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    Home » Recipes » Dips and Sauces

    Black Olive Tapenade Without Anchovies

    By Lily・Published:Aug 11, 2020・Updated: Jul 9, 2021・Post may have affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    BLACK OLIVE TAPENADE

    This black olive tapenade without anchovies is a 5 minute dip with just three ingredients! My friend, Farida, was kind enough to share with me this easy black olive tapenade recipe after I ate the whole bowl at her home. My favorite way to eat black olive tapenade is with some homemade fried za'atar pita chips.

    tapenade on a spoon close up

    What I Love About This Recipe

    I love how quick and easy this olive tapenade is to throw together. It's an excellent appetizer for family gatherings and friend celebrations. I guess my favorite part about this recipe is it's unique and not something you would normally find on a party table.

    What is Tapenade?

    Tapenade originated in France but can be found all along the Mediterranean. Tapenade is a thick paste made traditionally from black olives, however more contemporary tapenade recipes use green olives instead. A tapenade is salty and can be made with a variety of ingredients including anchovies and capers.

    We've put together a complete guide to black and green olives if you want to know a little more about the different types of olives and olive origins.

    black olive spread

    Ingredient Notes

    • Black sliced olives: I bought my olives in a jar already sliced and pitted. The sliced olives look similar to pizza black olives, so you can't miss them at the grocery store. I've also made black olive tapenade using canned whole pitted black olives, which turned out equally as great.
    • Garlic: You just need 1 clove of fresh garlic.
    • Some EVOO: You need just a little bit of high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
    • Salt: Just a pinch of salt to tie everything together.

    How To Make Black Olive Tapenade

    Rinse the olives after you drain them from the can/jar. Chop the fresh garlic a little bit prior to adding to the food processor (to reduce the chances of a single chunk of garlic landing in your mouth).

    Add the olives, chopped garlic, and olive oil to the food processor. Blend then stop and scrape the sides of the food processor a few times (to make sure you get everything pulsed evenly).

    Do not add any liquid or water to the tapenade. The food processor should give an olive tapenade consistency like above.

    black olive tapenade without anchovies in a bowl

    Tips and Tricks

    • Black olives come not salted usually. Add salt to taste after pulsing the olive tapenade.
    • Use pitted olives to same time and sanity!
    • If using whole pitted olives in lieu of sliced olives, measure about 25% more into the food processor. So if using 2 cups of sliced olives, use 2.5 cups of whole pitted olives.

    What To Eat With Olive Tapenade?

    Serve olive tapenade as a dip. Here are some options to eat it with:

    • Chips: fried pita chips, baked pita chips, or tortilla chips
    • Crackers
    • Bread: Homemade french bread, whole wheat toast, toasted croissants, pita bread, Algerian Kesra flatbread, the list is endless

    Storage

    Store the black olive spread tapenade in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I do not recommend storing tapenade in the freezer or leaving it out on the counter.

    More Dip Recipes

    • Homemade Labneh Dip From Milk
    • Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
    • Baba Ganoush Without Tahini
    • Creamy Vitamix Chickpea Hummus (Easy & Authentic)

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    easy olive tapenade in a bowl

    Black Olive Tapenade Without Anchovies

    Author: Lily
    Course: Dip
    Cuisine: Algerian
    Prep: 5 mins
    Total: 5 mins
    4 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate Email
    Servings 8
    This easy black olive tapenade spread is made without anchovies and only uses 3 ingredients: black olives, olive oil, and garlic. It is the perfect party dip and can be made in 5 minutes.

    Ingredients
     
    US Customary - Metric

    • 2 cups sliced black olives or 2½ cups of whole pitted olives**
    • 1 garlic clove
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste

    Instructions

    • Drain sliced black olives. Rinse with water using a strainer.
    • Peel and chop the garlic.
    • Add the chopped garlic, sliced black olives, olive oil, and salt to a food processor. Blend on high.
    • Stop the blender and scrape the sides. Blend on high.
    • Store the black olive spread tapenade in an airtight container or enjoy right away!

    Notes

    1. The olive spread can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
    2. I purchase 2 cans of whole pitted black olives (about 6 ounces in size). The olives were the perfect amount for this recipe.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 8g | Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 500mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g

    More Homemade Dips and Sauces

    • Meaty Lasagna Tomato Sauce (From Scratch!)
    • Creamy White Béchamel Sauce
    • Homemade Garlic Butter Sauce
    • Homemade Shrimp Cocktail Sauce (So Easy!)

    About Lily

    Howdy! My name Lilian, but my friends call me Lily. I'm the founder and one of the recipe authors here at The Matbakh. I enjoy sunsets, long walks on the beach, meaningful relationships, and anything related to food. I'm so happy you are here!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Jess

      July 10, 2021 at 7:20 pm

      5 stars
      This was a hit at my friend's celebration over the weekend. Everyone loved it.

      Reply
      • Lily

        July 10, 2021 at 7:26 pm

        Great to hear that!

        Reply

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    Howdy, I'm Lily!

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    I've been cooking things up ever since I was a kid. More about me

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