Chestnut Free Olive Tapenade

Total time10 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time0 min

4.6

(28)

Bold, briny, and bursting with Mediterranean flavor, this tapenade comes together in minutes with nothing more than a food processor and a handful of pantry staples. Two kinds of olives — earthy Kalamata and bright green — get blitzed with capers, garlic, fresh herbs, and a hit of lemon for a spread that tastes like it came straight from a coastal trattoria. The technique is all about restraint: a few quick pulses keep the texture rustic and satisfying rather than turning everything into a smooth, featureless paste. A drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil ties it all together and gives it that glossy, scoopable consistency you want on a cracker or a thick slice of crusty bread. Every ingredient here is straightforward and naturally free from tree nut concerns, so there's no label-reading anxiety — just confident, delicious cooking. It works equally well as a party appetizer, a sandwich spread, or stirred into pasta for a quick weeknight dinner. Make a batch ahead and keep it in the fridge; the flavors only deepen as it sits.

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Ingredients

8 servings

1 cup pitted kalamata olives
½ cup pitted green olives
2 tbsp capers, drained
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp black pepper
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

1
Combine the Kalamata olives, green olives, capers, garlic, parsley, thyme, lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper in the bowl of a food processor.
2
Pulse 8–10 times until the mixture is coarsely chopped and no large olive pieces remain, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula as needed.

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