Green Olive Pasta Sauce with Fresh Herbs Recipe
A vibrant and flavorful green olive pasta sauce made with Castelvetrano olives, fresh herbs, garlic, and olive oil. This versatile sauce can be tossed with pasta, used as a spread, or served as a dip, delivering a bright, herbaceous twist to your meals.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: About 1 1/2 cups of sauce (serves 4 as pasta sauce) 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Olives
- 2 cups pitted Castelvetrano olives with brine (jarred or canned in brine)
- 6 tablespoons olive brine (from the jar or can)
Herbs & Flavorings
- 1/2 cup packed fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill leaves
- 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
- 2–3 medium garlic cloves
Other
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Olives: Place the pitted Castelvetrano olives into a food processor along with 6 tablespoons of their olive brine. The brine helps to blend and balance the flavors while adding moisture.
- Add Herbs and Garlic: Add the fresh parsley, chopped dill leaves, fresh basil leaves, and garlic cloves to the food processor. These fresh ingredients give the sauce a bright, aromatic profile.
- Add Olive Oil and Seasoning: Pour in the six tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. The olive oil adds richness and helps emulsify the sauce.
- Process to Smooth: Process the mixture until it reaches a smooth, pesto-like consistency. Scrape down the sides if necessary to ensure everything is well combined and smooth.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the sauce and add additional salt and/or pepper if needed to suit your preference.
- Serve: Toss the sauce with cooked pasta, spread it on bread, or serve it as a dipping sauce. Enjoy the bold, herbaceous flavors!
Notes
- Castelvetrano olives have a mild, buttery flavor which makes this sauce uniquely bright and less salty than other olive sauces.
- If you prefer a chunkier texture, pulse the food processor fewer times instead of blending fully smooth.
- Adjust garlic quantity based on your taste preference.
- This sauce keeps well refrigerated in an airtight container for up to five days.
- If your olives or brine are very salty, reduce or omit additional salt in the recipe to avoid oversalting.
Keywords: green olive pasta sauce, Castelvetrano olive sauce, pesto style sauce, olive and herb sauce, easy olive sauce, fresh herb olive pesto
