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So simple Pasta with olives combines pantry staples, juicy olives and fresh lemon zest into a flavorful weeknight family meal. Simple, quick, And budget friendly to.
Published April 2021/updated April 2026

This easy pasta recipe has been a staple of mine for ages. Today I want to share it again because it is perfect for this busy dinners, easy to adapt with your favorite add-ins and you’re about done 15 minutes.
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What’s not to love?
The recipe is extreme simply; it requires Basic ingredients You may already have in your closet and minimal preparation time, but it packs a punch lots of taste.
All you have to do is boil your noodles and fry them lightly juicy olives with garlic, chili flakes in olive oil until everything smells nice. Then drain and add the pasta to the pan along with the fresh pasta lemon peel, parmesan cheese, and freshly chopped Parsley.
Mix everything together and dinner is ready!
These quick olive pasta taste so good on its own, but are also a great base Your favorite add-ins or leftovers to achieve a more substantial result Family dinner.
Simple, quick, And yummy. How good is that?
See how to do it
List of ingredients
- pasta
- Kalamata or green olives
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic
- Parsley
- Fresh lemon
- Chili flakes
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Salt

How to make pasta with olives
(Note: This is a short description; The full recipe can be found at the bottom of the page.
- Cook your pasta until al dente.
- Grate the lemon zest and Parmesan and chop the parsley. My Microplane And Herb scissors Make these tasks much easier!

- Lightly fry the olives, garlic and chili flakes in olive oil.
- Drain the spaghetti and add it to the pan. I LOVE This one; It offers non-stick perfection.
- Add the lemon-parsley mixture and some pasta water and stir until well combined. Enjoy!

Recipe notes
Ingredients
Pasta: High-quality spaghetti, linguini, bucatini, coarse rigatoni or penne are very suitable for this recipe. We love too whole wheat pasta, which provides additional fiber and micronutrients.
Olives: Kalamata olives provide plenty of savory flavor, but you can also use other beautiful olives green olives instead; Just make sure they are gutted. To use up your leftover olives, maybe check out these treats Focaccia olives or Chickpea salad.
Chili flakes: I love that spicy kick, but if spicy isn’t your thing, feel free to leave it out or reduce the quantity.
Extra virgin olive oil: I recommend using high quality olive oil to enjoy its beautiful, fruity flavor.
Lemon and parsley: Their freshness balances the spicy taste of the olives. If you prefer, you can leave out the parsley, but not the lemon zest!
Parmesan cheese: It adds a lot of flavor, but you can leave it out if you want to make vegan pasta; the pasta will still be delicious.
Salt: You generally need salt for the pasta cooking water, not for the olives, which, along with the savory Parmesan cheese and salty pasta water, already add saltiness to the dish.

Add-ins are welcome!
This quick spaghetti with olives is versatile and goes great with it additional vegetables or protein. You can add any of these delicious ingredients to the pan while the olives are cooking:
- Grilled Chicken, some Anchoviesor in cans tuna.
- Halved cherry Tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoesor in cans Artichokes
- Kale, peppersAnd zucchini are great options. broccoli And Cauliflower work very well too, but you have to cook them separately and they take longer.
Storage tips
This pasta with olives is best eaten immediately, but leftovers keep well in the fridge 3-4 daysand you can warm them up in a pan with a little water or olive oil.

More easy pasta recipes?
I’m here for you! We love pasta, from quick recipes To vegan pasta recipes and everything in between:
If you are making this quick pasta with olives or have a question, Let me know by leaving a comment. I would love to hear from you! X
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Pasta with olives.
So simple Pasta with olives combines pantry staples, juicy olives and fresh lemon zest into a flavorful weeknight family meal. Easy, fast and budget friendly too.
Servings: 4
Calories: 371kcal
Olives
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- ¼ or ½ teaspoon chili flakes (crushed red pepper), Completely according to your taste
- ¾ cup Kalamata olives or green olives, pit and halve
- 1 Lemon, Joy of life
- 3 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 3 tablespoon parmesan cheese, grated (more for serving if desired) optional
- Salt, to taste
pasta
-
First, bring a pot of salted water to the boil and cook your pasta in it al dente. Follow the instructions on the packaging.
-
If you drain the pasta, at least save it ½ cup pasta cooking water.
Olives
-
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the olives. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
-
Add the garlic and chili flakes, cook until fragrant (about 30-45 seconds), then add the olives and stir for about 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heating.
-
In a small bowl, combine the grated Parmesan cheese (if using), chopped parsley and grated lemon zest.
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When the pasta is drained, add it to the pan along with the parsley, lemon and Parmesan mixture. Turn on the heat, add some of the pasta cooking water and stir until well mixed and nicely coated, about 10 seconds. Add the cooking water a little at a time, you don’t want to water down the flavor.
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Serve hot, with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of chilli flakes if desired. Add grated Parmesan cheese if you don’t keep it vegan. Enjoy!
Nutritional information: Please note that the nutritional values are based on an online nutrition calculator. It is an estimate only and should not be considered a substitute for advice from a professional nutritionist. Nutritional value is for one serving (the parmesan cheese and final drizzle of olive oil are not included).
Calories: 371kcal | Carbohydrates: 44G | Protein: 12G | Fat: 16G | Saturated fat: 4G | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 715mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 3G | Sugar: 2G | Vitamin A: 706IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 167mg | Iron: 1mg
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