This simple bright lemon and green olive pasta is for those dreary winter days when you need a fresh pick-me-up. Think of it like a trip to the beach. The lemon represents the bright sunshine, and the briny olives represent the scent of the ocean.
What kind of green olives are the best for this Lemon and Green Olive Pasta?
Olive bar olives are good, but very expensive for what you get. Pimento stuffed green olives would work in a pinch, but they are not the best either. I prefer stuffed green olives. They are large with good briny flavor and you can choose a variety that is stuffed with something you enjoy. I prefer garlic or feta stuffed green olives, but blue cheese stuffed would work just as well.
Leftovers for this recipe will lose their flavor, both the brightness of the lemon and the brininess of the olives. Only make what you will eat is my recommendation. I wrote this recipe as a single serving so the math will be easy to increase for the exact number of servings that you need.
Variations for this lemon and Green Olive Pasta:
- Type of pasta: Spaghetti is a great option for this loose sauce. It coats the thin strands well. Other long thin shapes would work, such as linguine or fettucine. Otherwise, try twisted pastas such as rotini or fusilli that will trap the sauce in the twists.
- Type of lemon juice: Use fresh squeezed lemon. It is better than something jarred every time.
- Type of black pepper: Fresh ground is best in a simple dish such as this. You can use coarse ground in a pinch. Just about any color of peppercorn will work as well. Black, white, pink, green. Try your favorite!
- Make it Vegan: Use garlic-stuffed green olives in place of the feta-stuffed.
- 3 oz spaghetti
- 1 TBS olive oil
- ¼ cup minced onion
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3-4 twists black peppercorns (from spice grinders)
- 1 TBS lemon juice
- 2 TBS grated parmesan
- 2-4 TBS sliced feta-stuffed green olives (to taste)
- Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Reserve about ¼ cup cooking liquid.
- Meanwhile, saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic, salt and pepper and saute about 1 more minute.
- Add pasta, lemon juice, parmesan, and olives to the pan, tossing to coat. Mix in reserved pasta cooking liquid 1 TBS at a time until you achieve your desired sauce level. I used 2 TBS in one serving.
Recipe inspired by food network, but adapted from the kitchn.
