Make this easy Olive Tapenade for your next party spread, sandwich, or pizza garnish! It comes together in minutes and has endless possibilities.
Happiness can be found in bowls of tapenade.
At this exact moment, I cannot decide whether I would rather have it on crostini, garnishing a soup, or slathered on a sandwich.
Or maybe as a dip for fries? Or for vegetables?
Olives
Be sure to choose mild olives that have been cured in brine. I love Kalamata and Lucques olives but picholines and Niçoise olives are also great choices. Use one kind or a combination of a few of your favorites.
Haven’t you always wanted to sample all kinds of different olives at your grocery store’s olive bar? Now is your chance!
Capers
Capers have different packaging methods; you can buy them brine-packed or salt-packed. The salt-packed ones have a more mild (and I think preferable) flavor although I like both. If you forget to rinse them, however, the flavor can be overpowering at times.
Anchovies
I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Anchovies, yuck!” Well, maybe not, but that’s what I was thinking for the longest time.
I now recognize that anchovies add a fantastic savory, umami flavor to dishes. After all, I love Worcestershire sauce and Caesar salad dressing and who knows what else.
Yet, despite a childhood of eating tinned sardines, I still struggle to actually buy and handle anchovies. HOWEVER. I recently stumbled upon anchovy paste which I think is the perfect compromise: Enjoy the flavor, get used to the mental aspect of them, without having to touch them. (Just like tomato paste in a tube, it keeps indefinitely in the refrigerator).
Homemade Olive Tapenade Recipe
- 1 1/2 cups pitted, brine-cured olives
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste or 2 anchovy filets, minced
- 3 tablespoons capers rinsed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley
- 3 cloves garlic roasted if desired (see notes)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 2 lemons
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- In a food processor, combine olives, anchovies, capers, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Pulse 2 to 3 times until coarsely chopped.
- Drizzle in olive oil and pulse a few more times until a chunky paste forms, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
- To roast the garlic, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the top off a bulb of garlic so the cloves are exposed. Set the bulb on a piece of foil large enough to wrap the bulb. Top the exposed cloves with olive oil and wrap the bulb tightly in foil. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until a knife slides easily in to the middle of the bulb.
I just made this and it turned out very salty, even though I added no salt. I rinsed the capers but now I’m wondering if I should have also rinsed the olives -? Also, I was able to get 3 tablespoons of lemon juice out of only one lemon.
Hi Cindy, you can always add more lemon juice if something is too salty. You could definitely rinse the olives although I would probably not, but then again I love super salty food. And this is an inherently salty spread. I think you could try rinsing the olives next time, that might make it fit your taste preferences better. And it sounds like you found the juiciest lemon ever! -Meggan
Nothing takes 5 minutes, but really good. You can adjust flavor as you go adding additional anchovie fillets. Highly recommend it.
Received my first food processor for Christmas and made this! Picky husband approved! Thanks for making it easy to follow and the helpful notes!
Can this be made ahead and stored? Wanting to add this to an antipasti table at my daughter’s wedding. I am looking for recipes that can me made a couple days before the big date.
Hi Michelle, yes! I would make this up to 3 days ahead. Anything with garlic, you have to be wary of botulism so I wouldn’t make it more than 3 days ahead. But you’ll be totally fine with 3 days. I hope this is helpful. Congrats to your daughter, I’m so happy for all of you! :) If you need anything else please let me know.
Can’t wait to try this olive tapenade..,will serve w/pita chips & fresh veggies!!
Grazie mi amico!!
I did make it and it was delicious! I am going to make it again this weekend. It’s great with pita chips and vegetables, and the leftovers I mixed in with quinoa. I am going to try it without the anchovies next time. I am still looking for an easy substitute for the anchovies. Someone mentioned plum paste, but I have not seen the plum paste in my local stores. Is there anything else that would be a good substitute?
I just made this!! It’s so good!! Keeper for sure :)
This looks delicious and I have the ingredients, but have any of your reviewer actually made it? I’d like the review of someone who has made it.
Many thanks! Jan
Hi Jan! I looked through the comments and no one who has made it has commented. Except for me, of course. It is always more helpful when the comments are from people who have actually tried the recipe! Sorry about that.
Pulling at my heart strings. I can eat olive tapenade by the spoonful!
What a photos ! This is one of those dishes that you immediately paste to your “to do ” list. Thank you so much !
Hey there, Meggan. Just wondering… how many anchovies should I add to the tapenade? It’s not listed. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
I am so sorry about this!! It’s 3 anchovy filets. Updating the recipe right now. :)
Looks amazing but how many anchovies did you use? The amount is not listed.
Hi Amanda, I am so sorry!!! I clearly got my wires crossed typing this recipe out. The amount is three anchovy filets, rinsed and patted dry. I actually meant to move that to the “notes” as an optional ingredient so this could be vegan-friendly! I’ve made, and enjoyed, this recipe both with and without the anchovy filets. Thanks for finding the typo so I may fix it right away!
This looks fabulous!
Thank you so much, Marla! It’s definitely a treat for an olive-lover!
Simple but Yummy! I like adding red peppers, sweet peppers i.e…and no anchovies of course!
I love tapenade and your recipe looks great! I’m looking forward to trying it!
This post immediately grabbed my attention, Meggan, as we’ve just spent the last week apartment-hunting, too. Looks like we’re going to have to delay again for a few months, but that’s another story. Anyhow, love olive tapenade and it’s great to have a good recipe for it. I’m keen to give this a go for sure. :-)
They look great. Awesome! :)