MSG Free Vegan Crispy Olive Tapenade with Smoked Paprika
Bold, briny, and deeply savory, this olive spread layers Kalamata and green olives with capers, garlic, smoked paprika, and bright lemon into a coarse, spreadable paste that tastes far more complex than the effort involved. The real showstopper is the crispy olive topping — oven-roasted rounds that shrivel and firm up into little flavor-packed bites with just the right amount of chew. Every ingredient here is whole and straightforward, which means you can skip the label-reading anxiety that comes with store-bought spreads and seasoning blends that often sneak in hidden additives. Smoked paprika does the heavy lifting on depth and warmth, so there's no need for anything artificial to get that rich, almost meaty quality. A drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil and a scatter of fresh parsley finish it off beautifully. Pile it onto crackers or a sliced baguette and watch it disappear before you've even sat down.
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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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