Olivada Spread

This Olivada Spread is absolutely delicious on a toasted French Baguette. Super easy to make. Makes a great appetizer.

I made this Olivada Spread as an appetizer one Sunday afternoon and it was so good that we ate the whole thing and skipped dinner altogether. A key ingredient in this dish is the Greek Olives, more commonly known as Kalamata Olives. These Greek olives are only grown in Greece near the town of Kalamata (hence their name) so they can be a little pricey.

Kalamata Olives are high in sodium, healthy fats and contain a natural antioxidant. They are also particularly high in iron and vitamin A. Since these olives have a rather unique flavor profile, finding a substitute can be next to impossible. Probably the closest would be Black or Green Olives but the dish will not be as good as with Kalamata Olives.

The way I like to toast the baguette is to preheat your oven to 400°F. I cut the baguette into thin slices on the diagonal, place them on a baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil. Then I toast them for 5-6 minutes or until they reach the doneness I am looking for.

I like to serve this Olivada Spread with toasted sliced baguettes but you can essentially serve this delicious spread with just about anything like crackers, cut vegetables, etc. But you have to trust me on this one that it is best served on a nicely toasted baguette.

This Olivada spread is very similar to the Classic French Tapenade. the major difference is that a french tapenade recipe usually has anchovies in them. Since I don't really care for anchovies, this recipe will do just fine.

For more great recipes with Kalamata Olives, I suggest you check these recipes out:

📋 What Ingredients do I need

You will need the following ingredients to make this Olivada Spread recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Greek Kalamata Olives, Capers, Garlic Cloves, Fresh Lemon Juice, Ground Black Pepper, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a French Baguette.

🥣 How to make Olivada Spread

Add the kalamata olives, capers and garlic to a food processor. Pulse intermittently until the ingredients are combined.
Place the mixture in a bowl and add the lemon juice, pepper and red pepper flakes. Mix well.
Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the olive mixture, stirring to incorporate.
Place the olivada spread in a small serving bowl alongside thin slices of toasted baguette.