Citrus Free Castelvetrano Olive Tapenade
Buttery Castelvetrano olives are the star here, bringing a mild, almost fruity richness that pairs beautifully with the deeper, briny punch of Kalamata. Together they create a tapenade with serious depth — the kind of thing you'll want to spread on everything from crusty bread to roasted vegetables. Capers, garlic, fresh parsley, and thyme round out the flavor without any citrus needed, making this a genuinely bright and herbaceous spread that doesn't rely on lemon juice to feel alive. The lemon zest listed is entirely optional, so if you're avoiding citrus altogether, simply leave it out and the recipe holds up perfectly on its own. Apple cider vinegar steps in to add just enough acidity to balance the salt and fat, and it does the job beautifully. The whole thing comes together in a food processor with a few quick pulses — rough, spreadable, and deeply savory in the best way. Make a jar on Sunday and you'll be reaching for it all week long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 cup pitted castelvetrano olives
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
- 2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
- 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
Can be omittedlemon zest
Instructions
- 1
Combine the Castelvetrano olives, Kalamata olives, capers, garlic, parsley, and thyme in the bowl of a food processor.
- 2
Pulse 8–10 times, until the mixture is coarsely chopped and no large olive pieces remain — the texture should be rough and spreadable, not a smooth paste.
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