Lemon Rosemary Mixed Olive Tapenade

Fact: if you invite me to a party and ask me to bring something to share, chances are I’m bringing this olive tapenade. It’s packed with flavor, easy to whip up, and even more delicious the next day. Plus, few people can resist the savory, briney allure of olives. 

The information in this post is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It is always best to work with a qualified healthcare professional before incorporating herbs into your diet.

This lemon rosemary olive tapenade might be my favorite appetizer. It’s delicious spread on crackers or toasts and even better when paired with goat cheese or cream cheese. And you’ll be happy to have leftovers of this because it’s pretty amazing tossed with pasta or stirred into eggs. It’s the flavor-packed snack that keeps on giving. 

Why You’ll Like This Recipe

• It is capital E-Easy! It takes less than 10 minutes to whip up and all you have to do is throw everything in a food processor and pulse until you reach a consistency you like. 
• It’s even better the next day after the flavors have had a chance to meld together. This means this is perfect to prep a day or two before you need it. One less thing to worry about when prepping for a gathering. 
• It’s a crowd-pleaser. Honestly, who doesn’t love olives? Serve it with some mild, creamy cheese and crackers, add it to your charcuterie board, or serve it on hummus and watch it disappear. 
• The leftovers (if you manage to have any) are incredibly versatile. Stir a spoonful into some pasta. Use it as a sandwich spread. Serve it on top of scrambled eggs. It’s so good in so many ways. 

Making Olive Tapenade

As far as recipes go, it really doesn’t get any easier than this. To make this lemon rosemary olive tapenade, you’ll need…

• 1 ½ cups mixed olives, pitted
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 
• ¼ cup lightly packed parsley
• Zest and juice from one small lemon  
• 1 tablespoon lightly chopped fresh rosemary 
• 1 tablespoon drained capers
• 1 small clove garlic, minced 
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• Pinch salt

Toss all the ingredients, starting with the juice from just half of the lemon, into a food processor. Pulse until you get to a consistency you like, scraping down the sides as needed. 

You can leave the tapenade fairly chunky or go for more of a smooth texture. It’s entirely up to you. I prefer somewhere in the middle so that I can make sure and get a good blend of all the ingredients into every bite. 

Give it a taste and adjust the salt, pepper, and lemon juice as desired. Sometimes I like to add the juice from the whole lemon for a brighter, tarter tapenade and sometimes I just use half to really let the olives take center stage. Again, this comes down to personal preference. 

A Couple Notes

Feel free to use any combination of olives you like in this recipe. I’ve made it with a mixture of stronger olives like kalamata with milder Castelvetranos, but I’ve also made this with a simple can of regular black olives before, too. It’s delicious either way, so just choose your favorite olive and go to town. 

If you’re a garlic lover like me, you may be tempted to add more garlic when you first taste-test the tapenade. But I encourage you to let it rest in the fridge for at least a few hours first before you do. Garlic has a tendency to intensify as it sits, so you may end up over-garlicking your tapenade. 

Cheese loves this tapenade, so I tend to serve it alongside cheese. I’ve tried several types, including earthy goat cheese, nutty gruyere, sharp cheddar, and basic cream cheese. And honestly? They’re all delicious. I’m sure there’s a cheese aficionado who would heartily disagree with me but I say feel free to pair this tapenade with any cheese your heart desires. 

For an impressive vegan appetizer, make a batch of hummus and then top it with this tapenade and a drizzle of olive oil. 

Get The Know The Herbs

Recipes like this are a great opportunity to incorporate more herbs into your diet. So many common culinary herbs actually provide some impressive health support. 

• Parsley may be the most underrated common culinary herb. Often relegated to little more than green garnish, parsley supports the urinary system thanks to its diuretic effect. It also helps improve digestion and appetite and can help freshen breath. 
• Rosemary is often referred to as the “herb of remembrance” and is traditionally used to improve memory and focus. It also supports heart health by increasing circulation and decreasing inflammation, can be used to relieve headaches, and can help warm up cold, stagnant digestion. 
• Garlic is a powerhouse for supporting immune function. It has antimicrobial properties that make it helpful when fighting infections and can stimulate the immune system when you’re fighting the cold or flu. 
• Black pepper increases the amount of nutrients your body is able to absorb from the food you eat and supports healthy digestion. 

Adding herbs like this into your cooking regularly and liberally allows you to enjoy the cumulative benefits herbs have on your overall health and well-being. 

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Lemon Rosemary Mixed Olive Tapenade

This lemon rosemary olive tapenade is a breeze to whip up and even better the next day. It’s naturally vegan and a total crowd-pleaser.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Appetizer

Servings 10

Ingredients

  

• 1 ½ cups mixed olives pitted
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup lightly packed parsley
• Zest and juice from one small lemon divided
• 1 tablespoon lightly chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon drained capers
• 1 small clove garlic minced
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• Pinch salt

Instructions

 

• Add the olives, olive oil, parsley, lemon zest, juice from half the lemon, rosemary, capers, garlic, pepper, and salt into a food processor. Pulse until you reach your desired consistency.
• Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, and lemon juice, as desired.
• Serve immediately or store in the fridge for 5-7 days. The flavors are even better after resting in the fridge for a day.