This Rustic Tomato and Olive Tapenade is perfect for entertaining and snacking!
Oh, man. You guys. This recipe. It is near and dear to my heart! It’s so simple to make and packed full of flavor.
Do you see all those beautiful colors? Those are a mix of olives and multi-colored mini heirloom tomatoes.
I found these gorgeous little babies at the grocery store and just had to bring them home with me. You know how much I love color, so I couldn’t resist.
You could absolutely use regular red cherry tomatoes and it would be just as delicious, but maybe not as colorful.
I just tossed them with a simple marinade and roasted them in the oven on a baking sheet. Once they were burst open and laying (mostly) flat, I pulled them out and let them cool.
The combination of savory chopped olives with these roasted tomatoes was absolutely heavenly!
This tapenade is perfect for spreading on crusty bread for a hearty snack or a light lunch. I’ve been on a huge olive kick ever since we got back from Greece, so I was thrilled to pick up some olives and put together this recipe.
Somehow this whole bowl of tapenade mysteriously disappeared from the fridge… suspicious, yes? I don’t think I could resist the combination of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors in this tapenade.
It’s a thing of beauty. Plus a great way to get in your daily loaf of bread. We’re supposed to eat one loaf per day, right?
I cannot wait to make another batch of this! I used some of the leftovers to make a delicious quiche, but I bet it would also be delicious tossed with some hot cooked pasta and olive oil. Yum!
Ready to dig in?
Rustic Tomato and Olive Tapenade Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh cherry tomatoes - halved
- 3 whole peeled cloves garlic
- 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Dash chili pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped black olives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450° and cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- Combine the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, brown sugar, oregano, and chili pepper flakes in a large bowl. Toss to coat, then transfer to the lined pan. Roast for 25 minutes, then set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the tomatoes to a cutting board and give them a rough chop. Place the tomatoes in a large serving bowl and fold in the chopped olives.
NOTES
Why the sugar?
Hi Hala, the sugar makes it a little sweet, but you can adjust the sugar to suit your tastes.
Thanks for the amazing recipe. Made a slight variation last night which my family seemed to enjoy. For the tomatoes omitted all of the herbs and balsamic and sugar, added capers and anchovies (and a little less salt), and instead of hand-chopping pulsed everything in a food processor to create a smoother, more spread-able texture.
Hi Trent,
Thanks for sharing your adaptations!
– Linda
This is absolutely delicious. My guests all wanted the recipe. I added capers to the marinade and fresh basil and oregano to olives before mixing all together. The only downside for me is there were a lot of tomato skins to deal with, and I really dislike that texture. I might try blanching and peeling the tomatoes before roasting next time.
Isn’t texture a funny thing? I don’t mind them, but you might also think about different varieties of tomatoes. Some, like romas, have thicker skins!