Upgrade your dip game with Balsamic Olive Tapenade with a zest of orange. Oranges and olives are long lost best friends. I mean who doesn’t love a little zest of orange… chocolate loves orange, braised beef loves orange… and yes olive tapenade loves a little orange.
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This is the perfect 5-minute recipe. And one of our favorite no-cook sauces. It uses pantry staples and does double duty as a dip or a sauce. And right now the Peel household schedule is CRAZY and I am all about double duty dishes. Or triple duty dishes…
Tapenade Ingredients
- 1 cup mixed olives, diced
- 1 orange, zested
- 2 Tbsp fresh oregano, minced
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
How to Make Tapenade
Select a mixture of olives including both green and Kalamata. Mince the olives and garlic and stir together with the remaining ingredients.
You can add extra balsamic vinegar to give it more juice if desired. The tapenade can be served cold or slightly warmed.
If serving as a dip, garnish with extra orange zest for a pretty little juju.
Yes. Store in the fridge in an airtight container. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving. Tapenade should be served at room temperature.
This tapenade will keep 10 to 14 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Yes! Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Don't add any additional salt to the recipe. Select olive that has a lower sodium content based on the jar label. If it is too salty try adding a fresh squeeze of orange juice to balance it out.
Yes, you can. Add to a food processor with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Pulse until you achieve your desired texture.
Olive Tapenade Uses
There are many options to use tapenades in your every day cooking. However, the addition of the balsamic and orange zest pushes this olive tapenade into a whole new level of versatility. Buckle up… we have a long list of amazing ways to serve our favorite olive tapenade.
- Stir ¼ cup in with a can of tuna, Mediterranean tuna salad!
- Over grilled fish or chicken, especially love it on mahi mahi.
- Stir ⅓ cup into your next beef braise (when there is about 20 to30 minutes left).
- Stirred into cauliflower rice with 4 thinly sliced scallions.
- Mix ½ cup in with 1 lb of sautéed green beans.
- Mixed in with hummus.
- Over grilled or roasted veggies like zucchini and eggplant
- Or stir into gluten-free pasta with frozen shrimp and a handful of spinach, dinner is served.
- Mix 1 Tbsp. with ¼ cup mayo for your turkey in lettuce wraps.
- Add to your avocado & sweet potato toast.
- Spread on gluten-free crackers.
- Mix into a basic vinaigrette (if you don’t like chunky dressing try this Cilantro & Olive Vinaigrette which is a close cousin).
- Mix ½ cup in with 1 ½ cups marinara sauce and serve over spaghetti squash puttanesca.
- On a crudité platter (a fancy way of saying dip some veggies in it).
- Toss with zoodles, tomatoes, red onion and pepperoncini for a Greek pasta salad.
Are you feeling inspired? Also, check out our favorite Ginger Carrot Dressing that has 11 MORE ways to use it!
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📖 Recipe
Balsamic Olive Tapenade
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup mixed olives, diced
- 1 orange, zested
- 2 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Olives should be finely diced. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
- Taste for salt, although it should not need it. Add additional red pepper, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Use a mix of olives such as kalamata and green olives (pitted of course!)
- If you can't find fresh oregano substitute parsley
- AIP compliant: Omit crushed red pepper
Kristin says
The addition of the balsamic and herbs elevates this tapenade from every day to something special. Will definitely make again. Also i liked the chunkier texture.
Jen says
Thank you for trying the recipe, we are glad you enjoyed!