Almond Free Garlic-Herb Olive Tapenade
Briny, herby, and deeply savory, this olive tapenade is the kind of spread that makes a simple cracker or slice of crusty bread feel like something special. Two varieties of olives — buttery Castelvetrano and bold Kalamata — come together with fresh garlic, rosemary, thyme, parsley, and a bright hit of lemon zest for a flavor that's layered and genuinely addictive. A splash of apple cider vinegar lifts everything and keeps the richness of the olive oil in check. The whole thing comes together in a food processor with just a few pulses, so you get that perfect rustic, spreadable texture without turning it into a paste. Many store-bought tapenades and Mediterranean-style spreads sneak in ground nuts as a filler or thickener, so making your own means you know exactly what's in the jar. Serve it as a dip, swirl it into pasta, spoon it over roasted chicken, or layer it onto a cheese board — it's endlessly versatile and keeps beautifully in the fridge.
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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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