Pescatarian Walnut Pesto Olive Tapenade
This bold, briny spread is the kind of thing you make once and immediately want to put on everything — crusty bread, crostini, roasted vegetables, pasta, a spoon. Kalamata and green olives bring deep, salty depth, while fresh basil and a hit of lemon zest keep it bright and lively. Toasted walnuts add a nutty richness that makes the texture feel more substantial than a classic tapenade, and capers weave in just enough sharpness to balance the whole thing out. The food processor does most of the work, but the key is keeping it coarse — you want a rustic, spreadable mixture with real texture, not a smooth paste. Everything in this recipe is naturally plant-forward with no meat or poultry in sight, making it an effortless fit for anyone eating seafood-inclusive but otherwise meat-free. It keeps well in the fridge for up to five days, so you can make a batch ahead and have something genuinely impressive ready to pull out whenever guests arrive or a snack craving hits.
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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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