Walnut Free Vegan Crispy Olive Tapenade with Smoked Paprika
Briny, smoky, and deeply savory, this olive tapenade is the kind of appetizer that disappears from the table before you even sit down. Two types of olives — Kalamata and green — get pulsed with capers, garlic, fresh lemon, and a generous hit of smoked paprika into a rough, spreadable paste that's bold without being one-note. The real move here 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. It's entirely plant-based, built from pantry staples, and completely free of tree nuts — no swapping, no substituting, no compromises needed. Spreads like this can sometimes sneak in nut-based thickeners or walnut oils, but every bit of richness here comes straight from good extra-virgin olive oil. Pile it onto crackers or sliced baguette, finish with a scatter of fresh parsley, and you've got a crowd-pleasing starter that looks far more impressive than the effort it takes to make.
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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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