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I love to include condiments when I serve a charcuterie board or cheese plate and this Roasted Red Pepper Tapenade is so delicious paired with cheese, meats, and crackers.
(Post modified with new photos on 12/22/23.)
Tapenade is a French term for a mixture of pureed ingredients that usually include olives, capers, and anchovies. This recipe uses roasted red peppers, artichokes, and capers as the main ingredients and is fabulous when all combined.
I first tried Red Pepper Tapenade when I purchased a product from Aldi one holiday season. I loved it. However, it was only offered during certain times of the year, which led me to try duplicating the condiment. When comparing the purchased tapenade to the homemade version, my family unanimously agreed that the homemade was better. Plus, it makes close to 2 cups compared to the store-bought 6 oz container.
More Appetizers to Try
- Garlic Hummus with Smoked Paprika
- Christmas Antipasto Cheese Spread
- Chili Shrimp Dip
- Homemade Pimento Cheese Spread
Ingredients for Roasted Red Pepper Tapenade
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
- roasted bell peppers (Aldi or Mezzetta brand)
- marinated artichoke hearts (Aldi or Reese brand)
- capers
- extra virgin olive oil
- minced garlic
- freshly squeezed lemon juice
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
A Few Notes about the Ingredients
If possible, I try to purchase roasted red peppers and the marinated artichoke hearts at Aldi, simply because I really like their products.
When I took my pictures for this recipe, however, my ingredients came from Walmart. I used Mezzetta Roasted Bell Peppers, and the marinated artichoke hearts are a Reese brand. These two products can easily be found in your local grocery store.
For appetizers that are not cooked, I always try to use jarred minced garlic to avoid the strong odor and taste from freshly minced garlic.
I like to use Colavita extra virgin olive oil and buy it from Amazon where I can find better prices for larger quantities. However, for this recipe, I used a flavored olive oil with garlic and basil that was in my cupboard (also purchased from Aldi’s seasonal selections). This worked really well, and I encourage you to try flavored olive oils if you have access to them.
Instructions for Making This Recipe
Gather the ingredients so you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Using a blender, (I love my KitchenAid K400 Blender) combine the roasted red peppers (drained), marinated artichoke hearts (also drained), capers, extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic (I used the jarred kind), freshly squeezed lemon juice, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
Process for a few seconds until just blended, but do not overmix. Sometimes I like a chunkier Tapenade. You’ll notice in my pictures various blends. They all taste wonderful, so it’s just a matter of preference.
Place in a lidded jar or container and refrigerate until ready to use. Ideally, it’s best to let the flavors blend for at least 2-4 hours–if you can wait that long!
This recipe will make nearly two cups of sauce to use as a condiment for your next charcuterie board.
I love a good DIY Food Project! After having such success with this tapenade, I am inspired to experiment further with olives next time. I will be sure to let you know how it turns out!
See more Condiments and Sauces Here. See Ideas for Appetizers Here.
Roasted Red Pepper Tapenade
Ingredients
- 12 oz roasted red peppers, drained I used Mezzetta brand
- 7 oz marinated artichoke hearts, drained I used a Reese brand
- 1/4 cup capers
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
- Using a blender, combine the roasted red peppers (drained), marinated artichoke hearts (also drained), capers, extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, freshly squeezed lemon juice, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Process for a few seconds until blended, but try not to overmix.
- Place in a lidded jar or container and refrigerate until ready to use. Ideally, it's best to let the flavors blend for at least 2-4 hours--if you can wait that long!
- This recipe will make nearly two cups of sauce to use as a condiment for your next charcuterie board.
