Vegan Garlic-Herb Olive Tapenade
Two kinds of olives — buttery Castelvetrano and bold, briny Kalamata — come together here in a spread that tastes like it belongs on a sun-drenched Mediterranean table. The combination of fresh parsley, thyme, rosemary, and lemon zest keeps every bite bright and aromatic, while a splash of apple cider vinegar adds just enough tang to balance the richness of the extra-virgin olive oil. Everything gets a quick pulse in the food processor, so you're left with a beautifully textured, rustic spread rather than a smooth paste — that little bit of chunkiness is exactly what makes it so satisfying to eat. Store-bought tapenades can sneak in anchovies or other animal-derived ingredients, but this one is built entirely from plants, so there's no label-squinting required. Spread it thick on crusty bread, swirl it into pasta, or use it as a dip for crudités — it's endlessly versatile and comes together in minutes. Torn fresh basil stirred in at the end is optional, but if you have it on hand, don't skip it.
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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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