This is a fuss-free vegan tapenade made with traditional olives and capers. It's made in a food processor for a savoury spread that's ready in minutes, and the perfect addition to your snack shelf. I love tapenade as a hummus topper but you can serve it any way you'd like!

Make a vegan grazing board with tapenade, warm marinated olives, homemade vegan gluten free crackers, turmeric cashew cheese, and some raw carrot salad. I love adding sweet elements like dates and other dried fruit alongside the veggie sticks, too.

A canning jar filled with tapenade, crackers nearby.
Jump to:

Ingredients

You need just 6 ingredients to make olive tapenade at home! It comes together so quickly, too – definitely worth making yourself.

Vegan tapenade ingredients with labels.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

  • Olives: I recommend using a mix of Kalamata and a mild green variety like Castelvetrano, both for the colour but also to add some extra depth of flavour.
  • Lemon: you'll be using the zest, so try to find an organic, unwaxed lemon if possible, and give it a good wash.
  • Parsley: make sure to use flat leaf. Curly parsley has its place but it ruins the texture here.

How to Make Vegan Tapenade

Tapenade steps 1 and 2, before and after mixing.

Step 1: add all of the ingredients to a food processor.

Step 2: pulse until still chunky, but fine enough to scoop.

Top Tips

  • Let it rest: prepare the tapenade at least a day in advance so that it can sit and blend together. It'll taste best after resting for at least 24 hours.
  • Check for pits: most store-bought olives are pitted, but it doesn't hurt to check them before adding to the processor!
  • Mince the garlic: since this is a rough chop, rather than a puree, the garlic needs to be minced (or finely grated) before adding with the other ingredients. If you skip this, you'll end up with full cloves or big chunks of garlic.

How to Store

Storage: keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Freezing: transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.

FAQ

What's the difference between green and black olives?

Essentially, green olives are underripe, and black olives have been given enough time on the tree to fully ripen before being harvested. Green are a little peppery and black are milder.

Are there different types of tapenade?

While tapenade typically refers to the traditional olive tapenade from Provence, it's often used as another name for vegetable pâtés like mushroom and eggplant.

What do you eat tapenade with?

There are so many ways to serve tapenade! Try it with flatbread or pita, like you would eat hummus, or serve with crackers, in stuffed mushrooms, or even as a speedy pasta sauce. I love it as an addition to hummus and dishes like polenta.

If you make this Vegan Tapenade or any other vegan spreads on Wholehearted Eats, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more WHE, follow along on Instagram or subscribe for new posts via email.

Recipe

A canning jar filled with tapenade, crackers nearby.
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Vegan Tapenade

This is a fuss-free vegan tapenade made with traditional olives and capers. It's made in a food processor for a savoury spread that's ready in minutes!
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Servings: 6
Author: Sophie

Equipment

  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Food processor

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups mixed olives pitted (I like ⅔ green to ⅓ black)
  • ¼ cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped
  • 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon capers drained
  • Zest of a lemon
  • Juice of ½ a lemon about 2 tablespoons

Instructions

  • Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse until chopped, slightly chunky but fine enough to scoop.
    1 ½ cups mixed olives, ¼ cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, 1 tablespoon capers, 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 cloves garlic, Zest of a lemon, Juice of ½ a lemon
  • You can serve immediately, but I recommend letting the tapenade rest, covered in the fridge, for 24 hours before serving. Store for up to 2 weeks in a sealed container in the fridge.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 126kcal
5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating