Turmeric Free Vegan Crispy Olive Tapenade with Smoked Paprika
Briny, bold, and packed with Mediterranean character, this olive tapenade is the kind of appetizer that disappears from the table before you've even finished setting it out. Two types of olives — smoky-edged Kalamata and bright green — get pulsed with capers, garlic, lemon, and smoked paprika into a rough, spreadable paste that's deeply savory without being one-note. The real showstopper is the crispy topping: sliced olives roasted at high heat until their edges shrivel and concentrate, adding a satisfying crunch that contrasts beautifully with the silky base. Everything here is naturally plant-based, built entirely from pantry staples and fresh citrus, so there's no need to hunt down specialty ingredients or stress about hidden additives. Smoked paprika does the heavy lifting on depth and warmth, making this feel far more complex than the short ingredient list suggests. Serve it with crackers or sliced baguette and a final drizzle of good olive oil, and it's ready to anchor any spread.
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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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