5 Minute Tapenade Mayonnaise

Black and green olives, intense briny anchovies, garlic, and tangy capers. Tapenade is nothing if not intense! And, with the help of a food processor, couldn’t be simpler to make! Stir in a little mayo to make it tapenade mayonnaise and smooth out the flavors, and you have one of my favorite recipes. Great for dip, as a sauce, and spread over bruschetta.

Hello, all!

Today I have a great Italian condiment recipe for you! I’ve been making it for about 20 years now and I love making variations on the classic.

Tapenade Mayonnaise

I remember first reading about it and giving it a try one New Year’s Eve. We’ve never been much for going out on New Year’s, so I’ve usually taken the opportunity to make fun and interesting recipes while also avoiding icy roads, drunk drivers, and crowds.

We weren’t completely sure about the flavors that evening (I remember I went a bit overboard on the anchovy), but I found it intriguing enough to keep making it, refining it, and trying it in different foods. Mixed with mayonnaise is one of my favorite ways to make it, since the mayo softens the flavors just enough to make it really versatile.

How do you make it?

To make tapenade mayonnaise combine the olives, herbs, garlic, anchovies, and capers in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and mix in the mayonnaise.

Traditionally tapenade is made with a mortar and pestle, and a little more time and some elbow grease will get you a nice texture. However, I like modern conveniences so I pull out my trusty food processor to make it.

A few pulses and you’re done! Just be careful not to turn it into a homogeneous paste. You want to see the pieces of olives and bits of herbs and even some larger chunks. The finished product should be appealing rustic and not too fussy. 🙂

If you are serving the tapenade as a dip, chop up some extra olives and herbs to top the bowl and make it more inviting.

How to use this creamy olive dip

Once you’ve made the tapenade mayonnaise…

So many options! One of my favorites though, is to just eat it with some toasted pitas. I sauteed a few pita breads in olive oil until they were chewy-crispy (about 3-4 minutes on medium heat), and then tossed them with some salt and some dried oregano. Yum! And they went perfectly with the olives.

How to store it

Store the dip in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Can it be frozen?

No, it cannot. Once you’ve added the mayo, it does not freeze well and will separate.

However, you can freeze the tapenade and then simply thaw in the refrigerator overnight and mix with mayo when you are ready to serve.

If you try my recipe for Tapenade Mayonnaise, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! And I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.

You can connect with me by subscribing to my emails or liking my Facebook or Pinterest (see the form and icons in the sidebar or below the recipe card)

– Happy Eating, Annemarie

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

5 Minute Tapenade Mayonnaise

Black and green olives combine with oil-packed anchovy fillets, capers, and a dollop of mayo in this quick, easy, and yummy tapenade.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time0 minutes mins

Total Time5 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: creamy tapenade, tapenade

Servings: 8

Calories: 125kcal

Author: justalittlebitofbacon

Ingredients

• 1 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 1 cup pitted green olives
• 2 tbsp capers
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 anchovy fillets packed in oil
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

Instructions

• Add all ingredients except mayonnaise to a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped. Be careful not to over process. You don't want to create a paste.
• Scoop the mixture into a bowl.
• Add the mayonnaise and mix to combine.
• If you wish, chop up a few more olives and some more herbs and sprinkle them over the top.

Notes

Olives: For the green olives, I buy Goya Pitted Cocktail Olives. It's one of the few brands I've found where I can get green olives which are pitted but unstuffed.