Sandwiches are great, aren’t they? You just grab two slices of bread–or rolls, buns, wraps, lettuce or even portobello mushrooms–and put your favorite things in between. It’s delicious and satisfying and more often than not, easy.
Sometimes you want more than just some roasted vegetables or vegan meat alternatives, right? Maybe it’s just me but I like to experiment with just about everything and sandwiches are no different. I’m a Chicago girl at heart so yeah, I love a good deli sandwich with pickles and banana peppers and I’m still trying to perfect a vegan version of the classic Italian beef dip. Still…sometimes I just want something else.
Why Tapenade?
Why not tapenade is a better question, but hey it’s my blog and I asked it so I’m duty-bound to answer it. Tapenade is just so damn flavorful that I think it goes great with a lot of different dishes. If you don’t believe me, check out this vegan tapenade tuna sandwich.
You have flavor bombs such as olives, garlic and sundried tomatoes, combined with less vibrant but equally delicious shallots and capers and they all combine to make a really great dip or spread.
And you can make a lot more, jar it up and use it whenever you’re in need of something quick to eat. You can even use it on a different vegan sandwich in place of mustard or vegan mayo or whatever else you put on your favorite vegan sandwich.
Tips & Tricks
*Enhance the flavor of this oil free vegan tapenade by sautéing or roasting the shallots and garlic.
*Use basil instead of parsley or any other fresh green you have handy.
*A few dashes of hot sauce will cut through the salt for a nice yet subtle pop of heat.
*A couple fresh cherry tomatoes will transform this tapenade if you find the olives too salty.
Now, let’s get to it. This recipe is quick and it’s easy so when you try it out and love it, remember to come back and say, ‘Thanks, girl!’
Kitchen Tools:
*Food processor
*Cutting board
*Kitchen knife
*Citrus juicer
Ingredients:
*Black, green & kalamata olives (any combination or whatever you have on hand)
*Shallots
*Garlic (pressed)
*Sundried tomatoes (not in oil)
*Fresh parsley
*Salt & black pepper
*Capers
*Hot sauce
*Lemon juice
*Vegan feta cheese (optional)
*Bread
Instructions:
*Rough chop the shallots and sundried tomatoes and press or mince the garlic.
*Add all the ingredients except the bread and the vegan cheese and place them in a food processor or blender. If you’re trying to keep this an oil free recipe, I recommend using the blender because it allows for a better spread. With the bowl processor it relies on the oil a lot to bring it all together…or maybe I just need a new food processor.
*Taste the mix and add more seasoning as needed. You might want/need to add a bit more lemon juice but let your taste buds be your guide.
*Toast the bread for about 90 seconds or less.
*Stir in diced vegan feta cheese and then spread or pile on top of your bread.
That’s it, a quick and easy vegan lunch recipe that tastes as if you’ve done a ton of work.
When it comes to sandwiches, do you spread toppings or just pile it on? For me it depends on what it is. I spread the tapenade on these for photos but then secretly piled a bit more on to give the sandwich some heft since I was heading out and knew I’d be gone for a while.
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The Spicy Spatula 
Whatcha think?