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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Appetizers

    Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade

    Published: Apr 4, 2025 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    sun dried tomato and olive tapenade

    This bold and briny Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade is the ultimate Mediterranean-inspired spread - salty, savory, and just a touch tangy. Made with a mix of black and green olives, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and capers, it comes together in minutes and instantly elevates crostini, pasta, or even your favorite sandwich.

    serving tapenade made with sun dried tomatoes and olives
    Jump to:
    • Key Ingredients & Substitutions
    • Helpful Tips
    • More Vegan Appetizers
    • Recipe
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    So... You Like Olives?

    Same. And if you’ve ever found yourself eating olives straight out of the jar with zero regrets, then you, my friend, are going to love this tapenade. This isn’t your average tapenade either—it’s got depth, attitude, and a whole lot of umami thanks to the magical addition of sun-dried tomatoes. It’s the kind of spread that feels fancy but takes less time to make than a cup of coffee.

    Key Ingredients & Substitutions

    Lemon juice (optional) – Just a splash really brightens things up. Fresh is best.

    Kalamata olives – These briny beauties bring deep, fruity richness and a signature bold flavor. Be sure to use pitted ones to save your food processor (and your sanity).

    Sun-dried tomatoes – Oil-packed ones bring the best texture and flavor, but dry-packed will work if you rehydrate them in warm water first.

    Fresh parsley – Adds a bright, herby freshness that balances all the rich, salty elements. Basil and sage are also nice additions.

    Walnuts or pecans – Nuts add body and a subtle earthy flavor. Walnuts are traditional, but pecans give it a slightly sweeter twist. Pine nuts would also work well, but would give a consistency more like a pesto.

    Helpful Tips

    Pulse, don’t purée. You want a coarse texture, not a paste. Tapenade should still have some personality—think chunky pesto vibes.

    Taste as you go. Olives are naturally salty, so you probably won’t need extra salt. But feel free to tweak the flavors to your liking.

    Make it ahead. This tapenade gets even better after a few hours in the fridge. The flavors mingle, get cozy, and deepen beautifully. This is great for a party because you can make a big batch in advance!

    More Vegan Appetizers

    If you love this olive and sun dried tomato tapenade, be sure to check out these other delicious recipes:

    • Vegan Eggplant Caponata
    • Simple Olivada
    • Pasta with Chickpeas and Olives
    • Roasted Potatoes and Olives

     

    Recipe

    sun dried tomato olive tapenade

    Olive & Sun Dried Tomato Tapenade

    Savory olive and sun-dried tomato tapenade packed with bold Mediterranean flavors—perfect as a spread, dip, or pasta topper.
    5 from 1 vote
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    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Mediterranean
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: olive tapenade, sun dried tomato tapenade, vegan tapenade
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Author: Veg Kitchen

    Ingredients

    • ¾ cup Kalamata olives pitted
    • ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes oil cured or not, as preferred (see note)
    • ½ cup fresh parsley leaves chopped
    • ¼ cup walnuts or pecans roughly chopped
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice or to taste
    • ¼ cup water
    • fresh parsley or other herbs of choice for garnish
    • baguette or crackers optional, for serving
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Place all of the tapenade ingredients in a food processor. Pulse on and off until everything is finely and evenly minced.
    • If need be add a small amount of additional water so that the mixture adheres.
    • Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve with bread or crackers, and fresh herbs for garnish.

    Notes

    make sure they’re moist if not oil-cured; soak in hot water if necessary
    Vegan-ize any recipe!Grab our free vegan cheat sheet, packed with my favorite easy substitutions to make any recipe vegan.

    More Vegan Appetizers

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      Vegan Jalapeno Poppers
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      Easy Vegan Coleslaw
    • vegan dip recipes
      The Best Vegan Dips

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tally says

      April 17, 2025 at 6:50 pm

      5 stars
      So simple and good.

    5 from 1 vote

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    nicole malik from vegkithen.com

    Hi, I'm Nicole! I'm the creator behind VegKitchen, and the author of the popular cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. Learn more about me here.

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