Olive Tapenade With Capers & Parsley

This black olive tapenade recipe is so darn easy and so tasty. What’s more? The food processor does 95% of the work. 🎉🎉🎉

I made this black olive tapenade to serve as an appetizer for a smaller gathering earlier this year, and I’ve since made it for a number of occasions since because it’s so darn easy and good. The food processor does 95% of the work: after 30 or so quick pulses, the recipe is nearly complete.

But the key, I think, to making a really good tapenade, lies in the care you take while completing the last 5% of the job: chopping a heap of parsley by hand.

Why is this important? If you rely on the food processor to chop all of the parsley, your finished tapenade will still taste delicious, but it will lack variety in color, and I find those pops of green punctuating the dark purée to be so visually appealing and, in turn, appetizing.

Stirring in the olive oil by hand, moreover, as opposed to while the food processor blade is whirring, also prevents the texture from turning to mush. In sum, to make great olive tapenade every time:

1. Pulse. Don’t purée.
2. Chop half of the parsley by hand and stir it into the tapenade by hand.
3. Don’t add the olive oil to the food processor. Stir it in by hand.

What to serve with olive tapenade?

Serve this tapenade with bread , of course, for a simple appetizer. It’s also nice with lamb .

Recently, I’ve been making slab sandwiches with the overnight focaccia , this tapenade, roasted red peppers, greens, and whipped honey goat cheese.

Or, you can serve it as part of an array of dips and spreads:

More Dips and Spreads

• Homemade “Ranch” Dip (made with Greek yogurt, a huge crowd pleaser!)
• Raw Beet Dip with Toasted Almonds (The hue of this dip is striking!)
• Smoky Eggplant Dip with Za’atar (Serve this with homemade pita !)
• Tzatziki (I could eat this with anything.)
• Spicy Cashew Dip (addictive!)

Can green olives be used in place of black olives?

Yes, absolutely! I typically use Kalamata olives here, but you can absolutely use green olives, such as Castelvetrano , in their place. Buy pitted olives to save yourself the trouble of having to pit the olives.

How do you store olive tapenade? And for how long?

Store olive tapenade in the refrigerator for 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving. If the parsley looks dull after the tapenade has spent a few days in the fridge, spruce it up by adding freshly chopped parsley.

Here’s the play-by-play: Gather your ingredients:

Place everything into the food processor with the exception of half of the parsley and the olive oil.

Pulse until finely chopped but don’t let it turn to mush.

Transfer to a bowl. Chop the remaining parsley by hand.

Add the parsley and the olive oil, and stir to combine.

Serve or transfer to the fridge. Store for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Slab sandwich: Roasted Red Peppers, whipped honey goat cheese, tapenade and greens :

Description

A favorite spread to put out for guests, to smear over sandwich bread, and to eat straight up with a spoon, this tapenade is loaded with parsley, lemon and olive oil. You can tailor the heat to your liking by increasing or decreasing the pepper flakes as you please.

Olives: I typically use Kalamata olives here, but you can absolutely use green olives, such as Castelvetrano , in their place.

Roasted red peppers pair nicely with this tapenade as does whipped honey goat cheese . Serve with toasty bread or make a sandwich . Irresistible.

• 2 cups pitted black olives, such as Kalamata, see notes above
• grated zest and juice of ½ to 1 lemon
• pinch crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups (about) parsley, divided roughly into two 1-cup portions
• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more to taste

1. Pulse the olives, zest, juice of half a lemon, pepper flakes, garlic, capers, vinegar, and half of the parsley in the food processor until a coarse paste is formed—be sure to pulse to avoid turning the purée into complete mush. It may take 20 to 30 quick pulses.
2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Finely chop the remaining parsley, and stir it in. Stir in the olive oil. Taste; then adjust seasoning as necessary with more lemon, pepper flakes, or olive oil. I almost always end up using the remaining half lemon, and I always stir in more olive oil by the tablespoon until the mixture both looks and tastes right.
3. Store olive tapenade in the refrigerator for 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving. If the parsley looks dull after the tapenade has spent a few days in the fridge, spruce it up by adding freshly chopped parsley.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Condiment
• Method: Food Processor
• Cuisine: Greek

Description

A favorite spread to put out for guests, to smear over sandwich bread, and to eat straight up with a spoon, this tapenade is loaded with parsley, lemon and olive oil. You can tailor the heat to your liking by increasing or decreasing the pepper flakes as you please.

Olives: I typically use Kalamata olives here, but you can absolutely use green olives, such as Castelvetrano , in their place.

Roasted red peppers pair nicely with this tapenade as does whipped honey goat cheese . Serve with toasty bread or make a sandwich . Irresistible.

• 2 cups pitted black olives, such as Kalamata, see notes above
• grated zest and juice of ½ to 1 lemon
• pinch crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups (about) parsley, divided roughly into two 1-cup portions
• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more to taste

1. Pulse the olives, zest, juice of half a lemon, pepper flakes, garlic, capers, vinegar, and half of the parsley in the food processor until a coarse paste is formed—be sure to pulse to avoid turning the purée into complete mush. It may take 20 to 30 quick pulses.
2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Finely chop the remaining parsley, and stir it in. Stir in the olive oil. Taste; then adjust seasoning as necessary with more lemon, pepper flakes, or olive oil. I almost always end up using the remaining half lemon, and I always stir in more olive oil by the tablespoon until the mixture both looks and tastes right.
3. Store olive tapenade in the refrigerator for 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving. If the parsley looks dull after the tapenade has spent a few days in the fridge, spruce it up by adding freshly chopped parsley.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Condiment
• Method: Food Processor
• Cuisine: Greek

Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2018/04/20/olive-tapenade/

You know I love a slab sandwich . This is my latest favorite: olive tapenade , roasted red peppers, whipped honey goat cheese (inspired by Trader Joe’s honey chevre), and a heap of greens. I think you’ll approve. Recipe below.

For the roasted red peppers:

• 6 red bell peppers, halved and seeded

For the whipped goat cheese:

• 8 -oz goat cheese
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ¼ cup milk, plus more as needed

For assembly:

• 1 recipe overnight focaccia
• ¼ cup whipped goat cheese, plus more to taste
• 6 roasted red peppers, or more or less to taste
• 1/4 cup olive tapenade , plus more to taste
• 2 to 4 ounces mixed greens or arugula

1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper (for easy clean up — make sure it extends over the edges). Place peppers cut-side down on parchment paper. (Alternatively, rub a small amount of olive oil on the sheet tray.) Place pan in the oven for about 30 to 40 minutes, until the skin is blistery and charred. Don’t be impatient here: If the skin isn’t blistery enough, the peppers will be difficult to peel.
2. Place the peppers in a large bowl and cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap. Let sit for at least 20 minutes and up to 4 or 5 hours (or longer.) When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and discard.
3. Meanwhile, make the whipped goat cheese: place the goat cheese, honey, and milk in a food processor. Purée until smooth, adding more milk as needed to reach a creamy, spreadable consistency.
4. Assemble the slab sandwiches: Use a serrated knife to halve each focaccia round in half crosswise. Spread the tapenade over one bottom half of each pair of bread rounds. Spread the whipped goat cheese over one top half of each pair. Top the tapenade with a layer of roasted red peppers. Pile greens or arugula over top. Close the sandwich. Present the assembled slab on a large board and cut into individual sandwiches just before serving.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Lunch
• Method: Slab Sandwich
• Cuisine: Italian