Green Olive Puttanesca Pasta

My green olive puttanesca pasta flips the architecture of the Italian classic and lands on your plate packed with green olives, Calabrian chilies, and handfuls of arugula and basil. It’s still the briny, salty, umami-heavy dish you know, with a little mischief woven in.

Green Olive Puttanesca Pasta Was Always Going To Happen

There are certain flavors that sneak back into my kitchen when I least expect it. Recently something reminded me of time spent in San Sebastian, and I found myself thinking about my own grip on anchovies and where it came from. Not the kind you see laid across pintxos in Spain, but the regular tinned ones that melt into the background and leave everything tasting better than it should.

That’s how this green olive puttanesca pasta came together. Buttery, briny Castelvetrano olives, fresh herbs, a little garlic, and the anchovies doing quiet work behind the scenes, staying hidden until the moment they define everything. Wild how that works outside the pan, too. Tossed with linguine, it’s bright, salty and layered, the kind of pasta that feels like it knows more than it’s letting on.

Why I Love This Recipe

• Weeknight fast, but dinner party approved.
• Salty and briny in the best way.
• Feels rustic, eats fancy.

Ingredients

Everything here makes this briny olive pasta flavor without a single tomato in sight.

• Linguine – the canvas.
• Olive oil – my fave liquid gold.
• Garlic – sliced thin.
• Anchovies – they melt and vanish but leave a lasting impression.
• Calabrian chilies – heat with the best personality.
• Green onions – mellow freshness.
• Castelvetrano olives – buttery, briny and full of swagger.
• Capers – tiny little salt pearls.
• Basil – add a sweet green lift.
• Arugula – wild peppery flavor.
• Lemon juice – restores the balance.
• Salt + black pepper – the baseline.
• Parmesan – the final savory finish.

How to Make Green Olive Puttanesca Pasta

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (boil the pasta)
  Salt a big pot of water and drop in the linguine. Cook it just shy of al dente so it can finish in the skillet later. Scoop out a cup of the cooking water before draining. I’ve done the same kind of thing with my herby green minestrone, another recipe that started red and ended up all about leeks, lemon, and green vegetables.
• Step Two (start the base)
  Warm olive oil in a large skillet and add the garlic and anchovies. Let them melt together until the anchovies disappear and the oil smells savory.
• Step Three (build the flavor)
  Add the Castelvetrano olives, capers, Calabrian chilies, and the white parts of the green onions. Give it a couple of minutes to sizzle and mingle.
• Step Four (finish it off)
  Add the linguine to the skillet with a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss until the pasta is coated and glossy. Stir in the arugula, basil, and the green tops of the onions with the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, then shower with Parmesan and serve.

If you’ve made my antipasto pasta salad or my chicken niçoise salad, you already know how anchovies disappear into the background but make the whole thing taste right. It’s the same move here, quiet, necessary, and hard to replace.

Recipe Tips

Tips that make this green olive pasta recipe more than craveable.

• Don’t skimp on the anchovies. They vanish but leave the best kind of “trouble” behind.
• Slice the garlic thin enough to melt into the dish.
• Pasta water is liquid insurance, always keep extra.
• Calabrian chilies bring the best heat and are easy to find.
• Toss the arugula in at the end so it stays wild, not wilted.
• Taste before you salt, the capers and anchovies already did half the work.
• Some flavors only show up if you let them sit long enough to reveal themselves. It’s worth it.
• Castelvetrano olives are often jarred or at the fresh olive bar in most grocery stores.

It’s briny and savory in the same way my dill pickle margarita is, though I’d probably refrain from serving one with this pasta.

Storage

Green olive pasta holds up better than most because the sauce grabs hold of every strand of linguine instead of pooling at the bottom.

• Leftovers: Cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge. Best within 2 days before the arugula fades.
• Storage: Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water or olive oil to loosen it up. The flavor develops overnight, so it’s even better the next day.
• Freezer: Not ideal for freezing. The greens wilt and the sauce separates, so this one’s best eaten fresh.

FAQs

• Can I skip the anchovies?
  Don’t do it. They disappear and don’t announce themselves in this olive and caper pasta, but without them the dish falls flat.
• Can I make this green puttanesca ahead?
  It’s best right off the stove, but leftovers aren’t tragic. They just need a little warmth to come back to life.
• What if I don’t have Calabrian chilies?
  Use red pepper flakes, but the depth won’t be the same.
• Can I use another type of green olive?
  Castelvetranos bring the best flavor to a green olive pasta, but any mild variety can stand in. Make sure the olives are pitted, otherwise you’re inviting dental work to dinner.
• Is this pasta recipe vegetarian?
  Not as written. Anchovies are key to the flavor, but if you skip them, add a pinch of some type of umami seasoning to fill the gap. Maybe soy sauce.
• What should I serve with green olive puttanesca pasta?
  This pasta is already on the bolder side, so you don’t need much next to it. Something simple and salty fits the mood. My salt and vinegar smashed potatoes have that same pow, briny taste and make a great side when you want the whole meal to play together.

More Recipes with That Savory Italian Energy

More recipes that feed the need for something hearty, savory, and delicious.

• Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup – hearty soup, pasta, and warmth.
• Kale and White Bean Sausage Soup – a comforting 30-minute meal.
• Hot Italian Dip – baked with big Italian flavor.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Print Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Green Olive Puttanesca Pasta

Green Olive Puttanesca Pasta takes the classic Italian dish and flips it on its head. Briny Castelvetrano olives, capers, arugula, and Calabrian chilies replace the tomatoes for a bold, savory pasta full of layered flavor and bright olive oil richness.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian-Inspired

Keyword: green olive pasta recipe, green olive puttanesca pasta, Italian pasta with olives, olive puttanesca, pasta with olives and capers

Servings: 4

Calories: 545kcal

Author: Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• large pot For boiling pasta.
• large skillet For building the sauce.
• tongs For tossing pasta and sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 lb (454 g) linguine
• ⅔ cup (160 ml) olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• 4 anchovy fillets (packed in oil)
• 1 cup (150 g) Castelvetrano olives pitted
• 3 tbsps (28 g) capers drained
• 4 green onions thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
• 2 tsps (10 g)chopped Calabrian chilies in oil
• 3 cups (90 g) baby arugula
• ¼ cup (6 g) fresh basil leaves
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, then season generously with salt. Add the linguine and cook until firm, setting a timer for 2 minutes less than the package directions. Before draining, reserve at least 1 cup (240 ml) of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
  1 lb (454 g) linguine
• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and anchovy fillets, stirring and pressing until the anchovies completely dissolve.
  ⅔ cup (160 ml) olive oil, 5 cloves garlic, 4 anchovy fillets (packed in oil)
• Increase the heat slightly and add the olives, capers, white parts of the green onions, and Calabrian chilies. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
  1 cup (150 g) Castelvetrano olives, 3 tbsps (28 g) capers, 4 green onions, 2 tsps (10 g)chopped Calabrian chilies in oil
• Add the cooked linguine to the skillet with the olive mixture. Pour in about ½ cup (120 ml) of the reserved pasta water and toss with tongs for the final 2 minutes of cooking, adding more water if needed to coat the pasta.
• Stir in the arugula, basil, and the green parts of the green onions along with the lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, then top with Parmesan before serving.
  3 cups (90 g) baby arugula, ¼ cup (6 g) fresh basil leaves, 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper, grated Parmesan cheese

Notes

• Don’t skimp on the anchovies - they dissolve and give the sauce its depth.
• Calabrian chilies bring the best flavor, but red pepper flakes work in a pinch.
• Add the arugula and basil right at the end so they stay bright and fresh.
• Save that pasta water; it’s your best friend for getting the right texture.

 

If you’re making this green olive puttanesca pasta, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Green Olive Puttanesca Pasta

Amount Per Serving (280 g)

Calories 545 Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 16g

Cholesterol 5mg2%

Sodium 720mg31%

Potassium 390mg11%

Carbohydrates 63g21%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 18g36%

Vitamin A 310IU6%

Vitamin C 12mg15%

Calcium 115mg12%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Have you made this Green Olive Puttanesaca Pasta? I’d love to hear how it turned out — leave a comment below and let me know.

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