Olive Tapenade Hummus

Ingredients & Notes

For the Hummus

• Chickpeas – Use drained and well-rinsed canned chickpeas. (For the smoothest hummus, you can peel the chickpeas before blending; but if you're short on time, you can skip this step and still make a good hummus. For more detail on making especially smooth hummus, see my Harissa Hummus.)
• Tahini – Adds creaminess and the sesame flavor you expect in hummus.
• Fresh lemon juice – Brightens the hummus.
• Garlic – A traditional addition to hummus.
• Olive oil – Adds richness. Use a good-quality extra-virgin olive oil.
• Cold water – Helps achieve a creamy texture when blending.
• Salt – Season to taste.

For the Olive Tapenade

• Kalamata olives – Use good-quality jarred olives for the best flavor.
• Green olives – I like using them with the Kalamata olives for a mix of flavor and color. You can also use all Kalamata olives if you prefer.
• Capers – Add a briny note to the tapenade.
• Garlic – A traditional addition to tapenade.
• Olive oil – Helps bring the tapenade together. Use a good-quality extra-virgin olive oil.
• Lemon juice or red wine vinegar – Adds acidity.
• Fresh herbs – Parsley and thyme add freshness to the tapenade.

How to Make Olive Tapenade Hummus

1. Make the Hummus

In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and salt.

Blend until smooth, adding cold water one spoonful at a time until you reach the consistency you like. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

For the smoothest hummus, peel the chickpeas before blending. This takes a little extra time but makes a noticeable difference in texture.

2. Make the Olive Tapenade

In a small food processor, combine the Kalamata olives, green olives, capers, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and fresh herbs.

Pulse until you have a coarse paste that's still slightly chunky but easy to spread.

3. Assemble

Spoon the olive tapenade over the top of the hummus and finish with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh herbs or a sprinkle of paprika, if desired.

If you'd like olive flavor throughout the hummus, stir some of the tapenade into the hummus before spooning the rest over the top.

Variations

• Use store-bought tapenade: When you're short on time, use a good-quality olive tapenade in place of homemade.
• Use store-bought hummus: You can also use your favorite prepared hummus as the base and make the olive tapenade from scratch.
• Use all Kalamata olives: Replace the green olives with additional Kalamata olives for a deeper, fruitier tapenade.
• Add some heat: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the tapenade.
• Try different herbs: Substitute some of the parsley with fresh basil or use additional thyme.

Tips for Success

• Use good-quality olives. The flavor of the tapenade depends on the olives, so choose jarred olives that you enjoy eating on their own.
• Blend the hummus thoroughly. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor as needed and continue blending until smooth.
• Adjust the texture as you blend. Add the cold water a spoonful at a time until the hummus reaches the consistency you prefer.
• Make it ahead. Both the hummus and tapenade can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until you're ready to assemble and serve.

Serving

Serve the olive tapenade hummus with warm pita, pita chips, crackers or fresh vegetables. It also works well as part of a mezze platter alongside olives and other small bites.

You can serve the hummus as soon as it's made, or refrigerate it until you're ready to serve it.