Paraben Free Pomegranate & Mint Olive Tapenade
This tapenade is a showstopper — briny, bright, and just a little unexpected, with jewel-like pomegranate arils folded through a chunky olive base that's anything but ordinary. The combination of Kalamata and green olives gives you depth and a slight buttery bite, while capers and fresh lemon juice keep everything lively and sharp. Fresh mint and parsley are stirred in by hand at the end, so they stay vibrant and fragrant rather than turning muddy in the food processor. Those pomegranate arils stay whole and juicy for the same reason, bursting with a sweet-tart pop against the savory olives in every single bite. For anyone navigating preservative sensitivities, this recipe is a breath of fresh air — every ingredient is whole, fresh, or minimally processed, with no store-bought spreads or jarred shortcuts that tend to sneak in unwanted additives. A short rest in the fridge lets the cumin, garlic, and lemon zest meld into something that tastes like it took far more effort than it actually did. Serve it with crusty bread, crackers, or alongside grilled vegetables and watch it disappear.
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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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