Honey Free Black Olive Tapenade
Briny, bold, and deeply savory, this Provençal-style spread is the kind of thing that makes a simple cracker or toasted baguette feel like something you'd order at a wine bar. Kalamata olives bring a rich, fruity depth, while capers and anchovy fillets layer in that unmistakable punch of salt and umami — no sweetener needed, and none missed. Many store-bought tapenades sneak in honey or sweetened vinegars to balance the brine, so making it from scratch gives you full control over every ingredient. The food processor does the heavy lifting here, and the whole thing comes together in just a few pulses — coarse, textured, and perfectly spreadable. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a little thyme keep it bright without softening any of that assertive, olive-forward character. Serve it as a dip, spread it on sandwiches, or stir a spoonful into pasta for an instant flavor upgrade. It stores beautifully in an airtight jar, so you can keep a batch on hand all week.
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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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