Quick Answer: DeLallo Black Olive Tapenade ($7.95, 6.7 oz) is just olives, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. For the classic style with capers and garlic, Divina Organic Kalamata Olive Spread. Budget: Trader Joe's Olive Tapenade ($3.49, refrigerated). For a dip, olive tapenade hummus.
Our top picks
Tapenade is chopped or puréed olives, often with capers, garlic and olive oil, and a spoonful does a lot on a board. Few outlets have taste-tested jarred tapenade head to head, so we picked on ingredients (olives first, real olive oil, no fillers), reviews and how easy each is to find.
All 6 picks
Prices are single store listings checked October 2026.
Best overall
DeLallo Black Olive Tapenade
- Size
- 6.7 oz jar
- Ingredients
- Italian black olives, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt
- Made in
- Italy
Why it's here: The cleanest label here, so it tastes purely of fruity black olives and spreads well on crostini.
Watch out: No capers or garlic, so it's milder than a Provençal tapenade.
Why we picked it (sources)
DeLallo lists $7.95, the ingredients and serving ideas (DeLallo).
Best classic style
Divina Organic Kalamata Olive Spread
- Size
- 8.5 oz jar
- Ingredients
- Organic Kalamata olives, red wine vinegar, garlic, capers, oregano
- Diet
- Organic
Why it's here: The closest to a traditional tapenade, with capers and garlic, from a brand known for its olives.
Watch out: The vinegar makes it tangier than oil-based spreads.
Why we picked it (sources)
Giant lists the 8.5 oz jar and ingredients (Giant).
Best budget
Trader Joe's Olive Tapenade
- Size
- 7 oz
- Where
- Trader Joe's, refrigerated case
- Ingredients
- Olives, pimentos, herbs, spices, oil
Why it's here: Fresh-tasting and cheap, and reviewers like that it isn't garlic-heavy.
Watch out: Find it in the refrigerated case; TJ's shelf-stable tapenade is a different product.
Why we picked it (sources)
Trader Joe's Grocery Reviews lists $3.49, 7 oz and the ingredients (TJ reviews).
Best gourmet
Di Bruno Bros. Black Olive Tapenade
- Size
- 4.6 oz
- Ingredients
- Black olives, olive oil, white wine, salt
- From
- Philadelphia's Di Bruno Bros.
Why it's here: A specialty-shop tapenade at a grocery price, with a hint of white wine.
Watch out: Often sold out online; may contain pits.
Why we picked it (sources)
Di Bruno Bros. lists $6.99 and the ingredients (Di Bruno Bros.).
Best small jar
Roland Greek Kalamata Olive Spread
- Size
- 4.8 oz
- Ingredients
- Kalamata olives, extra virgin olive oil, wine vinegar, capers, garlic, oregano
- Where
- Walmart and supermarkets
Why it's here: A classic Greek-style spread with capers, in a small jar that's right for one board.
Watch out: Stock comes and goes online.
Why we picked it (sources)
Walmart lists the 4.8 oz jar and ingredients (Walmart).
Best as a dip
Olive Tapenade Hummus (Aldi or Marketside)
- Aldi
- Park Street Deli, Sporked 9.5/10
- Walmart
- Marketside, 4.5 stars from 1,000+
- Size
- 10 oz
Why it's here: If you want a scoopable dip rather than a spread, these are cheap and well reviewed.
Watch out: It's hummus first; skip if guests don't like olives.
How to use tapenade on a board
- On crostini: a thin layer of tapenade with a crumble of goat cheese or a slice of fresh mozzarella is the easiest bite on any board.
- With cheese: it's salty and briny, so it suits mild, creamy cheeses (chèvre, burrata, ricotta, brie) better than salty aged ones.
- Black vs green: black (Kalamata or Niçoise) is rich and earthy; green is brighter and works with fish and chicken.
- Read the label for capers and anchovies. Classic Provençal tapenade has both. Many jars skip the anchovy, so check if you're serving vegetarians.
See our tapenade ingredient page for pairings, and the best olives for the rest of the board.
Tapenade questions
What is the best store-bought olive tapenade?
DeLallo Black Olive Tapenade for pure olive flavor, or Divina Organic Kalamata Olive Spread for the classic style with capers and garlic.
What is tapenade made of?
Finely chopped or puréed olives with olive oil. The Provençal original also has capers and usually anchovies and garlic.
What goes with tapenade on a charcuterie board?
Crostini, goat cheese, burrata, fresh mozzarella, brie, roasted red peppers and Italian salami.
Is olive tapenade vegan?
Most jarred tapenades are, but traditional recipes use anchovies. Check the label.
How long does tapenade last once opened?
Refrigerate it and follow the jar's guidance; pressing a thin layer of olive oil on top helps keep it fresh.
How we picked these, and sources
Few outlets have run a head-to-head tapenade test, so we chose on ingredients (olives first, real olive oil, no fillers), retailer reviews, and the one scored tapenade dip we found (Sporked). Definition from Instacart's tapenade guide (Instacart). Checked October 27, 2026.
- DeLallo: olive tapenade
- Giant: Divina Organic Kalamata Olive Spread
- Trader Joe's Grocery Reviews: Olive Tapenade
- Di Bruno Bros.: Black Olive Tapenade
- Walmart: Roland Kalamata Olive Spread
- Walmart: olive tapenade listings
- Sporked: best Aldi dips
- Instacart: what is tapenade
More spreads: fig jam, pesto and quince paste. Every guide is on our charcuterie buying guides page.
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