Black Olive Tapenade

A great party appetizer

When I shared this recipe in 2013 it was because I made it for a baby shower I threw. I love having pre-made cold appetizers that I can just take out of the fridge, ready to serve at the party. And, this can double as a more substantial dish by adding it to a build your own sandwich spread.

I chose black olives for my tapenade because the mommy-to-be loved black olives. And I think the color of this dip is fantastic. In fact, I made this dip for a Halloween appetizer with Cheese Skulls because of the color. It’s also great with Mushroom Skulls.

Everyone, including the guest of honor, said they loved this appetizer at the baby shower. And that it has a great savory flavor.

You’ll also love Chicken Salad, Wild Rice Salad, and  Eggplant Olive Tapenade to serve at all the parties!

What is Tapenade?

According to Wikipedia: “Tapenade is a Provençal dish consisting of puréed or finely chopped olives, capers, anchovies, and olive oil.

“The name comes from the Provençal word for capers, tapenas.

“It’s a popular food in the south of France, where it is generally eaten as an hors d’œuvre, spread on bread.”

What does tapenade taste like?

It has a great umami flavor that’s briny and salty. Because this recipe is made with black olives, it’s a little more mild than traditional tapenade recipes. Black olives add a nice nutty flavor along with the fresh basil and creamy parmesan cheese.

How to make

This twist on the classic tapenade is easy to make and tastes fantastic. First, let’s take a quick look at those ingredients. We’ll talk about possible substitutions later as well.

Ingredients

Garlic: Raw garlic gives this dip a nice clean bite. It may also have some great health benefits like the ability to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties, boosts immunity, and improves heart health.

Basil: Fresh basil leaves give a nice herbal almost spicy quality to the spread while they may help fight cancer, diabetes, and heart conditions. It contains vitamin A, vitamin K, iron, manganese, and calcium.

Black olives: Be sure to drain off the brine from the can of olives and rinse them off really well to get rid of excess sodium. Black olives are a good source of iron and copper, and are lower in calories and carbs than some other olives.

Oil: Traditionally Extra-virgin olive oil would be used in a tapenade, though you can feel free to use your favorite oil here. You’ll see in the picture that I used grapeseed oil this time around when making this. I find that grapeseed doesn’t solidify the same way as other oils when stored in the fridge.

Parmesan cheese: Parmesan adds a beautiful nutty creamy flavor and has a nice boost of protein and calcium for this dip.

Puree the spread

This black olive spread is super easy to make. Just pop it all in the food processor. Put the garlic and basil in first so you get a nice chop. Next, add in the drained olives, oil, and cheese. Pulse all that to a smooth, thick paste.

And, yes, you can use the food processor or a blender. I prefer the food processor, there’s less scraping down the sides, and you’ll get a more even chop.

Want to go old school? Use a mortar and pestle to smash everything together.

Once it’s the texture you like – a little chunky, super smooth, somewhere in between, just serve with crackers or bread for spreading.

There’s no need to add salt because of the salty olives and Parmesan cheese. But you can if you feel it needs it. Also, no salt added allows for salty chips to be used with the dip.

How much does it make?

Yield: This recipe makes about 1 cup of tapenade total, enough for 8 (2-tablespoon servings).

Storage

This black olives dip stays good in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container, like a jar with a tight fitting lid.

It can be served cold from the fridge, or serve at room temperature.

If the basil looks dull after spending a few days in the fridge, perk it up by adding a little more chopped fresh basil.

For longer storage, this is appetizer can be stored in the freezer. Transfer to an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Serving suggestions

• Serve with crackers, pita chips, vegetables, sliced bread, or tortilla chips.
• It’s great as part of a Mezza platter, which is a Mediterranean appetizer board like a charcuterie platter. Place some hummus, Quince Paste (Membrillo), fresh veggies, red pepper feta dip, dipping oil, and more olives on a platter for a beautiful fresh spread.
• Add a smear to sandwiches. Try this sandwich for example: whipped feta, cottage cheese, or ricotta. Roasted red peppers, arugula, and some freshly ground black pepper. So good!
• Top grilled meats, chicken, or seafood with some tapenade
• Use it in canapés such as crostini or bruschetta
• Stir a spoonful into pasta dishes like spaghetti with marinara
• Add some to your morning avocado toast, and don’t forget the fried egg!
• Put a small amount on top of deviled eggs, kind of like caviar!
• Spoon it on soup, just like serving vegetable soup with a dollop of pesto

Changes to the recipe

I like to offer ideas to switch up the recipe and give it a new spin. Of course, I always suggest you try it as written first and see where it takes you after that.

If you want to tame the garlic bite, use ground granulated garlic powder from a jar, you’ll want ½ teaspoon of the dried stuff.

Or try roasted garlic. To roast garlic, preheat oven to 400° F. Cut the top off a bulb of garlic so the cloves are exposed. Place the cut bulb on a piece of foil and drizzle with some olive oil. Wrap the bulb tightly in the foil, and bake for 45 to 60.

Some other fun additions to the dip: Capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, black pepper, crushed red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, anchovies, or roasted red peppers. Or fresh herbs like fresh parsley, fresh thyme, or herbs de Provence.

Switch up the olives, using one kind or a combination. Try kalamata olives, Niçoise olives, Castelvetrano olives, or green olives if you prefer. It’ll change the flavor profile. Be sure to remove any pits from the olives if they aren’t already pitted.

Can I make this vegan?

Yes, you could easily make this vegan by using vegan Parmesan cheese. Or leave the cheese out entirely and add in a spoonful of nutritional yeast powder.