Artificial Food Coloring Free Black Olive Tapenade
Rich, briny, and deeply savory, this Provençal-style spread is the kind of thing that disappears fast at any gathering. Every ingredient here is whole and real — Kalamata olives, capers, anchovies, fresh thyme, garlic, and good olive oil — so there's nothing artificial hiding in the mix. That matters more than you'd think, because store-bought versions often sneak in dyes or color-stabilizing additives to make the spread look more uniform and shelf-stable. Making it yourself takes about five minutes in a food processor and gives you total control over what goes in the jar. The anchovies melt right into the paste, adding a deep umami backbone without any fishy flavor, while the lemon juice and capers keep things bright and punchy. Pulse it coarse for a rustic texture that clings beautifully to crusty bread, or run it a little longer for something smoother that works as a sandwich spread or a bold pasta sauce. It's the kind of condiment that makes everything it touches taste more interesting.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 ½ cups pitted kalamata olives
- 3 tbsp capers, drained
- 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Combine the Kalamata olives, capers, anchovy fillets, garlic clove, lemon juice, thyme leaves, and black pepper in the bowl of a food processor.
- 2
Pulse 8–10 times until the mixture is coarsely chopped and no large olive pieces remain.
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