Olive Pesto Pasta

a close up of a bowl of olive pesto pasta garnished with a basil leaf a bowl of olive pesto and vegan parmesan cheese beside the bowl of pasta

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Elevate your pesto pasta in the New Year by adding olives to your pesto! This Olive Pesto Pasta is an easy and delicious way to add a little oomph to a traditional dish. This easy weeknight dish is so simple and it’s sure to be a real crowd pleaser on your next pasta night! 

a close up of a bowl of olive pesto pasta garnished with a basil leaf a bowl of olive pesto and vegan parmesan cheese beside the bowl of pasta

Big pesto fan here… you too?! I mean, aside from my Italian heritage and pesto pretty much running through my veins, it’s such a simple, nourishing meal. Between the garlic and basil and parsley, among other ingredients, pesto is just a powerhouse of nutrients.

an action shot of two hands holding two forks serving some of the pasta into the bowl

This Olive Pesto Pasta only takes 30 minutes to make. You’ll need a food processor/blender and if you’re feeling fancy like I was, you can use lasagna noodles and slice them into strips using a pizza cutter for a thicker, more textured noodle. Or you can simply use whatever pasta you’d like.

a close up of a bowl of olive pesto pasta garnished with a basil leaf a bowl of olive pesto and vegan parmesan cheese beside the bowl of pasta

And while there is certainly nothing wrong with a traditional pesto, sometimes I like to mix it up a bit. So today, I’m bringing you an olive-lovers dream! If you love olives, you will for sure love this Olive Pesto Pasta! And if you don’t love olives, well the taste is subtle and I bet you’ll still enjoy it.

a bowl of olive pesto with a spoon in it

This gluten-free, vegan dish makes the absolute perfect healthy weeknight meal, but it can also double as a fancy schmancy date night dinner ๐Ÿ˜‰

full shot of two bowls of olive pesto pasta with a linen napkin, a bowl of pesto, and vegan parmesan cheese beside it

You can use store-bought vegan parmesan cheese in this recipe, but I urge you to try my Vegan Parmesan Cheese and keep some stored in your fridge at all times. I put it on and in everything!

a side close up shot of a bowl of olive pesto pasta with another bowl blurred in the background

Leave a comment below, and donโ€™t forget to tag me on Instagram or Facebook if you make this Olive Pesto Pasta!

If you love pesto, be sure to check out these other pesto recipes:
โ˜† Pea Pesto Grilled Cheese
โ˜† Seedy Pesto Zucchini Noodles
โ˜† Green Goddess Pesto Bowls
โ˜† Mediterranean Pesto Collard Wraps

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a close up of a bowl of olive pesto pasta garnished with a basil leaf a bowl of olive pesto and vegan parmesan cheese beside the bowl of pasta

Olive Pesto Pasta


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Description

Elevate your pesto pasta in the New Year by adding olives to your pesto! This Olive Pesto Pasta is an easy and delicious way to add a little oomph to a traditional dish. This easy weeknight dish is so simple and it's sure to be a real crowd pleaser on your next pasta night!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 box lasagna noodles (or other noodles of your choice)

Olive Pesto

  • 1 (10 oz) jar olives (I used Mezzetta Whole Italian Castelvetrano Olives)
  • 1 cup packed basil
  • 1/2 cup parsley
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts/raw walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • pinch salt

Instructions

    1. First you’ll want to pit the olives. You can do this ahead of time and keep them stored in the fridge if you’d like. I found the easiest way to do this was to slice around the pit with a knife. You may also buy pitted olives to save on time.
    2. Next, boil the pasta according to package directions.
    3. While the noodles are boiling, add all of the pesto ingredients to a food processor/blender, including the olives, and blend until smooth.
    4. If you’re using lasagna noodles, slice them into strips using a pizza cutter and toss with a little oil to keep them from sticking. Next, add some of the pesto and toss.
    5. Garnish with more parmesan cheese and serve! If you have leftover pesto keep it stored in the fridge and enjoy it on pizza or toast, or make this meal again later in the week!
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Lunch & Dinner
  • Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 585
  • Sugar: 2
  • Sodium: 320
  • Fat: 55
  • Saturated Fat: 7
  • Unsaturated Fat: 42
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 18
  • Fiber: 3
  • Protein: 11
  • Cholesterol: 11
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