Shellfish Free Ginger-Lime Olive Tapenade
Briny, bold, and brightened with a twist you won't see coming, this tapenade takes the classic Mediterranean spread somewhere genuinely exciting. The combination of Kalamata and green olives gives you a deep, complex base, while fresh ginger and lime zest cut right through the richness with a citrusy, slightly spicy lift. Capers add their signature punch, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil pulls everything together into a rough, spreadable texture that's far more interesting than anything you'd find in a jar. The whole thing comes together in a food processor with just a few pulses — no cooking required, no complicated technique. That short rest at room temperature before serving isn't just a suggestion; it's where the magic happens, letting the ginger and lime fully bloom into the olives. Serve it on crusty bread, alongside roasted vegetables, or as part of a grazing spread, and watch it disappear fast. Every ingredient here is naturally free from shellfish and seafood, so there's nothing to second-guess — just a punchy, crowd-pleasing condiment ready to steal the show.
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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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