Description
A simple and flavorful olive tapenade recipe that combines green and Kalamata olives with garlic, fresh parsley, and a hint of Dijon mustard to create a versatile Mediterranean spread perfect for serving with crostini or baguette.
Ingredients
Olives and Herbs
- 6 oz. jar manzanilla olives, drained
- 6 oz. jar pitted Kalamata olives, drained
- 1/4 cup fresh roughly chopped parsley
Flavorings
- 2–3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Kosher salt, to taste
- fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Drain the manzanilla and Kalamata olives to remove excess brine. Roughly chop fresh parsley and peel the garlic cloves.
- Combine in Food Processor: Add all the olives, fresh parsley, garlic, olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and dried oregano to the bowl of a food processor.
- Process the Tapenade: Pulse the ingredients several times until they are well minced and combined, scraping the sides of the processor bowl as needed to ensure even chopping. Continue pulsing until the tapenade reaches your preferred consistency—typically a finely minced but not completely pureed texture.
- Season to Taste: Add kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste, and pulse a couple more times to incorporate the seasoning evenly.
- Serve: Transfer the tapenade to a serving dish and garnish with additional fresh chopped parsley. Serve immediately with crostini, sliced French baguette, or your favorite bread for dipping and spreading.
Notes
- Pulse the ingredients gradually and scrape down the sides to ensure an even texture without large chunks of olives or garlic.
- Feel free to customize the olives based on preference: use all green olives, all Kalamata olives, or a combination depending on your favorite flavor profile.
- Using pitted olives is essential; double check to avoid unexpectedly having to remove pits, which can be time-consuming and hazardous to your food processor blade.
- This recipe is forgiving with olive types and brands — jarred or canned olives work well and keep costs low.
- For an extra layer of umami and salty depth, add a few anchovy fillets to the blend before pulsing.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
