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Olive Tapenade Recipe For a Fancy and Easy Dip
Do you always seem to have a 1/2 to 3/4 full jar of olives in your refrigerator?
I do.
Which is why this olive tapenade is a lifesaver (well, more like an olive-saver).
This simple olive tapenade dip recipe is perfect for using up those leftover olives and creating a flavor bomb with anchovies, capers, and garlic.
This tapenade is a perfect bread dip or healthy appetizer to keep your hungry eaters at bay. Use this olive dip for a crostini topping or sandwich spread. The flavor will immediately skyrocket.
It is salty, briny and rich. I love setting out this dip with a loaf of fresh baked bread or crackers for an easy weekend indulgence.
This dip is packed with healthy fats and omega-3s. It’s addicting and there are never any leftovers.
Keep reading for this easy olive tapenade recipe to pump up the flavor.
What is Tapenade?
According to Wise Geek, tapenade is a traditional Mediterranean dip dating back to Roman times.
The dip is typically made with a combination of olives, capers, anchovies, and olive oil. These ingredients are then pulverized together to form a thick paste. Tapenade is used for a variety of purposes such as topping toast and flavoring meat.
The resulting consistency from this recipe is a bit chunkier and less paste-like that some traditional dips. This makes it easier to make and requires less tools. A mortar and pestle or food processor is traditionally used.
How Long Will This Olive Tapenade Keep?
This dip will keep for 4-5 days covered in the refrigerator.
It lasts well. And you don’t need to add a lot of it to get its flavor benefits. So, it is a great meal prep condiment to add to your meals throughout the week.
How Can I Use this Dip?
Here are a few ideas for how to use this olive tapenade as a dip or condiment.
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Bread dip – Bread and olives are a match made in heaven. Serve alongside sliced bread and dig in!
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Sandwich spread – Olive tapenade is the condiment on the classic muffaletta sandwich that is packed with Italian cold cuts. This would be delicious with just about any deli meat or combination.
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Topping crostini – Top toasted baguette slices with this olive dip for a handheld appetizer.
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Raw vegetable dip – Set alongside fresh, crunchy vegetables such as carrots, celery, radishes, or fennel for an appetizer.
What Type of Olives Should I Use?
Remember that leftover jar mentioned above? Use whatever types of olives those are. Or purchase one of the common varieties below from your grocery store.
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Kalamata – Versatile, salty, and earthy olives. Kalamata, sometimes called “Greek” olives are used in all types of cooking. I used these for this recipe and it tasted delicious. This will probably be your best option for cost to taste value.
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Castelvetrano or Cerignola – These are big, meaty green olives that are delicious. They are the highest quality olives you will find at the grocery, but they can be pricey.
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Picholine – Picholine olives are small green olives that are typically used in cocktails and to produce olive oil. They are mild flavored and nutty.
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Manzanillas or Green Olives – These are the jarred olives typically labelled “green olives”. They’re crisp, smoky, nutty, and affordable.
Stay away from the canned black olives. Canned black olives are actually green olives that have been artificially ripened. They are turned black through processing and you can taste that something isn’t right.
Olive Tapenade Dip
Ingredients
- 1 cup olives, pitted and chopped (use kalamata or a type of green olive)
- 1 tin anchovies, drained and finely chopped (2 oz.)
- 2 teaspoon capers, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
- 2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Mix olives, anchovies, capers, garlic, red pepper (if adding), vinegar, and olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
- Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld.