Nitrate & Nitrite Free Castelvetrano Olive Tapenade
Bright, briny, and deeply savory, this Castelvetrano olive tapenade is the kind of condiment that makes everything it touches taste more interesting. The buttery green Castelvetrano olives bring a mild, almost fruity richness that balances beautifully against the deeper, more intense Kalamata olives — together they create a spread with real complexity. Fresh parsley and thyme keep things lively, while a hit of apple cider vinegar and optional lemon zest cut through the richness with just enough brightness. Many store-bought tapenades and cured olive products sneak in preservatives that aren't always obvious on the label, so making your own from whole, simple ingredients is a genuinely smart move. Everything here is straightforwardly clean — olives, capers, fresh herbs, garlic, and good extra-virgin olive oil, nothing more. The food processor does the heavy lifting in just a few pulses, landing you at a rough, spreadable texture that's far more satisfying than anything overly smooth. Slather it on crusty bread, spoon it over grilled fish, or stir it into pasta — this one earns its place in regular rotation fast.
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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)
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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