Olive Sauce for Pasta

Transform your pasta night with this vibrant and savory Olive Sauce for Pasta, a quick and easy recipe that’s bursting with Mediterranean flavors. This delectable sauce combines briny black olives, sweet cherry tomatoes, and aromatic garlic, all simmered together in extra virgin olive oil and finished with a zesty twist of lemon and fresh parsley. Infused with dried oregano and a hint of crushed red pepper flakes, it offers the perfect balance of savory, tangy, and mildly spicy notes. Ready in just 25 minutes, this versatile sauce pairs beautifully with any pasta shape and makes a light yet satisfying meal for weeknights or casual entertaining. Don’t forget to reserve some pasta water to create that irresistibly silky texture, ensuring every bite is deliciously coated.

Nutriscore Rating: 58/100

Prep Time:10 mins

Cook Time:15 mins

Total Time:25 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups Pitted black olives
• 0.25 cups Extra virgin olive oil
• 3 whole Garlic cloves
• 1 cup Cherry tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoons Crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons Fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon Lemon zest
• 0.5 teaspoons Salt
• 0.25 teaspoons Black pepper
• 0.5 cups Pasta water

Directions

Step 1

Place the pitted black olives on a cutting board and coarsely chop them. Set aside.

Step 2

Finely mince the garlic cloves and chop the fresh parsley. Wash and halve the cherry tomatoes.

Step 3

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Step 4

Add the minced garlic to the pan and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.

Step 5

Add the halved cherry tomatoes to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes, letting them soften and release their juices.

Step 6

Stir in the chopped black olives, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 2-3 minutes to combine the flavors.

Step 7

Pour in the reserved pasta water and stir to create a silky sauce, letting it simmer for 2 minutes.

Step 8

Add the lemon zest, fresh parsley, salt, and black pepper. Mix well to incorporate.

Step 9

Toss the olive sauce with freshly cooked pasta of your choice, ensuring the pasta is evenly coated.

Step 10

Serve warm and garnish with extra parsley or grated Parmesan if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	551 grams (551.0g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	884

Total Fat 91.40g	117%
Saturated Fat 16.10g	81%
Polyunsaturated Fat NaNg
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 3771mg	164%
Total Carbohydrate 25.40g	9%
Dietary Fiber 9.90g	35%
Total Sugars 4.00g
Protein 2.30g	5%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 64mg	5%
Iron 82mg	456%
Potassium 484mg	10%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 88.1%

Protein: 1.0%

Carbs: 10.9%