High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Vegan Crispy Olive Tapenade with Smoked Paprika
Bold, briny, and smoky all at once, this olive tapenade is the kind of appetizer that disappears from the table before you've even finished setting it out. Two varieties of olives — earthy Kalamata and bright green — get pulsed with capers, garlic, lemon, and smoked paprika into a rough, deeply savory spread that's anything but one-dimensional. The real showstopper is the crispy olive topping: sliced Kalamata rounds roasted at high heat until their edges shrivel and firm up, adding a satisfying crunch to every bite. Every single ingredient here is naturally free of high fructose corn syrup, which means no label-scanning anxiety when you're shopping for olives, capers, or that good bottle of extra-virgin olive oil. Processed condiments and store-bought dips are notorious for sneaking in sweeteners, so making your own spread from scratch is genuinely the smartest move. Serve it with crackers or sliced baguette and a little scatter of fresh parsley, and you've got something that looks impressive but comes together with minimal effort and maximum flavor.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
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.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!