Almond Free Vegan Crispy Olive Tapenade with Smoked Paprika
Briny, smoky, and deeply savory, this olive tapenade is the kind of appetizer that disappears fast at any gathering. Kalamata and green olives are blended with capers, garlic, fresh lemon, and a generous hit of smoked paprika into a rough, spreadable paste that's bold without being one-note. What really sets this apart is the crispy olive topping — roasted rounds of Kalamata olives that shrivel and firm up in the oven, adding a satisfying crunch to every scoop. The whole thing comes together with pantry-friendly ingredients and zero nuts in sight, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or worry about hidden almond flour or almond oil sneaking into the mix. It's entirely plant-based too, relying on good olive oil and fresh aromatics to build richness the natural way. Pile it onto crackers or sliced baguette and finish with a little parsley for color — simple, stunning, and genuinely hard to stop eating.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the tapenade
- 1 cup pitted kalamata olives, drained and patted dry
- ½ cup pitted green olives, drained and patted dry
- 2 tbsp capers, drained
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the crispy topping
- ⅓ cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced into rounds
- 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
- crackers or sliced baguette, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
Toss the sliced Kalamata olives for the crispy topping with 1 tsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, then spread them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 18–22 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the edges are shriveled and the slices feel dry and slightly firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan — they will crisp further as they cool.
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