Tapenade is the quintessential Provençal pâté: black olives, capers, garlic, and anchovies crushed into an intense, Mediterranean paste that conquers any toast. Anchovies are the ingredient that gives depth and the salty touch that balances everything. Five minutes in a food processor for an elegant appetizer that lasts for days in the fridge.
Tapenade is the Swiss Army knife of Mediterranean cuisine: an olive and anchovy paste that works as a dip with crudités, a sauce for pasta, a chicken stuffing, a pizza base, a salad dressing, or simply spread on toast with a glass of wine. It's one of those preparations that, once you have it made in a jar in the fridge, solves any impromptu appetizer in 30 seconds. It keeps for two weeks if you always cover it with a layer of oil.
Ingredients
- 6 Cantabrian anchovy fillets in EVOO (we use "00" Premium Cantabrian Anchovy Fillets)
- 200 g pitted black olives (Kalamata or Aragón)
- 2 tablespoons capers (rinsed)
- 1 small garlic clove
- 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Black pepper
- Fresh thyme (optional)
Step-by-step preparation
- Place olives, anchovies, capers, garlic, and thyme in a large mortar (ideal) or food processor. The desired texture is granular, rustic, with visible pieces — not a smooth purée. A mortar gives a better texture than a blender because it crushes rather than cuts.
- Add the oil in a thin stream while continuing to pound, until you get a spreadable paste with character. Add lemon juice and pepper. Do not add salt: the olives and anchovies already provide all the salt you need and then some.
- Taste and adjust: if it's too thick, add more oil. If it lacks acidity, add more lemon. If it lacks depth, add another anchovy.
- Transfer to a clean glass jar. Cover the surface with a layer of olive oil (this seals and prevents oxidation). Cover and refrigerate. It lasts 2 weeks in the fridge if you replenish the oil layer every time you take out tapenade.
The house trick
Tapenade is the perfect emergency appetizer: 10 minutes of preparation, 2 weeks of shelf life, infinite applications. Make a large jar and always keep it in the fridge. When unannounced guests arrive: tapenade on toast, olives on the side, some cheese, some wine. Appetizer solved in 2 minutes, looking like you spent hours preparing.
Buy it at Bacalalo"00" Premium Cantabrian Anchovy Fillets€24.90 · 24-48h refrigerated delivery →Frequently asked questions
What are the best olives for tapenade?
Quality black olives, such as Kalamata or Aragón, pitted. They provide the body and characteristic dark color of tapenade.
Can I make it without anchovies?
It exists, but anchovies provide the umami and depth. Without them, tapenade loses much of its character.
How long does it keep?Covered with a thin layer of oil in an airtight jar, it lasts a week in the fridge and gains flavor with rest.
