Paraben Free Castelvetrano Olive Tapenade
Bright, briny, and deeply savory, this Castelvetrano olive tapenade is the kind of spread that makes a simple cracker or slice of crusty bread feel like something special. The buttery green Castelvetrano olives bring a mild, almost fruity richness that balances beautifully against the deeper, earthier Kalamata olives and the punchy pop of capers. Fresh parsley and thyme keep everything tasting vibrant and clean, while a splash of apple cider vinegar and a touch of lemon zest lift the whole thing without overwhelming the natural olive flavor. The food processor does the heavy lifting here — just a few quick pulses and you have a coarse, spreadable texture that's far more interesting than anything smooth and uniform. Many store-bought tapenades and condiments rely on preservatives that people following a paraben-free lifestyle actively avoid, so making this at home with whole, recognizable ingredients puts you fully in control of what goes into the jar. It comes together in minutes, keeps well in the refrigerator, and works beautifully as a dip, a topping for grilled fish or chicken, or stirred into pasta for an instant weeknight sauce.
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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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