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A red bowl filled with chopped olive tapenade and a white spoon, surrounded by lemons, olives, and a basket of bread on a white surface.
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Kalamata Olive Tapenade

This quick, no-cook mixture works as a salty, briny spread that instantly upgrades anything from toast to simple proteins.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: French
Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings (Adjustable): 4
Calories: 81kcal
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Ingredients

  • 20 Kalamata olives pitted (½ cup full, drained and rinsed)
  • 2 tablespoons capers drained and rinsed
  • 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
  • 1 clove garlic grated
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil more or less
  • 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice more or less

Instructions

  • In a personal blender, add Kalamata olives, capers, parsley, garlic, black pepper, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
    A hand holds a blender cup containing green capers and red olives, with a lemon and a bowl of liquid visible in the background.
  • Pulse for a few seconds until some of the Kalamata olives and capers are chopped.
    Top view of a blender cup containing a roughly blended mixture of olives, herbs, and capers, held by a hand against a white background.
  • If desired, add the remaining extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, then continue to pulse until some of the ingredients are chopped while some are finely chopped but not puréed.
  • Transfer the mixture into a small bowl and serve with toasted bread or serve on a platter as crostini.
    A red bowl of chopped olive tapenade with a spoon, surrounded by a basket of toasted bread slices, whole olives, and lemon halves on a white surface.

Notes

Use the best quality olives, capers, and extra virgin olive oil you can find with the freshest of ingredients, from fragrant garlic, peppery parsley, to juicy lemon.
 
Some store-bought olives are not pitted. Check the olives before adding to a blender or food processor.
 
This tapenade recipe calls for a rustic texture, similar to when a mortar and pestle were used in the olden days. Some olives and capers should be chopped into chunks while others are finely chopped.
 
If you’re aiming for a fine paste as served in recent times, continue to pulse until all the ingredients are finely chopped while adding 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil at a time.
 
Salt was not added to this recipe as the olives and capers used were salty enough. If a saltier tapenade is preferred, add salt in small increments at a time.
 
This recipe yields a little over ½ cup, makes 4 servings, with 2 tablespoons per serving.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 81kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 425mg | Potassium: 33mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 338IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Equipment

Measuring Spoons
Grater
Colander for draining
Blender, I used a personal blender

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