Nitrate & Nitrite Free Olive Tapenade
Rich, briny, and bursting with Mediterranean flavor, this tapenade comes together in minutes with nothing but whole, recognizable ingredients. Kalamata and green olives bring a bold, complex depth, while capers add a punchy saltiness that makes every bite feel layered and alive. Fresh parsley, thyme, lemon zest, and a squeeze of lemon juice keep things bright and herbaceous — the kind of flavor that tastes like it took far more effort than it did. For anyone navigating preserved and cured foods carefully, this recipe is a genuine win: every ingredient here is naturally free of the additives commonly found in deli meats, cured olives from bulk bins, or jarred spreads with long ingredient lists. A quick pulse in the food processor keeps the texture rustic and satisfying, not a smooth paste, so it clings beautifully to crusty bread, crackers, or roasted vegetables. Drizzle it over grilled chicken, tuck it into a sandwich, or serve it straight from the jar at your next gathering — it holds well in the fridge and honestly gets better as the flavors meld.
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Learn more →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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