Olive Tapenade is an easy accompaniment that can be enjoyed as an appetizer, as an addition to Antipasto Platters or cheese boards, or with main course meats like Chicken Milanese. It’s like a fancier version of Marinated Olives and has tons of uses. It only takes 5 minutes to make!

Tapenade - In a Brown Bowl with Bread Slices and Olives

Tapenade is so, so under appreciated, if you ask me. Not only is tapenade really flavorful and delicious, but it takes just 5-10 minutes to prepare, keeps well, and is very flexible in accommodating different types of olives and ingredients as you like.

Truthfully, much of the time I use it as a “dinner cheat” on tired nights, when I’ll make a simple roasted Spatchcock Chicken and a simple side, and mix together this punchy tapenade as a way to give everything lots of flavor. It never gets old for us.

No joke, sometimes my husband eats this tapenade with a spoon because he loves it so much, proclaiming each time, “that’s so good.”

Tips for Best Results

Do not overchop the ingredients – Tapenade should have texture to it, and be more coarse than smooth. Take care not to overprocess the mixture in the food processor and turn it into a paste.

Be thoughtful about what olives you use – This is not the time to use cheap canned olives. Get the good stuff. I think a combination of Castelvetrano and Lecino olives is AMAZING but I have more suggestions below.

Mince or press the garlic before mixing – This ensures that the garlic will be very broken down and spread out without having to risk overchopping the olives.

Tapenade Recipe - Presented Spread on Baguette Slice on Board

Ideas for How to Enjoy It

There are many ways to use up your homemade tapenade. Here are some ideas!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Tapenade is simple, and its deliciousness depends quite a bit on the quality of the ingredients you use, so keep that in mind. This is not the time to use the cheap olives that come in a can.

For this tapenade recipe, you’ll need:

  • Quality olives (below I have Castelvetrano and Lecino)
  • Parsley
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Fresh garlic
  • Crushed red pepper flakes
Olive Tapenade Recipe Ingredients on a Cutting Board with Olive Oil, Garlic, Pepper Flakes, Olives, and Parsley

What’s the Best Kind of Olive to Use?

My favorite is to do a mix of Castelvetrano Olives and Lecino Olives. Castelvtranos are buttery and not overly salty, so I pretty much always include these as half the mix. However, you truly may use whatever type of quality olive you prefer, so long as they are good quality.

Other olives I enjoy are Kalamatas, Nicoise, Cerignola, Picholine, and Gordal, but it can be fun to take a trip to the olive bar, try a bunch, and see what your personal favorites are.

How to Pit Olives, If Needed

A lot of quality olives are now available pitted (including castelvetranos), but if your favorite variety is only available with the pits still inside, fortunately olives are easy to pit yourself.

I previously used this cherry and olive pitter tool (affiliate), but never found it easy to use.

What I like to do instead is give each olive a whack with a meat hammer (affiliate), and the pits come right out.

Pitting Green Olives by Smashing with meat Mallet

Place all the ingredients into a food processor, making sure to chop the garlic first:

Adding Olive Oil to Mini Food Processor Bowl with Olives, Parsley, Garlic, and Pepper Flakes

This gives the garlic a head start in breaking down.

You only want to pulse and chop a few times, until the olive pieces are small, but not completely pureed. It ultimately is personal preference, but I love having a coarser texture.

Olive Tapenade Recipe - In a Mini Food Processor Bowl

No food processor? Just chop and mix by hand.

The tapenade is now ready to enjoy, and it will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge.

Olive Tapenade - In a Brown Bowl with Baguette Slices in Background

Other olive dishes I love are Chicken Cacciatore, Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, and Greek Zucchini Salad. Enjoy!

Tips and FAQ

How do you store leftover tapenade?

Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Can you freeze tapenade?

Yes, store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Can you make tapenade ahead of time?

Absolutely, and this is very make-ahead friendly. It will keep for up to 2 weeks, but I recommend not making it more than a day or two in advance for peak flavor and freshness.

Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.

Tapenade In a Brown Bowl with Bread Slices and Olives

Tapenade

Servings: 8 (makes about 1.25 cups)
Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 5 mins
This flavorful tapenade is easy to make, and works well as an appetizer or accompaniment for roasted meats.
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup castelvetrano olives pitted
  • 1/2 cup lecino olives pitted
  • 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (high-quality)
  • 1 large garlic clove minced
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions 

  • Place all ingredients into a food processor* and pulse until well chopped, but not pureed.
  • Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

*No food processor? You may also chop the ingredients by hand and stir together.
Olive Type: Feel free to use other types of high-quality olives in this recipe, such as Kalamata, Nicoise, Cerignola, Picholine, and Gordal. You can use any mix of olives totaling 1.5 cups.
Storing leftovers: Keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Freezing: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 56kcal, Fat: 6g, Sodium: 264mg, Potassium: 11mg, Vitamin A: 195IU, Vitamin C: 1.7mg, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 0.2mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: French
Author: Joanne Ozug

Post updated in April 2022. Originally published in February 2019.