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French · Mediterranean

Tapenade (Provençal olive, caper and anchovy spread)

Non-vegetarian

Tapenade

Black olives pounded with capers, anchovies, garlic and thyme, then loosened with olive oil and lemon into a coarse, intensely savoury paste. Provence's spread for bread, crudités and grilled fish.

Tapenade (Provençal olive, caper and anchovy spread) is a French dip from France, ready in about 45 minutes and made with black olives, capers and anchovies. It serves 10 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
0 min
Rest
30 min
Total
45 min
Serves
10
Level
Beginner
Calories
76

Ingredients

10 servings (about 30 g)

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Pit the olives (opens in a new tab) if needed by pressing each with the flat of a knife, and check carefully for stray stones. Rinse salted capers (opens in a new tab) and pat dry.

    • 6 min

  2. Step 2

    In a mortar, pound the garlic (opens in a new tab), anchovies (opens in a new tab) and thyme (opens in a new tab) to a smooth paste. Add the capers (opens in a new tab) and pound until broken down.

  3. Step 3

    Add the olives (opens in a new tab) a handful at a time and pound to a coarse paste with small visible pieces. In a food processor (opens in a new tab), pulse everything together in 1-second bursts, 8–10 times, scraping down; stop before it becomes a smooth purée.

  4. Step 4

    Work in the olive oil (opens in a new tab) a little at a time, then the lemon juice (opens in a new tab) and black pepper (opens in a new tab), until the tapenade is spreadable and glossy. Taste; it rarely needs salt. Rest 30 minutes for the flavours to meld, then pack into a jar and cover with a thin layer of oil.

About this dish

Origin
Provence, France · Well documentedThe name comes from tapeno, Provençal for capers. The modern recipe is often credited to a chef of La Maison Dorée in Marseille around 1880, though olive and caper pastes are much older; that attribution is commonly repeated rather than proven.More food from France
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Snack · Dips & spreads · Condiments, chutneys & relishes
Cooking method
No-cook, Blended
Taste
salty, umami, savoury, tangy
Diet
Pescatarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb
All labelsPescatarian · Non-vegetarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Mediterranean-style · Keto-style · Low-carb
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead
Cook more with
Black olives · Capers · Anchovies · Garlic · Thyme (fresh) · Lemon juice
Techniques
Wet grinding · Emulsification

Allergens

  • Contains: Fishfrom anchovies

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

76 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 31 g · recipe makes 10

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 4%
  • Carbohydrate 8%
  • Fat 88%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy76 kcal246 kcal
Protein0.7 g2.3 g
Carbohydrate1.6 g5.2 g
Net carbohydrate1.2 g3.7 g
Sugars0 g0.1 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre0.5 g1.5 g
Fat7.8 g25.2 g
Saturated fat1.3 g4 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol1 mg4 mg
Sodium273 mg880 mg
Salt equivalent0.7 g2.2 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
15 mg
Calcium
24 mg
Iron
1.4 mg
Magnesium
3 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
4 µg
Vitamin C
1 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
1 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Buy whole olives and pit them yourself; pre-pitted olives in brine are often bland and soft.
  • A teaspoon of brandy or Cognac is a classic Provençal addition.

Common mistakes

  • Blending to a smooth paste, which loses the texture and makes it taste muddy.
  • Adding salt before tasting; olives, capers and anchovies are all salty.

Serve with

  • Spread on toasted baguette as an apéritif, or on crudités.
  • With grilled fish, lamb or hard-boiled eggs, or stirred into pasta.

Food safety

  • Contains fish (anchovies); label it for guests with fish allergies, and make the vegetarian version below if needed.

Storage

  • Refrigerate in a clean jar under a film of olive oil for up to 2 weeks. Always use a clean spoon.

Variations

  • Green tapenade: Made with green olives, often with almonds or basil, and sometimes without anchovies.
  • Vegetarian tapenade: Leave out the anchovies and add a few extra capers and a little lemon zest.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Goes with

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

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Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Black olives, black Niçoise or Kalamata, pitted and drained200 g
  • Capers, drained; rinsed if salted30 g
  • Anchovies, 4 fillets in oil, drained15 g
Used in steps 1, 2, 3

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