Spice Free Garlic-Herb Olive Tapenade

Total time10 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time0 min

4.7

(16)

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 rich, bold Kalamata — are pulsed together with fresh garlic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and lemon zest for a flavor that's complex without relying on any hot or pungent spices. That makes it a genuinely great option when you need bold taste without the burn, since every bit of depth here comes from herbs, good olive oil, and a splash of apple cider vinegar. The food processor does the heavy lifting, and a few quick pulses are all it takes to land on that perfect rough, spreadable texture. A torn basil leaf stirred in at the end adds a fresh, aromatic finish if you have it on hand. Serve it as a dip, spread it on sandwiches, or spoon it over grilled chicken — it's endlessly versatile and keeps beautifully in the fridge.

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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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