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What is “Zaytoon Parvardeh” and Where is it From?

buckets with olives and spread

Through the whispers of Persian foodies, or the oohs and aahs of insatiable bread lovers looking for the next miracle topping to take them to Flavor Town, you may have heard about “zaytoon parvardeh”, (also spelled “zeytoon.”) “Zaytoon” means olives in Farsi, and “parvardeh” means “marinated” or “prepared”.

If you’ve been fortunate enough to make your way to this site, you should know that Mama Faith makes a compelling zaytoon parvardeh. If you are not Persian or do not frequently eat Persian cuisine, you may simply know it as “olive spread.”

What is Zaytoon Parvardeh?

Most cultures have signature spreadable dips or condiments that make nearly all things in their cuisine delectable. Indians chose chutney, the Middle East has a love affair with hummus, France vouches for tapenade, the world over loves butter, and the trendy youth of today have discovered avocado toast.

Olive spread can also be found all over the world, and Persians especially love their flavorful take on it. Olive spread is so versatile that anyone can add their own touch to the simple basic recipe to create something truly unique. You may see it referred to as zaytoon parvardeh, olive spread, or olive tapenade. All of them offer variations on this exceedingly popular Persian spread.

What Makes Zaytoon Parvardeh Unique?

Zaytoon parvardeh is a Persian olive spread that is often served as an appetizer. Chopped olives form the basis of the mixture which may also contain ingredients such as ground walnuts, pomegranates or pomegranate molasses, fresh lemon juice, and a variety of spices such as garlic, mint, peppers and thyme. These are combined and marinated, a blending of flavors which results in a tangy, delectable spread.

(Note: Mama Faith’s olive spread does not contain nuts, but you can feel free to try them as a delicious addition!)

Not only is this a tasty condiment that you can add to just about anything, but due to the main ingredients it is also a very healthy spread!

What Can Be Eaten with Mama Faith’s Olive Spread?

It might be easier to ask “what can’t be eaten with our olive spread?”

Mama Faith’s Olive Spread can be eaten with just about anything your heart desires. On sandwiches or burgers, as a dipping sauce, in pasta sauce, on omelets, spread onto bread, crackers, or on vegetables. It makes an AMAZING dip for shrimp in lieu of cocktail sauce. Our spread comes in both Original and Simply Spicy varieties.

Best of all, Mama Faith’s Olive Spread is all-natural, non-GMO, and vegan-friendly. The fresh taste can be attributed to the fact that we use no artificial ingredients or flavors. Only whole, natural foods go into our product!   

If you would like to know more about Mama Faith’s products, please contact us today—we love hearing from you! You can purchase Mama Faith’s Olive Spread here!