Pescatarian 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 — earthy Kalamata and bright green — get pulsed with capers, garlic, lemon, and a generous hit of smoked paprika into a rough, spreadable paste that's packed with Mediterranean character. The real showstopper is the crispy topping: sliced Kalamata olives roasted at high heat until their edges shrivel and they firm up into little flavor-packed rounds that add serious texture to every bite. Everything in this recipe is completely plant-based, which means it fits naturally into a pescatarian lifestyle without any substitutions or workarounds needed. Serve it piled onto crackers or sliced baguette with a drizzle of good olive oil and a scatter of fresh parsley, and it looks far more impressive than the effort involved. It's the kind of thing you'll want to keep in your back pocket for last-minute entertaining or a lazy weekend snack 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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