This Mushroom Tapenade is an easy vegan appetizer recipe! It's made with grilled mushrooms, Kalamata olives, and perfect on crostini.
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This Roasted Mushroom Tapenade is an easy appetizer made with simple and flavorful ingredients and makes a great addition to your next get-together!
Summer is upon us here in Minnesota and I can officially say that I am happy about it. That was not always the case. For many years I preferred the quiet winter months. I loved the peace and solitude that comes with winter.
This year I changed my tune. My husband and I traveled to North Carolina a few months ago and I have to say that the trip changed my attitude.
I enjoyed myself so much that I didn't mind and even came to like the 95 degree days with 100% humidity. The people were warm and friendly and some of that warmth must have rubbed off on me because I'm really digging summer.
One of the best parts about summer is our front porch. Our front porch overlooks the river that flows through town so the view is scenic and it's a great place to hang out.
We grill frequently and often invite friends and neighbors over to join us. The neighbors recently stopped over for a little 'porch party' and we sipped wine and ate appetizers.
It was down to earth and relaxed but a little classy at the same time. I discovered an awesome wine and appetizer combination - Roasted Mushroom Tapenade and The Dreaming Tree Wines. Perfect for a small summertime get-together.
Jump to:
What Type Of Mushrooms Are Best For Grilling?
I figured because we were grilling that the appetizer served should be grilled as well. One of the tastiest things to grill in general is mushrooms. I am a bit of a mushroom fanatic and this recipe definitely fits the bill.
I find that plain old white button, cremini, or baby bella mushrooms work great for grilling. They're cheap, easy to find at any store, and hold up well to the roasting process.
There's no need to spend too much money on fancy mushrooms with this recipe because blended together it's so darn tasty you won't notice that it's made with even the humblest ingredients.
- The first step is to get the mushrooms ready to grill. I found the best way to grill them is on skewers. You can use any variety of mushroom that you like. I used crimini and portobello here.
- Take 3 8 oz. packages of mushrooms and place them on metal skewers.
- Brush the mushrooms with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. They don't need to be saturated with oil - a light brushing will do.
How To Grill Mushrooms
We always use our old charcoal grill but a gas or any type of grill would work great.
- Place the skewers directly over the heat and grill for 5 minutes per side. The should soften as they cook but not get mushy. I figured as long as we were grilling the mushrooms we may as well roast the garlic and toast the walnuts on the grill as well.
- Peel a couple cloves of garlic, drizzle them with a little olive oil, and sprinkle them with salt.
- Wrap the garlic in the tinfoil and place it over the heat for 10 minutes.
- Place a 2 oz. package of walnuts in a small pan that is safe for grilling such as a cast iron skillet and grill on indirect heat for 10 minutes or so, stirring often. Be sure to stir or the walnuts could burn.
How To Make Roasted Mushroom Tapenade
The next step is to place all of the ingredients into a food processor and pulse to combine.
- Add all of the roasted mushrooms, 2 cloves of roasted garlic, the toasted walnuts, 1 cup of pitted Kalamata olives, 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, 2 tsp. red wine vinegar, 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. chopped chives, and a few generous pinches of kosher salt and pepper to the food processor.
- Pulse just until combined. Make sure not to over-pulse it or the tapenade will get mushy. Feel free to adjust the salt levels to your liking.
- Place the tapenade in a bowl and garnish with lemon zest and more chopped chives.
Love mushrooms? Check out these recipes!
- Chicken Marsala Pasta
- Steak Diane with Mushrooms
- Mushroom Black Bean Burgers
- Mushroom Olive Pasta
- Mushroom Arugula Pizza
I was really excited to serve this Roasted Mushroom Tapenade with these wines from The Dreaming Tree. For this get-together I chose The Dreaming Crush and the Sauvignon Blanc. I love these wines because they are so down to earth and approachable.
I can't think of a better wine for an impromptu porch party with neighbors. They are affordable and I feel great about these guys because they have made a commitment to sustainable wine making practices.
These wines are easy to find and I picked up a couple of bottles from my local liquor store but you can also find it at your local grocery store or supercenter.
Both the Crush and The Sauvignon Blanc tasted great with the flavor of the roasted mushroom in the tapenade. The Crush has a smoky berry flavor to it as well as floral notes.
The Sauvignon Blanc is light and crisp with slightly herbal notes and hints of dill and elderflower. Both wines were slightly playful and easy to drink.
Looking for more mushroom appetizers? Don't miss these!
The Dreaming Tree places a high value on artistry which couldn't be more fitting for this story. I live in a small town full of artists.
My neighbors are all artists in one form or another. Between them there is a potter, a gardener, a visual artist, a performance artist, a graphic designer, and a turkey farmer.
As a writer and photographer I definitely appreciate their company! The one thing we all have in common is our appreciation for good wine.
What To Serve With Mushroom Olive Tapenade
This tapenade is super versatile and can be served with lots of different things.
It's great on toasted crostini or any type of toasted bread. You can serve it with warmed pita, naan, crackers, or as a dip with raw veggies like carrots or peppers.
You can use it as a sandwich spread and top it with any sliced meats or vegetables. It's also great on a muffuletta sandwich.
I love it on top of grilled chicken or steak.
I'm looking forward to more get-togethers and porch parties with tasty appetizers and delicious wines. I'm not even cursing the heat or humidity.
Between good neighbors and friends, a hot grill, fresh ingredients, and wines like The Dreaming Tree, I'd say I've got the #SeedOfAGreatSummer
Love healthy appetizer dips? Check out these recipes!
- Kalamata Olive Tapenade
- Smoky Baba Ghanoush
- Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Italian White Bean Dip
- Poblano Avocado Sauce
- Cashew Cilantro Sauce
For appetizer bites, try these recipes!
- Roasted Asparagus with Prosciutto
- Rosemary Toasted Almonds
- Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
- Smoked Salmon Dill Crostini
- Feta Walnut Stuffed Dates
Looking For More Mediterranean Appetizers? Don't Miss These!
Mezze Platter
Spanakopita Triangles
Zucchini Pizza Bites
Mushroom Tapenade Appetizer
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 8 oz. packages crimini mushrooms
- 1 8 oz. package portobello mushrooms
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup kalamata olives
- 1 2 oz. package walnuts
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
- 3 Tbsp. lemon juice plus zest for garnish
- 2 Tbsp. chopped chives plus more for garnish
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt adjust to taste
- ¼ tsp. pepper adjust to taste
- 1 gluten free baguette or regular baguette if not gluten free
Instructions
- Place the mushrooms on the metal skewers being careful not to tear the mushrooms.
- Brush both sides of the mushrooms with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Peel a few cloves of garlic and place on a piece of tinfoil. Drizzle the garlic with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Fold the tinfoil into a small packet.
- Place the walnuts in a small pan safe for grilling such as a cast iron skillet.
- Heat a grill (either charcoal or gas) and place the mushroom skewers over the direct heat. Grill for 5 minutes per side. Remove from heat once the mushrooms are slightly softened and have some grill marks.
- Place the garlic over direct heat and leave for 10 minutes or so or until garlic is soft and roasted. Remove from heat when finished.
- Place the pan of walnuts over the indirect heat and grill for 10 minutes or so. Stir often to prevent burning. Remove from heat when finished.
- Place the grilled mushrooms, 2 cloves of roasted garlic, toasted walnuts, 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, 2 tsp. red wine vinegar, 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. chopped chives, and ⅛ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper (adjust to taste) in a food processor. Pulse just until combined. Be careful not to over-pulse or the tapenade will get mushy.
- Place the tapenade in a serving bowl and garnish with lemon zest and chopped chives.
- Cut a gluten free baguette (or regular baguette if not gluten free) into slices and place the bread directly on the grill for a minute or two. Flip the bread halfway through. Remove when the bread has some grill marks. Serve with the tapenade.
Robin Gagnon
This is definitely something I would enjoy with wine!
Tayler Ross
I love this! The perfect appetizer for any get together!