GREEK OLIVES TAPENADE RECIPE
Olive tapenade is among the favorite appetizers on any Mediterranean themed table. Even though it’s originally a French starter, in Greek cuisine it’s always appreciated when someone brings olives tapenade to the table. But it’s usually replaced by a plate of plain olives, because they are always around and it’s the quick and easy way. Greek olives tapenade is a very easy to prepare recipe and good for you too!
Benefits of Greek Olives, Olive Oil & Oregano
Greek olives is the main ingredient for our tapenade recipe and are our main source of monounsaturated fatty acids. Because of this, they have extremely antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which protect the body against cardiovascular problems, type-2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic diseases.
Same health benefits also apply to Greek olive oil as it comes from Greek olives. Olive oil is the least refined product from pressing olives, without any heat or chemicals that change its chemical properties compared to other production methods, which produce olive oil of lower qualities.
Another healthy ingredient in this recipe is Greek oregano. It is a spice used in the Mediterranean cuisine with beneficial properties. With its powerful antioxidant, antifungal and antibacterial properties, Greek Oregano helps prevent various diseases and relieve their symptoms. It can be very effective against respiratory conditions and allergies, arthritis, urinary tract infections and it significantly strengthens the immune system, if consumed regularly.
So, let’s use these healthy Greek ingredients to prepare this delicious Greek Olives Tapenade recipe!
Greek Olives Tapenade Recipe
Ingredients
200 gr. Kardamas Kalamon olives
3 anchovy (optional)
3 tbsp. capers
2 tbsp. Greek Oregano
3 chopped garlic cloves
½ bunch of parsley
1/2 medium lemon
3-4 tbsp. Greek olive oil
Greek sea salt and pepper (to taste)
Directions
For this Greek Olives Tapenade recipe, we used whole Kardamas Kalamon olives. You can easily remove the pits on your own with a cherry/olive stone pitter tool. Otherwise, simply take a vegetable knife and place the flat surface on an olive. Then tap slightly your fist above the knife’s flat surface, right above the olive’s position. Be careful not to cut yourself!
Remove the pits and rinse the olive remains, as well as, the cappers and the anchovies under cold water. Then, place all ingredients in the blender, except the extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Remove the paste from the blender into a bowl, and add the extra virgin olive and lemon juice in while stirring very well. Add some Greek sea salt and pepper, according to taste. Be careful not to over season. You can also add more olive oil or lemon juice for more flavor!
FYI, if you’re not a fan of anchovies, you can leave it out of the recipe or replace them with another ingredient of your choice. In any case, there are many alternatives you can use to prepare Greek olives tapenade so don’t be afraid to experiment with other ingredients, such as, sun dried tomatoes, onions, peppers, vinegar, thyme leaves, carrots, cucumbers or even feta cheese! You get the idea, any vegetable should work.
You can store your Greek olives tapenade in a jar filled with olive oil for about a month. Since olive oil does not allow the paste to be exposed to air, it keeps it ‘sealed’ and prevents it from going bad. Keep in mind that if you have used any kind of cheese in your recipe, the storage period drops to a week.
And that’s it! Easy, isn’t it? Serve this yummy appetizer as a dip for vegetables or bread sticks. You can use it as a spread for bread, crackers or even as a filling! The options are endless with this Greek Olives Tapenade recipe.
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