent!! This was so good with rosemary bruschetta crackers!
★★★★★
Kate
Sounds so good! Thanks, Michele!
Anne
This looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it. Also, I received your cookbook as a Christmas present. I was delighted to see so many wholesome recipes that I could eat. I’ve been modifying recipes for ages given my hypoglycemia. It’s so nice to have the modifications done for me. Thank you! (My regards to Cookie.)
Kate
Hi Anne! I hope you love all of the recipes. Cookie says hi!
Brittany Allison
Just made this awesome tapenade! Other than putting the olives which still took a decent amount of time with your nifty trick (soo helpful!) it was was super easy and turned out to be a HIT! Thanks again Kate. I’ve loved every recipe I’ve made from you!
★★★★★
Kate
So glad my trick worked well for you, Brittany! Thank you for your review, and Happy New Year!
Erin
If I want to add artichokes, how much would you recommend, and marinated vs non?
Kate
Hi Erin! That sounds like a fun twist. I am just guessing here, but I’d probably try 1/2 to 3/4 cup well-drained artichoke. Marinated or not, both should work well.
Laura
Tapenade rocks! Growing up, my mother would sometimes add butter and cheese to it in the food processor, and then put it on top of crostini and melt it all together under the broiler for a few minutes. Heaven.
Kate
Oh man, that sounds completely wonderful! Will have to give your mom’s version a try soon.
Patti
I just made this for our socially distanced New Year’s. I love tapenade and this recipe was so easy to make and tastes fabulous!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Patti! Glad to hear it. Happy New Years!
Joann
This tapenade is awesome! Coincidentally we were gifted a large jar of Castelvetrano olives yesterday and couldn’t believe it when your post featured them. I made is as part of a cheeseboard, also included your cranberry sauce on the board – absolutely delicious!! Thank you for all the great recipes Kate.
★★★★★
Kate
How perfect! Love that you included my cranberry sauce, too. Happy Near Year, Joann!
Marilyn
I made the easy tapenade recipe today. I used Queen sized green olives and Kalamata olives. My Kalamata olives had pits in them so I used your tip on how to pit the olives. It works fine thank you. I can’t use any fish in the tapenade so was pleased to see this recipe. Tastes delicious and I will serve it tonight with some seed crackers when my husband and I have a few appy’s for our New Year’s Eve.
Wishing you and yours a very Happy & Healthy 2021.
★★★★★
Kate
Happy New Years, Marilyn! I’m so glad the tapenade recipe worked well for you.
Heather Ripplinger
Delicious! The best olive tapenade I’ve ever had!
Kate
Thanks so much, Heather!
Sue
Your tapenade recipe was a huge hit! I think it sold your cookbook! Easy and very good! Great on sandwiches (leftovers)
Thank you for yet another great recipe
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! Thanks for letting me know, Sue!
Angela E
I have been wanting to make a tampenade for some time but just didn’t think it would compare to the one I had tasted when visiting family in California. This recipe is super easy and tastes sooo good! So thankful to have had this recipe delivered right into my inbox. Thanks so much!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m so happy to hear it, Angela! Thank you very much.
Gina
I made this over the Christmas holidays a one of the starters. It was so good! Only downside: it vanished in seconds and I found myself in the kitchen again whipping up another batch. I LOVE tapenade but cannot eat anchovies if you paid me so you can imagine my joy when I came across this recipe! 10 stars ⭐️
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you! I’m delighted you loved this recipe, Gina.
Kelci
Your recipes are always bangers, Kate! I’ve been following you and using your recipes for years, and some of our favorite meals ever have come from your blog. This tapenade was delicious & extraordinarily easy which is nice! We enjoyed on homemade sourdough focaccia!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Kecli! I’m happy you love them. I appreciate your kind comment and review.
Sonia R Edgar
I’m craving tapenade, but I don’t have any capers… too far for a second trip to the grocery store out of the rural area. Can I leave it out or replace with something else for flavor? Help
★★★★★
Kate
Hi! Sorry for my delay. You could try a few more olives or just omit. What did you decide to do?
Donna
This was really good. My company brought over a homemade crusty sourdough bread for this tapenade and it was so yummy. That’s what I’m having for breakfast!
★★★★★
Kate
Sounds like a perfect pairing! Thank you for sharing, Donna.
Ilene
Damn delicious!
★★★★★
Sam Griffith
I just made it, wonderful, I love olives. I probably could have pulsed it less, just to make it a little chunky.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for your review, Sam!
S. Kramer
This recipe is fantastic!!!! It’s my new Friday night must have! Since it’s just 2 of us I cut the recipe in half & whip it up in my mini food prep processor!
★★★★★
Rick
As a single father, I can barely find time for complicated recipes. But sometimes, when I see something like this, I just must! Besides, i love spending time with my kiddo in the kitchen and he loves everything about cooking, starting from cooking games on papasgames.us to cooking anime shows like Shokugeki no Soma.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you enjoyed it, Rick! Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Mary Minton
Is it ok to use curly parsley?
Kate
Sure, that will work too.