Green Olive Tapenade

5 from 3 votes

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

This beautiful, citrusy green olive tapenade packs a terrific salty flavor punch and has SO many great uses. You will find yourself searching for all sorts of ways to incorporate it into a dish, and it's an instant appetizer when spread on crostini.

Green Olive Tapenade

A simple homemade tapenade is a beautiful condiment to have on hand. This one is bright with lemons and such a total powerhouse of flavor that you will find yourself searching for all sorts of ways to incorporate it into a dish. Tapenade is most popular in France and Italy but also throughout the Mediterranean. It’s the most amazing way to add a salty pop to a dish.

I like to serve this tapenade with Roasted Cauliflower Steaks or stir it into Fettucine Alfredo. But beyond being useful in various recipes, it’s perfect as an appetizer, spread over some toasted slices of bread (crostini or bruschetta), or with some crackers for dipping. It packs so much flavor! It’s also a great condiment to add to a cheese or charcuterie board.

Woman scooping up a spoonful of Green Olive Tapenade.

Green Olive Tapenade: This beautiful, citrusy green olive tapenade packs a terrific salty flavor punch and has SO many great uses. You will find yourself searching for all sorts of ways to incorporate it into a dish, and it’s an instant appetizer when spread on crostini.

Tweet This

Green Olive Tapenade Ingredients

Beyond the olives and anchovies, you may already have the ingredients for this green olive tapenade recipe in your kitchen.

  • Green olives – Pit the olives before using them in this tapenade. I like Castelvetrano olives best, but see below for other olive choices.
  • Anchovies – Rinse the anchovies before using to remove excess salt or brine.
  • Minced garlic – Please use fresh minced garlic! The fresh garlic taste stands out in this tapenade.
  • Fresh parsley – Adds great color and herby flavor.
  • Extra-virgin olive oil – Olive tapenade is a good place to use your good quality olive oil! You will really taste the flavor of the oil, so make it count.
  • Capers – Add another briny bite.
  • Lemon zest – Using the lemon zest will add a slightly different, more sharp, and fragrant lemon flavor to this dish.
  • Lemon juice – You can adjust the amount of juice depending on how acidic you like it: 2 teaspoons of lemon juice is nicely lemony, and 3 teaspoons packs a serious citrusy punch.
  • Salt and pepper – To taste. I go very light on the salt, if any at all, and a lot more generous with the pepper!
Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Tapenade on a blue plate.

Best Green Olives for Tapenade

Nutty and meaty Castelvetrano olives are bright green, which gives this tapenade a cheerful hue. You’ll probably have to pit them yourself, as they aren’t all that easily available pre-pitted. Worth it (especially if you have an olive pitter, which is kind of fun to use) — enlist the help of a willing partner or pal.

To pit olives without a pitter, just place them on a cutting board and use the side of a big heavy knife to press down on them, carefully giving the knife a firm smack with the side of your fist. The olive will crack, and then the pit can be popped out.

You can use other green olives, but your results will not be as vivid in color. Choices could be Picholine, Manzanilla, or Cerignola (another one of my favorites). They vary in their level of saltiness, so make sure to taste the finished tapenade before adding any additional salt. If you use the tapenade in a dish, adjust any added salt with that in mind. You can also use a combination of olives or even make Black Olive Tapenade.

Green Olive Tapenade in a bowl on a wooden counter with ingredients surrounding it.

How to Use Green Olive Tapenade

You can use this Green Olive Tapenade on crostini for an instant sophisticated appetizer. Just spread a small or generous amount on a toasted piece of olive oil-brushed toast. You can then think about topping it with some fresh ricotta, goat, or mozzarella cheese.

Toss it with pasta, or work it into this creamy fettuccine alfredo tousled with blanched green beans. Turn it into a vinaigrette and drizzle it over roasted carrots or roasted cauliflower for the most beautiful side dish. Stir a tablespoon into a pot of rice. It’s also a great condiment to use in a sandwich.

Green Olive Tapenade in a glass bowl with herbs behind it.

How to Make Green Olive Tapenade

  1. Blend the ingredients: Put the olives, anchovies, garlic, parsley, olive oil, capers, lemon zest, and lemon juice in your food processor.
  2. Season: Taste the tapenade and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pulse to mix until you reach your ideal consistency. I like mine well chopped but not completely smooth.

FAQs 

What does tapenade taste like?

Tapenade tastes primarily like olives, and specifically the olives you are using. It’s a salty condiment because of the olives and also because many have capers, anchovies, or both in the mix. Tapenades are often garlicky as well, though you can modify the amount of garlic in the recipe — this one has a fairly small amount; enough to taste, but not to be overpowering. They also may taste lemony, which is another common ingredient (and definitely used in this recipe!).

How long does tapenade last?

Tapenade lasts for at least 2 weeks in a covered container in the fridge. Use it by the spoonful as you need it. Toss it if it gets a whitish coating on the top or starts to smell funky.

What to Serve With Green Olive Tapenade

Roasted Chicken Thigh with green olive tapenade on plate.
Oven-Baked Chicken Thighs with Green Olive Tapenade

More Dip Recipes

Pin this now to find it later

Pin It
5 from 3 votes

Green Olive Tapenade

This beautiful, citrusy green olive tapenade packs a terrific salty flavor punch and has SO many great uses. You will find yourself searching for all sorts of ways to incorporate it into a dish, and it's an instant appetizer when spread on crostini.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 8 People

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives
  • 2 anchovies (rinsed and chopped)
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic
  • ¼ cup chopped coarse fresh parsley
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon drained capers
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (depending on how lemony you want it)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)

Instructions 

  • Place the olives, anchovies, garlic, parsley, olive oil, capers, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is coarsely blended.
  • Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Continue to pulse or puree until the mixture is as coarse or fine as you like.

Notes

Best Green Olives for Tapenade
Nutty and meaty Castelvetrano olives are bright green, which gives this tapenade a cheerful hue. You’ll probably have to pit them yourself, as they aren’t all that easily available pre-pitted. It’s worth it (especially if you have an olive pitter, which is kind of fun to use) — enlist the help of a willing partner or pal.
To pit olives without a pitter, just place them on a cutting board and use the side of a big heavy knife to press down on them, carefully giving the knife a firm smack with the side of your fist. The olive will crack, and then the pit can be popped out.
Storage
Tapenade lasts for at least 2 weeks in a covered container in the fridge. Use it by the spoonful as you need it. Toss it if it gets a whitish coating on the top or starts to smell funky.

Nutrition

Calories: 87kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 293mg, Potassium: 17mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 224IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 13mg, Iron: 1mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

About Katie Workman

Katie Workman is a cook, a writer, a mother of two, an activist in hunger issues, and an enthusiastic advocate for family meals, which is the inspiration behind her two beloved cookbooks, Dinner Solved! and The Mom 100 Cookbook.

You May Also Like:

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




6 Comments

  1. I just minced/rough chopped everything on my cutting board. It was AMAZING. I used it in a “dressing” I made (recipe to follow). I used this as a topping for fried eggs and spinach on toast and it was a BIG hit & the most amazing breakfast. I give my olive tapenade dressing here:
    5tbsp Green Olive Tapenade
    5tbsp Lilliput Capers
    ½ garlic clove, peeled, chopped and crushed to a paste
    ¾ tbsp lemon juice
    1 Tablespoon fresh oregano
    Small bunch of fresh parsley or coriander, finely chopped
    ½ red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped

  2. A veggie/vegan alternative I make is by substituting a couple of sun dried tomatoes for the anchovies. Delicious.

      1. Looking forward to making this! Do you think it would work to make it with a stick blender instead if a food processor?

      2. It would be pretty chunky I think! You might be better off also planning to mince away on a cutting board (without or without a rough chop from the stick blender)