Chicken Free Garlic-Herb Olive Tapenade
Rich, briny, and bursting with Mediterranean flavor, this garlic-herb 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 deeply savory Kalamata — come together with fresh parsley, thyme, rosemary, and lemon zest for a flavor that's layered and complex without any fuss. A splash of apple cider vinegar adds just enough brightness to balance the richness of the extra-virgin olive oil. The whole thing comes together in a food processor with a few quick pulses, so you get that satisfying rustic texture rather than a smooth, featureless paste. It's naturally built around pantry staples and fresh herbs, with zero animal proteins in sight — no swaps or substitutions needed. Serve it as a dip, spread it on sandwiches, or stir it into pasta for an instant flavor upgrade. A torn basil leaf or two stirred in at the end takes it somewhere even more special.
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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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