Sesame Free Ginger-Lime Olive Tapenade
Briny, bright, and just a little unexpected, this tapenade takes the classic Mediterranean spread somewhere entirely new. The combination of Kalamata and green olives gives you a deep, savory backbone, while fresh ginger and lime zest cut right through with a citrusy, aromatic lift that makes every bite feel alive. Capers add a punchy, salty pop, and a drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil pulls it all together into a rough, spreadable texture that's far more interesting than anything you'd find in a jar. That short rest at room temperature before serving isn't just a suggestion — it's where the magic happens, letting the ginger and lime bloom fully into the olives. Store-bought tapenades can be a minefield of hidden sesame-based ingredients or shared-facility warnings, so making your own from scratch means you know exactly what's in the bowl. Spread it over crusty bread, spoon it onto grilled fish, or serve it alongside cheese — this one is endlessly versatile and genuinely hard to stop eating.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 cup pitted kalamata olives
- ½ cup pitted green olives
- 2 tbsp capers, drained
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 1 tsp lime zest (from about 1 lime)
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 small garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the Kalamata olives, green olives, capers, garlic, grated ginger, lime zest, lime juice, and black pepper in the bowl of a food processor.
- 2
Pulse 8–10 times, until the mixture is coarsely chopped and no whole olives remain — the texture should be rough and spreadable, not a smooth paste.
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