Macadamia Free Pomegranate & Mint Olive Tapenade
This tapenade is a showstopper — briny, bright, and just a little unexpected thanks to the burst of pomegranate arils folded in at the end. The combination of Kalamata and green olives gives it real depth, while fresh mint and a hit of lemon zest keep everything tasting alive and vibrant. Capers and a whisper of cumin round out the flavor in a way that feels both Mediterranean and genuinely exciting. Because the pomegranate arils and herbs are stirred in by hand rather than blitzed in the food processor, you get little pops of juicy sweetness throughout every scoop instead of a muddy, uniform paste. Many store-bought tapenades sneak in nut-based oils or are produced on shared lines with tree nuts, so making your own from scratch means you know exactly what's in the bowl. It comes together with a quick pulse and a short chill in the fridge, and it works beautifully spread on crusty bread, spooned over grilled fish, or served alongside a cheese board. Taste and adjust before serving — a small squeeze of lemon can make the whole thing sing.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 1 ½ cups pitted kalamata olives
- ½ cup pitted green olives
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp capers, drained
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the Kalamata olives, green olives, capers, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, black pepper, and cumin in a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until the mixture is coarsely chopped and no whole olives remain, but the texture is still chunky — not a smooth paste.
- 2
Add the extra virgin olive oil and pulse 3–4 more times until the oil is incorporated and the tapenade holds together loosely.
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