Walnut 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 you'd order at a restaurant. The combination of buttery Castelvetrano olives and bold Kalamata olives creates a layered flavor that's rich without being heavy, brightened by lemon zest and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Fresh rosemary, thyme, parsley, and optional basil bring a garden-fresh lift that dried herbs simply can't replicate. Many store-bought tapenades sneak in walnuts or other tree nuts as a filler or textural element, so making your own is the cleanest way to keep things safe without sacrificing any of the good stuff. The food processor does most of the work in just a few pulses — you're aiming for a rough, textured spread, not a smooth paste, so it comes together in minutes. Serve it alongside cheese, smear it on sandwiches, or toss it with pasta for an effortless weeknight upgrade.
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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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