Tuna Tapenade on Cucumber
Tuna tapenade on cucumber is an elegant starter of creamy tinned tuna, olives, anchovy and capers, blended smooth in the Thermomix TM7 and piped onto crisp cucumber slices. Fresh parsley and lemon lift the salty Mediterranean flavours. Ready in minutes with almost no washing up, it is ideal for drinks parties and light summer lunches.
About this recipe
Tuna tapenade on cucumber in the Thermomix TM7 is the kind of quick appetiser recipe that looks far more elaborate than it is: a briny blend of tinned tuna, olives, anchovy and capers whipped with mascarpone and lemon, then spooned onto cool cucumber slices. Recipes like this show exactly why the all-in-one kitchen machine earns its place on the worktop — the parsley is chopped in a few seconds, the tapenade ingredients follow straight into the same mixing bowl, and you are left with a silky, restaurant-style spread and nothing but one bowl to rinse. The contrast is what makes it work as a starter or party snack: salty, creamy tapenade against crisp, watery cucumber. Serve these bites at a summer drinks party, a festive buffet or as a light low-carb nibble before dinner, and watch them disappear in minutes.
Preparation tips
- Use a ruler or the wide side of a grater to press the cucumber slices gently and remove excess moisture before topping, otherwise the tapenade slides off and the bite becomes soggy within half an hour.
- Spoon the tapenade into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle for an elegant restaurant presentation on the cucumber rounds, then finish with a single caper or a tiny parsley leaf on each bite.
- The tapenade keeps well covered in the fridge for up to two days and actually deepens in flavour; make it ahead and add a squeeze of lemon before serving to revive the fresh taste.
Recipe variations
- For a vegetarian version, replace the tuna and anchovy with a mix of sun-dried tomatoes, white beans and a teaspoon of drained capers; the mascarpone and parsley base stays the same and delivers a similarly creamy, savoury spread on the cucumber.
- For a festive variation, top each cucumber round with the tapenade, a curl of smoked salmon and a tiny drop of crème fraîche, or swap the cucumber for lightly toasted gluten-free crackers when you want a warmer winter party bite.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- Fine chopping of the fresh flat leaf parsley takes just seconds, delivering evenly minced herbs without a knife or cutting board. [Multi-Function]
- Consistent mixing blends the tuna, mascarpone and olives into a silky tapenade with no lumps, faster than a food processor. [Time Savings]
- The TM7 weighing function lets you pour olive oil straight into the bowl to the exact gram, keeping the tapenade perfectly balanced. [Precision Control]
- Grinding the pickled capers and garlic into a fine paste releases their intense briny flavour evenly throughout the mixture. [Multi-Function]
- Whipping air into the mascarpone gives the tapenade a light, mousse-like texture that pipes beautifully onto the cucumber slices. [Multi-Function]
Ingredients
- fresh flat-leaf parsley
- lemon juice
- tinned tuna in oil
- olive oil
- mascarpone
- anchovy fillet
- garlic cloves
- black olives
- pickled capers
- fine sea salt