Lactose Free Walnut Pesto Olive Tapenade
Bold, briny, and packed with herby depth, this spread is the kind of thing you'll want to put on absolutely everything — crostini, grilled vegetables, pasta, or straight off a spoon. Kalamata and green olives bring a punchy, salty backbone, while toasted walnuts add a warm nuttiness and just enough body to make the texture irresistibly coarse and satisfying. Fresh basil, capers, lemon zest, and a hit of red pepper flakes layer in brightness and a gentle kick that keeps every bite interesting. One of the best things about this recipe is that it's naturally free of dairy in every sense — no swaps needed, no substitutions to track down, just whole ingredients that happen to work beautifully together. The olive oil does all the work that cream or cheese might do elsewhere, binding everything into a luscious, spreadable consistency without any of the richness that can cause problems for sensitive stomachs. Toasting the walnuts before they go into the food processor is a small step that pays off big, coaxing out a deeper, almost buttery flavor that makes the whole spread taste more complex than the ingredient list suggests. Keep a jar in the fridge and you've got an effortless, crowd-pleasing condiment ready to go all week long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- ½ cup raw walnut halves
- 1 ½ cups pitted kalamata olives, drained
- ¼ cup pitted green olives, drained
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Heat a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add the walnuts and toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 3–4 minutes. Watch closely, as they can brown quickly. Transfer to a plate and let cool for 5 minutes.
- 2
Add the toasted walnuts and garlic to a food processor and pulse 6–8 times until coarsely chopped.
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