Chicken Free Vegan Crispy Olive Tapenade with Smoked Paprika
Bold, briny, and built entirely from plants, this Mediterranean-inspired spread is the kind of appetizer that disappears fast at any gathering. Kalamata and green olives are blended with capers, garlic, lemon, and a generous hit of smoked paprika, creating a rough, spreadable paste that's deeply savory with just the right amount of brightness. The real showstopper is the crispy olive topping — sliced rounds roasted at high heat until their edges shrivel and firm up, adding a satisfying crunch that sets this apart from any tapenade you'd find in a jar. Everything here is naturally free from animal products, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or swap out a single ingredient. Pile it onto crackers or sliced baguette and finish with a drizzle of good olive oil and fresh parsley for a spread that looks far more impressive than the effort it actually takes. It's the kind of thing you'll want to keep in your back pocket for last-minute entertaining or an elevated snack board any night of the week.
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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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