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    Home » Easy Vegan Dressing, Dip & Sauce Recipes » Easy Black Olive Tapenade (vegan)

    Easy Black Olive Tapenade (vegan)

    Published: Sep 22, 2021 · Modified: Oct 23, 2021 by Jacqueline Meldrum · 9 Comments

    Black olive tapenade takes just a couple of minutes to make. A tasty spread for sandwiches, wraps and bruschetta.

    Vegan Black Olive Tapenade

    This olive-based spread is packed with flavour.

    It has a rich olive flavour, with a salty hit from the capers.

    The original recipe contains anchovies, but I have replaced them with sundried tomatoes for a vegan version of tapenade.

    Jump to:
    • 💭 Where does tapenade originate?
    • 🥗 Olives from Provencal
    • 🧾 Tapenade ingredients
    • 💭 Top Tip
    • 🥫 Shop bought tapenade
    • 🥣 Which miso paste should I use?
    • 💭 Ideas for serving tapenade
    • ⏲️ How long will homemade tapenade keep?
    • 📋 More tasty vegan recipes with olives
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Want new recipes delivered to your inbox?
    • 📋 Pin it for later
    • 🥦 Living on the Veg
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Vegan Olive Tapenade - step-by-step photos
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Comments

    💭 Where does tapenade originate?

    Tapenade is a dish that was created in France.

    vegan black olive tapenade

    It comes from the region of Provencal in the South of France.

    Created in 1880 by Chef Meynier in his restaurant La Maison Dorée in Marseille.

    The name for the dish comes from the Provencal name Tapen which means capers. As you can imagine the capers are an important element in this dish.

    🥗 Olives from Provencal

    I was lucky enough to visit vineyards in Provencal where they still pick olives the traditional way.

    picking-olives in Provencal

    The black olives I tasted in Provence were the best olives I have ever tasted.

    They leave them on the vine until they are black and wrinkly and achingly soft.

    The green olives were good too and the olive oil was lush, but oh those black olives.

    I occasionally order few jars of the Nyons black olives to keep me going.

    🧾 Tapenade ingredients

    Here are the ingredients you need to make vegan black olive tapenade.

    • Black olives - pitted olives
    • Capers - for that salty bite
    • Sundried tomatoes - for a flavour boost
    • Miso paste - to replace the umami flavour of the anchovies in the original recipe
    • Thyme - dried thyme (you could use fresh also)
    • Lemon juice - just a little
    • Olive oil
    • Salt & Pepper

    The sundried tomatoes and thyme are optional, but they add to the flavour.

    💭 Top Tip

    Don't like a chunky, rough-textured tapenade? Blend it for longer until it is smooth.

    🥫 Shop bought tapenade

    Just a wee reminder to be careful if you are buying ready-made tapenade from a supermarket.

    Tapenade usually contains anchovies (fish), so you will have to scrutinise the ingredient list.

    Another good reason to make your own.

    🥣 Which miso paste should I use?

    This recipe substitutes the anchovies with miso paste as a vegan alternative.

    The miso replicates the unami and slightly salty flavour of anchovies.

    white miso

    There are three basic types of miso. White miso, yellow (or brown) miso or red miso.

    They are all fermented, but for different lengths of time and the colour deepens and changes colour the longer it is fermented, so the paler the colour the milder the flavour.

    The white miso is the one I use the most as I want to add flavour to dishes, but don't want to overpower them. This is the mildest.

    The yellow (or brown) miso, is a medium miso with a stronger flavour.

    The red miso has the longest ferment and the strongest flavour. You have to be careful with this one as it can easily overwhelm all the other flavours in a dish.

    Use red miso sparingly!

    💭 Ideas for serving tapenade

    Here are a few serving ideas for your homemade tapenade.

    olive tapenade and tomato sandwich
    1. Baked sweet potatoes - bake a sweet potato, top with tapenade and crumble some vegan feta over the top.
    2. Brushetta - toast some sourdough, tiger or bloomer's bread, rub with a clove of garlic, then top with tapenade, slice of tomato and crumble over some vegan feta, finishing with a drizzle of olive oil or chilli oil.
    3. Buffet - add it to a help yourself meal, with crusty bread, salad, falafel, hummus, pickled onions and vegan cheese.
    4. Burger topping - add tapenade as one of the toppings when you a layering up your next vegan burger in a bun.
    5. Hummus - mix it with hummus for a flavour boost.
    6. Oatcakes - serve on oatcakes or crackers
    7. Sandwich filling - serve on a sandwich with salad.
    8. Spaghetti - mix through freshly cooked spaghetti and top with grated vegan style parmesan.
    9. Stuffed mushroom filling - fill large mushrooms with tapenade and top with vegan cheese and bake
    10. Stuffed pepper filling - mix tapenade with cooked rice, onion, herbs, salt and pepper and fill red and yellow peppers, top with grated vegan cheese and bake.

    Also try Creamy Vegan Sriracha Dip

    ⏲️ How long will homemade tapenade keep?

    Store your homemade tapenade in an airtight container in the fridge for 7 to 10 days.

    If you top it up with a little olive oil, it can last a little longer.

    📋 More tasty vegan recipes with olives

    Here are a few more easy vegan recipes with olives you may enjoy!

    • Black Olive & Tomato Toastie
    • Mediterranean Potato Bake with Peppers & Olives
    • No Yeast Black Olive Beer Bread (no knead)
    • Simple Spaghetti with Olives
    • Tomato & Olive Couscous Salad
    • Vegan Greek Salad Lunch Wrap

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    Check your spam folder they don't arrive, I share a new recipe on each of my blogs every week.

    📋 Pin it for later

    easy homemade black olive tapenade suitable for vegans

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    👩🏻‍🍳 Vegan Olive Tapenade - step-by-step photos

    Step-by-step photos of this vegan black olive tapenade being made. Keep scrolling for the full printable recipe.

    olive tapenade - step 1

    Step 1

    • Add the olives and miso paste to a blender jug or food processeor bowl.
    • Have neither? You could use a stick blender with a jug.
    olive tapenade - step 2

    Step 2

    • Add the capers and thyme to the other ingredients.
    olive tapenade - step 3

    Step 3

    • Add a sundried tomato and olive oil.
    • Season with salt and pepper.
    • Blend until the tapenade still has a bit of texture or blend until smooth.
    • Enjoy!

    📖 Recipe

    vegan black olive tapenade

    Easy Black Olive Tapenade (vegan)

    Jacqueline Meldrum
    Black olive tapenade takes just a couple of minutes to make. A tasty spread for sandwiches, wraps and bruschetta.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Total Time 5 mins
    Course Easy Vegan Dressing, Dip & Sauce Recipes
    Cuisine French, vegan
    Servings 4
    Calories 92 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 70 grams black olives pitted
    • 1 sundried tomato
    • 2 teaspoon capers
    • 1 teaspoon white miso
    • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 pinch salt
    • 1 pinch black pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Add all the ingredients to the jug of a blender or the bowl of a food processor. If you don't have either of these, you can use a stick blender and a jug.
    • Whizz until it is the desired consistency. I like it with a bit of texture but you can serve it smooth.
    • Taste to check the seasoning and serve.
    • Enjoy!

    Notes

    You can keep this in the fridge in an airtight container for 7-10 days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 4gCalories: 92kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 367mgPotassium: 29mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 78IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword black olive tapenade, homemade tapenade, tapenade, vegan tapenade
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Alisa Infanti

      September 22, 2021 at 1:32 pm

      5 stars
      I used this with some goat Friulano cheese on a crostini and it was awesome.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        September 22, 2021 at 9:04 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it Ailsa.

        Reply
    2. Beth Sachs

      September 22, 2021 at 1:33 pm

      5 stars
      Such an easy recipe for tapenade and delicious on bruschetta with ripe tomatoes!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        September 22, 2021 at 9:04 pm

        Oh yes definitely. I'm with you on that Beth.

        Reply
    3. Michele

      September 22, 2021 at 1:46 pm

      5 stars
      This was so easy to make. Thanks for the recipe. I added it on some bruschetta and there were no leftovers!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        September 22, 2021 at 9:03 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed it and yes it's great on bruschetta.

        Reply
    4. Shadi Hasanzadenemati

      September 22, 2021 at 1:52 pm

      5 stars
      Love how easy this recipe is. It’s perfect for our family!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        September 22, 2021 at 9:03 pm

        Super easy and lots of flavour.

        Reply
    5. Traci

      September 22, 2021 at 2:06 pm

      5 stars
      So much flavor in this vegan tapenade! It's so easy too and perfect for holidays ... or anytime! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

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