This delicious black olive tapenade hails from the Spanish island of Mallorca where it's served as an appetizer with delicious homemade bread. To elevate your next meal, make this easy black olive paté from scratch. It's perfect for a cheese platter, too!
If you're looking for more tasty appetizers, check out these delicious tapas like roasted asparagus with ham and Spanish hummus.
Introduction
One of my favorite ways to enjoy Spanish olives is in a tapenade, and the best Spanish olive tapenade I've tried is this one from the island of Mallorca.
The olive trees of the Tramuntana Mountains have been producing delicious olives since Roman times. Farmers choose to pick the olives when they're green, or leave them on the trees until they're overripe and black--which makes them perfect for this famous olive tapenade.
I first tried this delicious black olive paté during my visit to a Mallorcan agroturismo called Cas Xorc, where chef Guillermo Moya shared his perfected version of the island's favorite spread. Sweet and savory, his recipe combines the salty local olives with honey and olive oil for stunning results. Here's his famous olive tapenade recipe!
Ingredients
Like many of the best Spanish recipes, this Mallorcan black olive tapenade only takes a few simple, fresh, high-quality ingredients. Here's what you need to get cooking!
- Black Olives: If you can find them, I recommend using fresh black olives from Mallorca--but that's not possible for most people. Any mild black olive, like Greek kalamatas, will work well in this recipe.
- Shallot: These alliums are milder and sweeter than onions, and perfectly complement the other flavors.
- Honey: Use local honey if possible for the best flavor.
- Balsamic Vinegar: This adds the perfect tang to complement the olive oil and olives.
- Olive Oil: If you can't get a local Mallorcan olive oil, choose another good Spanish brand for a lovely flavor in this tapenade!
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Black Olive Tapenade
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, then add the diced shallots and sauté until they're translucent and begin to caramelize. (image 1)
- Roughly chop the black olives by hand or in a food processor, then add them to the pan of shallots and cook for 1 minute, then turn off the heat. (image 2)
- Pass the mixture through a meat mincer or pulse a few times in a food processor to give the mixture a chunky yet spreadable texture. (image 3)
- Add the honey, balsamic vinegar, and two tablespoons of olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy with sliced bread or fresh seasonal produce. (image 4)
Recipe FAQs
Olive tapenade hails from the region of Provence in France. Although it has roots in ancient Greek and Roman cuisine, olive tapenade is a more recent invention; it was first created by Chef Meynier in 1880. This paste-like mixture is a popular appetizer when served on slices of bread.
Yes, for sure! Spanish black olives, like any other olives, are packed with antioxidants and healthy fats, which make them a wonderfully healthy choice. There's a good reason why they're a staple in the Mediterranean diet.
This Spanish black olive tapenade is a tasty mixture of chopped black olives, shallot, honey, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. It's the original recipe of Chef Guillermo Moya.
Spain is home to hundreds of different olive varieties, many of which are used to make the best olive oils in the world. But Spain's table olives are equally impressive, and the colorful variety of table olives available in any local Spanish market is stunning.
The most typical way to enjoy table olives in Spain is with a cold beer or glass of wine, as a pre-lunch or pre-dinner snack. Olives will also pop up in salads such as the Malaga salad, and occasionally in a savory cooked dish (such as tuna empanada) as well. There are even some recipes for sweet sugared olives, an unlikely (but delicious) combination.
Serve
This Spanish black olive tapenade is an easy way to bring the flavors of Mallorca to your table! Serve the tapenade on slices of hearty sourdough bread, or with a cheese plate or veggie tray. I also enjoy it as a spread when making a sandwich, or as a delicious garnish on a large green salad.
If you want to turn your meal into a Mallorcan feast, I recommend making Mallorcan tumbet, garlicky alioli with some veggies, or arroz negro (a Catalan dish that's popular in Mallorca), along with the popular treat ensaimada for dessert! Get more ideas in my Mallorcan food guide.
Expert Tips
- If you can't get black olives from Mallorca, substitute with another black olive variety that isn't too bitter, such as Greek kalamata olives.
- This tapenade will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Serve on sliced sourdough bread, with fresh veggies or a cheese plate, spread it on a sandwich, or use it as a garnish on a big green salad.
Other Tasty Recipes with Olives
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Spanish Black Olive Tapenade
Ingredients
- 11 ounces black olives pitted and roughly chopped
- 6 medium shallots finely diced
- 3 tablespoons good quality honey
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- sea salt to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots, then turn down the heat and slowly cook them until they start to caramelize.
- Add the roughly chopped black olives to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and pass it through a meat mincer or pulse it a few times in a food processor. The mixture should be chunky, but spreadable.
- Mix in the honey, balsamic vinegar, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste. You can also adjust the honey and vinegar if you wish.
- Serve this Mallorcan black olive tapenade on hearty sourdough bread or with some freshly sliced seasonal vegetables. I also enjoy it as a spread when making a sandwich, or topped on a large green salad as a delicious garnish.
Notes
- If you can't get black olives from Mallorca, substitute with another black olive variety that isn't too bitter, such as Greek kalamata olives.
- This tapenade will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Serve on sliced sourdough bread, with fresh veggies or a cheese plate, spread it on a sandwich, or use it as a garnish on a big green salad.
Nutrition
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
Gaudi lover
Made this recipe as part of 2022 Christmas Day tapas. I was pleasantly surprised by this sweeter rendition of olive tapenade. My guests loved it.