Eggless Vegan Crispy Olive Tapenade with Smoked Paprika
Bold, briny, and deeply savory, this olive tapenade is the kind of appetizer that disappears fast at any gathering. Two varieties of olives — Kalamata and green — get blended with capers, garlic, lemon, and a generous hit of smoked paprika, creating a spread with serious depth and a slightly smoky edge that keeps people coming back for more. The real showstopper is the crispy topping: sliced olives roasted at high heat until their edges shrivel and firm up, adding a satisfying crunch to every bite. Since the entire recipe is built on pantry staples like good olive oil, fresh citrus, and whole olives, there's nothing hidden to worry about — no eggs, no dairy, no surprises. It's naturally plant-based from start to finish, which makes it just as easy to serve at a mixed table as it is to enjoy solo with a stack of crackers. The food processor does most of the heavy lifting, so you get a beautifully textured, spreadable paste without much effort at all. Finish it with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a scatter of fresh parsley, and it looks like something straight off a restaurant charcuterie board.
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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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