MSG Free Basil & Olive Tapenade
Rich, briny, and bright with fresh herbs, this tapenade is the kind of condiment that makes everything it touches taste more interesting. Kalamata and green olives are blended with packed basil leaves, garlic, lemon juice, zest, thyme, and a touch of turmeric for a spread that's deeply savory without relying on any flavor enhancers or additives. That's actually where store-bought versions can trip you up — many jarred tapenades sneak in yeast extracts or flavor boosters that don't belong on a clean ingredient list. Here, every bit of umami depth comes straight from the olives and fresh aromatics, nothing else. The food processor does the heavy lifting, and a slow drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil brings it all together into a coarse, spreadable paste with real texture and body. Serve it on crusty bread, swipe it across a sandwich, or spoon it over grilled chicken — it holds its own in just about any role you give it.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 cup pitted kalamata olives
- ½ cup pitted green olives
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Drain the Kalamata and green olives and pat them dry with a paper towel — excess brine will make the tapenade watery.
- 2
Combine the olives, basil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, thyme, and turmeric in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until the mixture is roughly chopped and no large olive pieces remain.
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