Mushroom Tapenade Appetizer

This Mushroom Tapenade is a flavorful vegan appetizer! It's made with grilled mushrooms, Kalamata olives, garlic, and perfect on crostini.

If you're looking for an appetizer that's packed with flavor for your next party or get-together, be sure to check out this Grilled Mushroom Tapenade! It's great served with toasted crostini.

Summer is just around the corner, which means that we plan to spend lots of time on our patio grilling with friends. I love to grill the classics like burgers and brats, but sometimes it's fun to switch things up and prepare dishes that more Mediterranean in flavor.

One of my favorites is this grilled mushroom tapenade. It's made with a few simple ingredients like mushrooms, olives, garlic, walnuts, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice. After grilling the mushrooms, all of the ingredients are tossed into a food processor and pulsed until it forms a spread.

This tapenade is a great appetizer that can be served on toasted crostini, crackers, or used as a dip for vegetables. It can also be used as a sandwich spread or as a topping for pasta.

It's down to earth, but a little swanky at the same time. The great thing about this tapenade is that it's gluten free and vegan, making it a great choice for guests who may have dietary restrictions. Plus, it pairs perfectly with a nice glass of wine.

Jump to:

• What Is Tapenade?
• Which Mushrooms Are Best For Grilling?
• Ingredients For Mushroom Tapenade Appetizer
• How To Prepare The Mushrooms
• How To Grill Mushrooms
• How To Make Mushroom Tapenade
• What To Serve With Mushroom Olive Tapenade
• How Long Does This Tapenade Last In The Fridge?
• Can It Be Frozen?
• Mushroom Tapenade Appetizer

What Is Tapenade?

Tapenade is a Mediterranean spread from Provence, the southern region in France. It's often made with olives that are pureed or finely chopped along with capers and anchovies. Tapenade is usually enjoyed as a spread with bread or as part of a crudité platter.

It's briny, savory, and a little salty. This version is made with Kalamata olives along with grilled cremini and white button mushrooms, roasted garlic, and toasted walnuts.

Which Mushrooms Are Best For Grilling?

I find that plain old white button mushrooms or cremini (also known as Baby Bella) mushrooms work great for grilling. They're cheap, easy to find at any store, and hold up well to the grilling process.

There's no need to go out in search of fancy mushrooms when making this tapenade. It's best to choose a variety of mushroom that is hearty and won't fall apart when grilled.

Both white button and cremini mushrooms are sturdy enough to be placed onto skewers and then roasted on the grill. Other mushroom varieties may be too delicate to grill on skewers.

Ingredients For Mushroom Tapenade Appetizer

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 2 8 oz. packages Cremini Mushrooms (also known as Baby Bella mushrooms)
• 1 8 oz. package White Button Mushrooms
• 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 2 oz. Chopped Walnuts (unsalted) (or unsalted nuts of choice)
• 1 cup Pitted Kalamata Olives
• 2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
• 2 tsp. Red Wine Vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. Lemon Juice plus zest of 1 lemon (equals 2 lemons)
• 2 Tbsp. Minced Chives, Parsley, or herbs of choice (plus more for garnish)
• ¾ tsp. Kosher Salt (split)
• ¾ tsp. Pepper (split)
• Gluten Free Baguette (or regular baguette if not gluten free)

How To Prepare The Mushrooms

The process of grilling mushrooms is easy and doesn't take long at all.

The first step is to prepare the mushrooms and then to place them on metal skewers. The mushrooms are then brushed lightly with olive oil and seasoned with kosher salt and pepper.

The mushroom skewers are placed over direct heat on the grill and cook for 5 minutes on both sides. Once the mushrooms are cooked, they are removed from the skewers and pulsed with all of the other ingredients in a food processor.

I recommend using metal skewers if possible, as they hold up better than wooden skewers. This tapenade may be prepared using a charcoal or gas grill.

1. Remove the stems from 2 8 oz. packages of cremini (also known as Baby Bella) mushrooms and 1 8 oz. package of white button mushrooms. Discard the stems in the compost bin.
2. Wipe any dirt from the mushrooms using a lightly dampened towel (don't wash the mushrooms with water, or they will become saturated and rubbery when cooked).
3. Cut any large mushroom in half, making sure that all of the mushrooms are relatively the same size so that they cook evenly.
4. Place the mushrooms onto metal skewers, making sure there is a little room between each mushroom (there should be 4-5 skewers in total).
5. Measure 3 Tbsp. of olive oil and brush both sides of the mushrooms with it.
6. Measure ½ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper and season both sides of the mushrooms with it.

How To Grill Mushrooms

The mushrooms are grilled over direct heat on either a charcoal or gas grill heated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The walnuts and garlic are also grilled over indirect heat for the same amount of time.

The walnuts may be toasted on the grill in a small cast iron skillet. The garlic is peeled, tossed in a bit of olive oil, wrapped in foil, and placed on the grill until slightly softened and fragrant.

Cooking all of these elements on the grill gives this tapenade a great smoky flavor.

The total cooking time for all of these elements is about 10 minutes.

1. Heat a charcoal grill or gas grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. If using a charcoal grill, place most of the coals over to one side.
2. Place 2 oz. of chopped, unsalted walnuts (or nuts of choice) into a small cast iron skillet.
3. Peel 4 cloves of garlic, place them onto a small piece of tinfoil, and drizzle with a little olive oil. Wrap the garlic cloves tightly in the tinfoil.
4. Place the mushroom skewers over the direct heat. Place both the cast iron skillet and tinfoil package over the indirect heat.
5. Place the lid on the grill and cook for 5 minutes. Flip the mushroom skewers, return the lid to the grill, and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir the walnuts at the 5-minute mark to make sure that they are not burning.
6. Remove the mushroom skewers, cast iron skillet, and tinfoil package from the grill and allow to cool.

How To Make Mushroom Tapenade

Once the mushrooms, walnuts, and garlic have cooled, it's time to place all of the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until combined.

It's best to blend the tapenade just until it's combined. The goal is to create a consistency that's spreadable, but not mushy.

1. Mince 2 Tbsp. of fresh chives. Parsley is another great option if you prefer.
2. Remove the grilled mushrooms from the skewers and place them into a food processor along with the toasted walnuts and roasted garlic. Add 1 cup of pitted Kalamata olives, 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, 2 tsp. red wine vinegar, 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper, and 2 Tbsp. of minced chives, parsley, or fresh herbs of choice.
3. Pulse the food processor just until all of the ingredients come together (try not to over-pulse it, or the texture may become too mushy).
4. Place the tapenade into a serving bowl. Garnish with the zest of 1 lemon (a Microplane or small grater works great) and some extra minced chives or herbs of choice.

Looking for more mushroom appetizers? Don't miss these!

• Mushroom Gruyere Tartlets
• Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms
• Crispy Air Fryer Mushrooms

What To Serve With Mushroom Olive Tapenade

This mushroom tapenade is super versatile and can be served with lots of different things.

It's a great appetizer spread onto toasted crostini or grilled bread.

1. To grill the bread, simply slice 2 loaves of gluten free baguette (or regular baguette if not gluten free) in half lengthwise and then cut the bread into slices.
2. Place the bread slices onto the grill and toast for 1-2 minutes or until grill marks appear on the bread.
3. Remove the bread from the grill and arrange next to the tapenade.

This tapenade is perfect served with crackers or as a dip with raw veggies as part of a crudité platter.

It can also be used as a sandwich spread and topped with any sliced meats or vegetables. It's also great on a muffuletta sandwich. Or, it can be added as a topping for pasta.

I love it on top of grilled chicken or steak.

How Long Does This Tapenade Last In The Fridge?

Any leftover tapenade may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Can It Be Frozen?

For the best taste and texture, I do not recommend freezing this tapenade.

It's best enjoyed right away or within a few days.

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
• Gruyere Prosciutto Tartlets
• Smoked Salmon Dill Crostini
• Feta Walnut Stuffed Dates
• Spiced Maple Roasted Nuts

Looking For More Mediterranean Appetizers? Don't Miss These!

Mezze Platter

Spanakopita Triangles

Zucchini Pizza Bites