Cheese And Olive Tapenade: Perfect Pairing Ideas

Olive tapenade is a salty, briny olive spread that can be served with a variety of cheeses. Some popular cheese pairings include soft, creamy cheeses like goat cheese, brie, or fresh mozzarella. For example, a crostini with goat cheese and olive tapenade makes for a great party food, snack, or vegetarian lunch option. Olive tapenade can also be served as part of a summer cheese board, paired with creamy dips like hummus, and complemented by crunchy snacks like roasted chickpeas and pecans.

Olive tapenade and goat's cheese crostini

Olive Tapenade and Goats Cheese Crostini

Ingredients

• 5 oz French bread baguette, sliced diagonally into ten ½ oz slices (about ½” thick)
• 18 medium-sized black olives
• 16 green Manzanilla olives (the ones that come in a jar with pimientos stuffed inside)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme, leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
• 5 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts (1 ¼ ounces)
• ¼ cup dried currants
• 5 ounces soft goat cheese

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 400. Place the baguette slices on a foil-lined baking sheet and spray the tops with cooking spray. Flip the slices over and spray the other side as well. Place the baguette slices in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden. Allow them to cool for a few minutes until they’re easy to handle.

Once the bread is in the oven, place both types of olives along with the garlic clove, olive oil, lemon juice, and mustard into a food processor and turn it on or pulse a few times until the ingredients are finely chopped and well combined.

When the bread is ready, spread each toasted baguette slice with goat cheese, dividing it evenly amongst the bread. Top each piece with a tablespoon of the olive tapenade and serve.

Tips

• If you aren’t planning to use the whole batch of crostini at once, you can either make all the baguette slices and use them as needed for a few days (store in a sealed Ziploc bag) or you can just make the toasted baguette slices as needed.
• If you can't find Manzanilla olives, you can use any other green olives.
• If you don't like goat cheese, you can substitute it with another soft cheese. Brie, ricotta, cream cheese, whipped feta, or Laughing Cow cheese wedges should all work as a replacement.

Olive tapenade and brie crostini

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups pitted kalamata olives, drained
• 1 1/2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large baguette, cut into even slices
• Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 7-ounce Supreme Brie oval, sliced

Method:

• Add the olives, capers, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper to a food processor and pulse 2 to 3 times, or until coarsely chopped.
• Drizzle over the olive oil and pulse 2 to 3 times more, scraping down the sides, until evenly combined.
• Set the broiler to low.
• On a baking sheet, lay out the baguette slices and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Broil until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
• Remove from the oven and add a slice of brie to each slice of bread.
• Return to the oven and broil for 2 minutes more, or until the cheese is melty.
• Place the crostini on a serving platter and top each with a spoonful of tapenade.
• Serve any remaining tapenade in a bowl with crostini and/or crackers on the side.

Tips:

• Tapenade is a classic from Provence, a southeastern region of France that borders the Mediterranean Sea. It is traditionally made from black olives, but recipes have evolved over the years to include the flavors of green and kalamata olives, among others.
• If you are looking for a vegetarian option, you can substitute the brie with another soft cheese such as goat cheese, ricotta, cream cheese, whipped feta, or Laughing Cow cheese wedges.

Olive tapenade and mozzarella

Mozzarella and Olive Tapenade Crostini

A popular way to enjoy olive tapenade and mozzarella is to make crostini. This simple recipe is perfect as an appetizer, a snack, or a light lunch.

Ingredients:

• Mozzarella cheese
• Olive tapenade
• Baguette
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

• Slice the baguette diagonally into 1/2-inch thick pieces.
• Drizzle the baguette slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Toast the baguette slices in the oven until golden brown.
• Add a slice of mozzarella cheese to each slice of toasted baguette.
• Return the baguette slices to the oven and broil for a few minutes until the cheese is melted.
• Top each crostini with a spoonful of olive tapenade and serve.

Roasted Red Pepper Olive Tapenade and Mozzarella on Toast

For a more substantial dish, try this recipe for roasted red pepper olive tapenade and mozzarella on toast. It's a versatile dish that can be served as an appetizer, side, or light lunch.

Ingredients:

• Pitted kalamata olives
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Roasted red peppers
• Cilantro
• Sourdough bread
• Fresh mozzarella

Instructions:

• Combine kalamata olives, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper in a food processor and process until finely chopped.
• Add the roasted red peppers to the food processor and process until chopped.
• Mix in the cilantro.
• Cut the toasted sourdough bread slices in half and layer each piece with sliced mozzarella.
• Top each piece of toast with a large dollop of tapenade and serve immediately.

Other Serving Ideas

If you're looking for something a little different, here are some more ways to enjoy olive tapenade and mozzarella:

• Salads: Add a few dollops of olive tapenade to a Caprese salad or a zucchini salad for a punch of flavor.
• Sandwiches: Slather olive tapenade onto a sandwich with fresh mozzarella for a tasty and satisfying lunch.
• Pizza: Dot olive tapenade onto a pizza with mozzarella for a Mediterranean twist.
• Snack Boards: Serve olive tapenade with fresh mozzarella and other cheeses, crackers, and veggies for a delicious and impressive appetizer spread.

Olive tapenade and burrata crostini

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound kalamata olives (or other black olives), pitted and coarsely chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 teaspoons capers, drained
• 2 tablespoons quality olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus extra for garnish
• 1 baguette, sliced to 1/2-inch thickness
• 16 ounces fresh burrata or fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced to 1/4-inch thickness

Method

• To make the olive tapenade, combine the olives, anchovy paste, garlic, and capers in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse 3 to 4 times, then add the olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, thyme, and parsley. Process until chunky.
• Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet and brush one side of each slice with olive oil.
• Toast the bread in the oven at 400°F for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping halfway through.
• Spread the burrata or mozzarella cheese on each slice of toast, then top with your desired amount of tapenade.
• Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Tips

• The tapenade can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
• For a gluten-free option, serve the tapenade with gluten-free bread or crackers, or sliced polenta.
• If you don't have a food processor, you can finely chop the tapenade ingredients by hand.
• If you find the tapenade too salty, soak the capers and olives in milk or warm water for 15-30 minutes before using.
• For a more balanced flavour profile, add more parsley to the tapenade.

Olive tapenade and ricotta crostini

Ingredients

• 1 French baguette
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup pitted green olives
• 1/3 cup oil-packed sundried tomatoes
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove

Method

• Preheat your oven to 400°F.
• Slice the baguette diagonally into 1/2-inch slices.
• Brush one side of the bread slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Place the baguette slices in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden.
• Combine the Kalamata olives, green olives, sundried tomatoes, capers, lemon juice, and mustard in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, lemon zest, remaining lemon juice, and fresh chopped sage until light and fluffy.
• Spread the whipped ricotta on the toasted baguette slices.
• Top with a spoonful of the olive and sundried tomato tapenade.
• Garnish with a small leaf of sage.

Tips

• If you don't have a food processor, you can finely chop the ingredients for the tapenade by hand.
• If you prefer a softer baguette, you can toast the slices in an air fryer at 400°F for 3 minutes.
• For a vegetarian option, substitute the ricotta cheese with a soft cheese such as goat cheese, brie, cream cheese, whipped feta, or laughing cow cheese wedges.

Frequently asked questions