Description
Green Olive Tapenade is a vibrant Mediterranean spread made from green olives, capers, fresh herbs, garlic, and olive oil. Bursting with bold, tangy, and briny flavors, this quick and easy recipe transforms simple meals into savory delights. Perfect as a spread, dip, or condiment, it adds zest to bread, salads, sandwiches, and more while being naturally gluten-free and rich in healthy fats.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted green olives, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or thyme, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the Ingredients: Drain and rinse the green olives and capers to remove excess brine, balancing the saltiness. Peel and roughly chop the garlic and fresh herbs for easy blending.
- Blend the Ingredients: Combine the green olives, capers, garlic, and herbs in a food processor or blender. Pulse a few times until a coarse paste forms, keeping some texture for a pleasant mouthfeel.
- Add Olive Oil and Lemon: Slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice while blending to emulsify the tapenade. The mixture should be creamy but not too smooth. Stop and taste frequently.
- Season and Adjust: Add freshly ground black pepper and adjust lemon juice or olive oil as desired to achieve your perfect balance of tang and richness.
- Serve or Store: Transfer the tapenade to a bowl and serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for at least one hour to let the flavors meld before serving.
Notes
- Choose premium green olives with firm flesh; avoid heavy brine or vinegar-packed olives for best flavor.
- Don’t over-process; keep small olive pieces for satisfying texture.
- Use fresh parsley or thyme for the best herbal flavor.
- Taste before adding extra salt since olives and capers are naturally salty.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving to allow flavors to develop.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Green Olive Tapenade, Mediterranean spread, olive spread, healthy appetizer, vegan dip
