Green and Black Olive Tapenade Recipe and Crostini Appetizer

Ginny McMeans

Ginny McMeans

Published:

August 25, 2019

Last Modified:

May 8, 2024

This Green and Black Olive Tapenade Recipe is combined with homemade toasts for a classic crostini appetizer. The hearty Italian flavors are spruced up for just a bit more oomph! It’s a unique and easy recipe that takes way under 30 minutes. 

Front view of crostini toast with green tapenade spoon over with jars filled behind.

I am always ready for a party. Especially casual ones where people just seem to get together with no effort.

Green and Black Olive Tapenade is a classic and everyone must really like it because there is never a drop left at the end of the party.

Making something homemade will show that you care about your guests and the bonus is that no one will know that you only spent a few minutes in the kitchen.

All of the ingredients are pure Italian and an assortment of olives, oils, toasted bread, and some good wine is such a fun idea.

Another idea is to combine the olives and oil with a few more goodies and make finger food that will disappear very quickly. A recipe just like this one.

Two jars filled with homemade green and black olive tapenade.

Olive Tapenade Ingredients

Speaking of goodies check out the photo below for a visual of the beautiful ingredients. It all comes out to be a fantastically delicious and flavorful tapenade.

More flavor is added with garlic and raw onions. Everything is then spruced up with tangy capers and black pepper.

You can actually make this olive tapenade recipe with all green olives or all black olives. You can even switch the measurements for the two olives and have a predominantly black olive tapenade.

I guarantee they will all be delicious but try this one first. I wouldn’t want you to miss it.

Tapenade ingredients in different shaped small white bowls.

Aren’t the ingredients beautiful? Add it all to a food processor and in seconds you’ll have a delicious tapenade. It keeps in the fridge for a very long time. At least until it’s all gone.

That makes it a perfect make-ahead recipe for a get-together. The toasts can be made ahead too.

The Crostini recipe is also a classic. It looks beautiful, rustic, smells incredible, and tastes fantastic. Pure Mediterranean.

Looking down into a food processor with all of the ingredients ready to be pulsed.

How Do You Make Crostini Toasts?

  • Lay out the Italian bread slices on a baking sheet.
  • Lightly brush each bread with olive oil. The new silicone brushes are great. They wash up really well.
  • Put the baking sheet on the top shelf under the broiler.
  • Don’t do anything else. Just stand there and keep checking the bread and don’t let them burn. It only takes a minute or two. Seriously, like a minute and a half.
  • After the toasts are lightly browned, remove from the oven. They are ready to use anytime.
  • You can keep them in the refrigerator for later use too. They keep in the fridge for about 5 days.

Below is a photo of my toasts. You can see that my oven turns them browner in the center. Yous may be like that too so watch all of the toasts as they are browning.

Overhead view of tasted crostini toasts in a baking sheet.

How Else Can You Use an Olive Tapenade Recipe?

  • Try stirring some of the tapenade spread in pasta. The olives, garlic, onions, and capers in olive oil can turn this into a great pasta condiment. It makes your noodles pop with flavor and adds healthy fats.
  • Use some to make a sandwich for lunch with some extra fresh tomatoes and parsley or cilantro.
  • Or make your lunch extra special by combining some with your green salad.
  • I also love filling my avocado halves with some of this olive tapenade.

All of these tapenades and bruschettas would work for elegant dinners, holidays and game day. All three sharing one big bowl of little toasts would really be fun.

Green and Black Olive Tapenade Recipe and Crostini Appetizers is a classic recipe that is super quick to prepare.

Green and Black Olive Tapenadeis piled high on two crostini toasts and a small wooden plate.

Green and Black Olive Tapenade Crostini

Ginny McMeans
4.6700 from 15 votes
Mixed Olive Tapenade Crostini is a classic recipe that can be prepared quickly for a special appetizer.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 40 Crostini

Want to save this recipe to your email?

Ingredients
  

  • 15 ounces black olives – large pitted black olives – can, 12 to 15 ounces
  • 21 ounces weight green olives – green pimento olives 14 to 21 ounces in a jar
  • 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2-3 cloves garlic – 2-3 depending on size
  • 1/4 cup onion – chopped, white onion
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 loaf Italian or French baguette – sliced, use gluten-free bread if needed

Instructions
 

  • Drain the liquid from both olive containers.
  • Finely chop the garlic. I use this cool little Mini Chopper
  • Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse 2 to 5 times. You want little chunks as seen in the photos.
  • That is literally it!
  • Serve now, or refrigerate for later.

Notes

To Prepare the Crostini Toasts:
Prepare the crostini toasts: Lay out the Italian bread slices on a cookie sheet. Lightly brush each bread with olive oil. The new silicone brushes are great. They wash up really easy.
Put the cookie sheet on the top shelf under the broiler. Don’t do anything else. Just stand there and keep checking the bread and don’t let them burn. It only takes a minute or two.
After the toasts are lightly browned, remove from the oven. They are ready to use anytime. You can keep them in the refrigerator for later use too.

Nutrition

Serving:1Crostini, Calories:66kcal, Carbohydrates:4g, Fat:3g, Sodium:210mg, Potassium:14mg, Fiber:1g, Vitamin A:100IU, Vitamin C:0.1mg, Calcium:18mg, Iron:0.3mg

share this recipe

27 responses to “Green and Black Olive Tapenade Recipe and Crostini Appetizer”

4.67 from 15 votes (9 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




  1. Angie Avatar

    This sounds amazing!! Can’t wait to try!! My boyfriend HATES black olives what other type would you recommend? Kalamata?

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Yes, I think you could use Kalamata. Any combination would be good. The green olives are already strong and I used the black to kind of cut the strength but Kalamatas would work.

  2. Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet Avatar

    Gorgeous! This is really is terrific party food!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Let the party begin! 🙂

  3. eat good 4 life Avatar

    This is my kind of appetizer and crostini. So healthy. I love the colors!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Thanks so much! 🙂

  4. Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet Avatar

    Oooo! I’ve never had olive tapenade! This sounds crazy good!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Oh my goodness Anna – you have to make it! Thanks so much too 🙂

  5. Heather | Heather Likes Food Avatar

    Sounds like a new recipe for me t try! Thanks

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      That’s great Heather. You are very welcome 🙂

  6. Jessica @ Sprinkle Some Sugar Avatar

    I’ve never had olive tapenade, but I am obsessed with every kind of olive so I bet I would devour it! This looks so perfect for a party appetizer!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Oh my gosh Jessica. You HAVE to make it 🙂

  7. Kathy Avatar
    Kathy

    Hi Ginny…I love olive tapenade and this looks really delish…one question tho…is it really 18 teaspoons of ground pepper? Thank you!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Ha Kathy! Thanks for the heads up and I fixed it. 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper. 🙂

  8. Dana Avatar

    Love tapenade and love crostini! I haven’t made tapenade myself and really need to get on that.

  9. Prasanna hede Avatar

    5 stars
    Interesting new recipe to try! Amazing pics.

  10. Dahn Avatar

    5 stars
    great recipe and good timing too, we are having a work party for my husbands co-workers this weekend, this will be a big hit

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Ahh, that’s fantastic Dahn!

  11. Village Bakery Avatar

    5 stars
    Ginny – you’re the best. I made these for mothers day and it was such a hit!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Oh, that’s great Joe! I’m all about moms and this also makes me feel great! Thanks!

  12. Andrea Avatar
    Andrea

    5 stars
    Excellent recipe, thank you!

  13. Shar Avatar
    Shar

    5 stars
    Will this freeze well? And if so, anything special to freeze it?

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      No Shar, unfortunately, the olives would not freeze well. The freshness is what makes them so good.

  14. Lynda Wright Avatar
    Lynda Wright

    5 stars
    This is an amazing recipe!! Delish delish delish!!! It makes me sad that I just discovered Tapenade… Hubby and I are now obsessed with it!!!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Yay Lynda! I am so glad you found this recipe and you and your hubby love it. 🙂

  15. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    I am trying to figure out amounts for the olives. Are the ounces listed for weight of the total can/jar including the liquid or just the olives alone. Thanks!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      I used a jar from the store that was in the 14-21 ounce range. I prefer 21 but I love olives.

Ginny McMeans

Ginny McMeans

Hi, my name is Ginny and it is fantastic that you have come to visit and see my recipes. I have a positive attitude and can’t seem to be in nature enough. My North American bird count is 678 and I’m always watching for mammals and insects too. My head is stuffed full of recipes that I want to create and life is just to dang short. The recipes feature healthy and delicious vegan food that you can enjoy now or freeze for future meals.

Follow on social media:
More about Ginny