Tapenade used to be one of those things I didn’t understand. It smells and tastes wonderful and conjures images of relaxed Mediterranean lunches, but I wasn’t sure how to use it. In typical British fashion I was puzzled—it’s not a chutney or a pickle, not a jam and certainly not Marmite. I’d spot it on deli shelves and in supermarkets, then walk away. I’d see it served with mustard at lunches and still be unsure where it belonged. Eventually my tapenade maturity arrived: it pairs with many foods and elevates simple combinations into something special.
There are lots of ways to enjoy tapenade. My favourites are:
- With cheese
- On mini crostini with a dollop of tapenade
- On larger crostini spread with tapenade and topped with cheese, herbs, anchovies, olives, tomatoes or peppers
- Stirred through pasta—after all, it’s a close relative of pesto
- Served with plain sliced avocado as a starter
- As a dip for crackers or crudités
Today I’ve made a sun-dried tomato tapenade, often called red tapenade. You’ll also commonly find green and black versions—named for their main ingredients: red for sun-dried tomatoes, green for green olives and black for black olives. Simple.
Unlike dishes that rely on long, slow cooking to develop deep flavours, tapenade requires no cooking at all. There’s no heat involved—just a food processor to blend strong ingredients into a bold, concentrated paste. Because its components are powerful on their own, sun-dried tomato tapenade is quick to make: a bit of rough chopping and a few pulses in a processor and you’re done.
The resulting flavour is striking. You take several intensely flavoured ingredients and combine them into a single, harmonious mix that somehow works brilliantly. If you haven’t yet reached your own tapenade awakening, you’re in for a treat—and this recipe is a great place to start.
This version is vegetarian, but if you eat fish, adding 2–4 anchovies is traditional and will deepen the flavour. Tapenade often improves with time: leave it for a few hours or overnight in the fridge so the flavours meld and the mixture develops greater depth.
Sun dried tomato tapenade
By Gavin Wren
Serves 6, depending on usage
Uses a food processor
Ingredients
150g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained weight, roughly chopped
2 red chillis, de-seeded and roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
25g basil leaves
50g kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It keeps well and is ready to use as a spread, dip or pasta boost.