Craving pasta? Try these spaghetti with olives: the super-quick dish that tastes like summer!
You know those days when time seems to run faster than we do, but your stomach demands a proper plate of pasta? This recipe was born exactly from that: the desire to bring the scents of the garden and the sea to the table without spending hours at the stove.
It’s a very quick first course, almost “magical”: while the water boils and the spaghetti cooks, the sauce is already ready. We’ve combined the pronounced saltiness of green and black olives with the sweetness of tomato purée, adding the lively touch of capers that instantly gives a festive note.
The final secret? A handful of oregano and a few fresh basil leaves, which release an incredible aroma as soon as they meet the warmth of the pasta. It’s a simple, rustic, family-style recipe — the kind that brings everyone to the table in agreement.
Here are other super-fast recipes that save your dinner (or lunch)
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Cooking time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4 Servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring
Ingredients for spaghetti with olives
- 11.3 oz spaghetti
- 1 2/3 cups tomato purée
- 2 oz black olives (sliced)
- 2 oz green olives (sliced)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 1 tbsp capers
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- to taste oregano
- to taste basil
Tools
- 1 Pot
- 1 Frying pan
- Knives
- Spoons
- Colander
Preparation of spaghetti with olives
Finely chop the onion and sauté it in a pan with a little oil; if you prefer a spicier flavor, also add some chili pepper. When the onion is golden, add the tomato purée and let it warm; then add the sliced olives and the capers, stir, season with a generous pinch of dried oregano and finally adjust salt and pepper.
Cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat, then boil the spaghetti in salted water. Drain them al dente and transfer them to the pan with the sauce, adding a few ladles of the cooking water to blend the ingredients well. Let them absorb the flavors for a few moments while stirring, then finish with fresh basil.
I used Barilla number 3 spaghetti, which cook in 5 minutes.
For the gluten-free version, make sure to use gluten-free spaghetti (corn, rice, or legume-based) and check that the capers and olives are certified, although they are naturally gluten-free.
TIPS and NOTES
Substitutions (If you’re missing something)
The Pasta: If you don’t have spaghetti, use bucatini for a more rustic touch or penne/short tubes that hold the sauce well inside.
The Tomato: If you prefer not to use tomato purée, try halved cherry tomatoes quickly sautéed: you’ll get a fresher, less “covering” sauce.
The Herb: No fresh basil? Try finely chopped parsley at the end; it will give a different but very pleasant fresh note.
✨ Extras for a little “Something Extra”
Crispy Note: Toast some breadcrumbs in a pan with a drizzle of oil and sprinkle them over the pasta before serving. It gives that textural contrast that always amazes.
Sea Touch: Add 2 or 3 anchovy fillets to the hot oil at the beginning: they will melt creating a deep, savory flavor base that pairs wonderfully with the capers.
Spicy Kick: A pinch of fresh chili or some chili-infused oil if you love bold flavors.
For the Indulgent: A few crumbled cubes of feta over the top with the heat off, or coarsely grated ricotta salata.
