Low Sugar Garlic-Herb Olive Tapenade
Briny, herby, and deeply savory, this olive tapenade is the kind of condiment that makes everything it touches taste more interesting. Two varieties of olives — buttery Castelvetrano and bold Kalamata — get pulsed together with fresh parsley, thyme, rosemary, and lemon zest for a spread that's layered with flavor from the very first bite. A splash of apple cider vinegar and a drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil tie it all together without a single gram of sweetener in sight. Store-bought tapenades and spreads can be sneaky places for hidden sugars, so making your own from scratch means you know exactly what's going in the jar. The food processor does most of the work in under ten minutes, and the rough, textured finish is far more satisfying than anything smooth or overly processed. Spread it on crusty bread, spoon it over grilled chicken, or serve it alongside a cheese board — it genuinely works everywhere. Optional torn basil stirred in at the end adds a fresh, summery lift that takes the whole thing up another notch.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 cup pitted castelvetrano olives
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the Castelvetrano olives, Kalamata olives, garlic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times, until the mixture is coarsely chopped and no whole olives remain.
- 2
Add the olive oil and apple cider vinegar, then pulse 4–6 more times until the tapenade reaches a rough, spreadable consistency — it should still have visible texture, not be a smooth paste.
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