Herby Green Olive Pasta

If you love olives and all things briny, this green olive pasta is for you.

If I have learned anything from these pasta reels, is that people, as well as myself love briny dishes. While I can eat olives and capers straight out of the jar this herby green olive pasta balances that briny flavor with acidity and freshness, making this a well balanced pasta dish. If I have learned anything else, is that people like quick dinners. I have to admit, I didn’t go out wanting to make this an under 25 min dish. It just sort of landed that way, can you say WFH lunch dish!?

LET’S TALK OLIVES

No pimento stuffed olives here! Pitted, unstuffed green olives are actually pretty common. National brands such as Pearls and Mezzetta have them stocked in most supermarkets. If you don’t mind splurging then my recommendation is to buy olives at the olive bar, often sold by weight. This is going to be slightly more expensive than jarred olives ( depends on the brand) but worth it. The olives at the olive bar tend to have more flavor, and often times a better texture.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR GREEN OLIVE PASTA

• Pasta – Players choice here, however i find that a longer pasta takes this thin lemon caper sauce well. The pasta used here was bucatini.
• Green Olives – Any green olive will work here (except stuffed, especially with pimento). Castelvetrano olives are an excellent option, they are meaty, and just a little sweet. I like to cook them whole, just make sure if you do this they are pitted!
• Capers
• Parsley – Only fresh here! Why? You need something to cut into the briny olives and capers, dried won’t deliver.
• Basil -Fresh only!
• Lemon – Zest and juice.
• Olive Oil
• Butter

HOW TO MAKE GREEN OLIVE PASTA

This pasta dish is as easy and heat, toss ingredients in and eat. See below for instructions and additional notes.

Start the Base – Add 3 tbsp of butter and all of the olive oil to a pot. Heat up on low-medium heat. Once heated add the garlic and cook on low for 2-3 minutes until garlic is soft and fragrant. Keep the heat low, we are looking for soft garlic not brown garlic. If it begins to brown lower the heat.

Add the Briny Ingredients – Add capers, and olives. Careful! Depending on how much caper juice you get int the pot it may splatter a bit. Give a mix and cook for another 5 minutes to infuse the butter and garlic with all that briny flavor. Add parsley, basil, and lemon juice and lemon zest. Simmer for 3 minutes.

Add the Pasta – Toss in the pasta and the last tbsp on butter. Give a toss and cook for 2-3 minutes until pasta has absorbed some of the sauce.

STORING/REHEATING

This pasta is best eaten fresh, but in the event that there are leftovers store in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the fridge. My favorite pasta heating hack is to save a bit of that pasta water and freeze it in a small ice cube tray. I am talking about one of THESE. When ready to heat up place the pasta in a pan with a tbsp or two of ice cubes on low heat. The pasta water ice will melt and bring life back to your dish. This method completely beats the microwave BUT if you don’t have pasta water on hand the microwave also works.

I admit, I love all things briny. If you are just like me, check out the below recipes.

Spicy Caper Pasta
Lemon Caper Pasta

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