Kalamata Olive Tapenade

This Greek Kalamata olive tapenade is an easy dip that comes together in under 10 minutes.  Perfect appetizer for game day, or anytime you host friends and family.  Serve with crackers or pita chips, or keep it low-carb by pairing it with crunchy peppers and celery.

Ingredients in Olive Tapenade Dip

The recipe has simple ingredients that you may already have in your pantry or fridge.

• Kalamata olives – the briny black olives come from the Peloponnese area of Greece and are unique to Greece. They give this tapenade its unique flavor
• Green olives – We use green olives to give depth of flavor and a pop of color to the tapenade.
• Fresh parsley – the fresh and bright flavor balances the saltiness of the salty olives.  We use ½ cup of hand-chopped parsley.
• Capers – the caper berry comes from the Mediterranean and in Greece is found on the island of Santorini. Capers are super salty, so we rinse the brine before using the capers in the dip. 
• Garlic – we use 2 cloves of fresh minced garlic in this recipe.  The garlic adds flavor and a touch of heat to the tapenade.
• Lemon juice – the lemon juice balances the dip with its bright acidic flavor.  The tartness balances perfectly with the briny olives and fresh parsley.
• Olive oil – we use just 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.  Use Greek olive oil if you can as it has a delicious richness to it not found in all varieties.

How to Make Olive Tapenade

Finely chop the olives and place them into a medium bowl. 

Add the finely minced garlic and chopped parsley to the bowl.  Stir to combine. 

Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice.  Start with half a lemon, then taste to see if extra lemon juice is needed.

Variations

A traditional Greek tapenade may also have nuts like cashews, pistachios, or almonds and it is made into more of a paste than a tapenade.  I prefer the chunkiness of the chopped olives to a paste, but the taste is virtually the same.

Add nuts to the tapenade to make it your own.

Pine nuts, cashews, walnuts or almonds can be used to add some crunch to the tapenade.

If you are sensitive to fresh garlic, you can reduce it to one clove, or use roasted garlic in the tapenade instead of fresh.  The roasted garlic will give it a mild garlic flavor.

For a touch of heat, add red pepper flakes to the tapenade.

Extra virgin olive oil is a must in this recipe.  While you may see olive oils classified as light or mild, be sure it's labeled extra virgin olive oil so you get the maximum olive flavor in the dip.

How to Serve Olive Tapenade

Serve the Greek olive tapenade with crunchy veggies like mini bell peppers, celery, homemade pita chips, or crackers.

Olive tapenade can also be added to pasta as a sauce with a bit more olive oil.  Add feta or parmesan cheese to the pasta.

Olive tapenade also makes a delicious topping for grilled chicken or fish.