Sharing a bright green olive linguine today that is full of simple ingredients and so very delicious. It’s a light pasta dish that has loads of flavor from charred broccolini, briny olives, zippy lemon, scallions & garlic, fresh chives, and crispy whole grain breadcrumbs. It all comes together in just about 30 minutes and makes for a great weeknight pasta, but doubles as a simple dinner party menu item as well!
Olives were always on my very short list of ingredients that I don’t love. A few years ago, though, I finally grew to enjoy them and all their salty, briny goodness. Especially the bright green castelvetrano olives.
This is my go-to variety, and unless I’m using kalamata in a greek-inspired dish, you’ll always find me using castelvetrano. They’re Sicilian green olives and have a rich, buttery, crisp flavor that is beyond tasty.
The perfect olive to star in this simple pasta dish.
green olive linguine – the details
This pasta is irresistibly good, and quite simple to make (although there are definitely a few steps to this one when it comes to prepping the broccolini and breadcrumbs).
You’ll start by blanching the broccolini until it’s bright green and tender. In the same pot, the linguine goes in and cooks until al dente. By the time the pasta cooks, a quick sauce is made in a skillet – melted butter, scallions, garlic, black pepper, starchy pasta water, lots of lemon juice, and parmesan cheese.
The cheese melts as the pasta water works its magic, creating a silky-smooth sauce to coat the linguine. You’ll fold the broccolini in at the end to add a hearty bite to the dish.
The most important component? A mixture of those green castelvetrano olives, fresh chives, lemon zest, more scallions, and olive oil to spoon over the saucy linguine. It’s got all the brightness and tang you’d want to cut the buttery pasta.
For an even extra special touch…crispy whole grain bread crumbs sprinkled over top. You simply cannot go wrong with this combo!
If you’re looking for more fresh pasta recipes, here are a few to try:
The Very Best Pasta Salad
Easy Zucchini Pasta with Ricotta & Basil
Lemon Butter Shrimp Pasta
Green Olive Linguine with Broccolini & Breadcrumbs
linguine tossed in a lemon butter sauce with charred broccolini, a green olive topping, and crispy breadcrumbs
servings: 4
Ingredients
- ¼ lb fresh whole grain bread, cubed
- olive oil, as needed
- ½ lb broccolini, ends trimmed
- kosher salt
- ¾ lb linguine
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced (white/light green & dark green sections separated)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 (5 oz) jar green castelvetrano olives, drained + halved
- 2 tbsp chives, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the bread to a food processor and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Set aside. Add the broccolini and a big pinch of salt to the pot and blanch for 2 minutes, or until bright and tender. Transfer the broccolini to a large bowl of ice water for 1 minute (reserving the water in the pot). Transfer the broccolini to paper towels and let dry.
- Heat a 12” cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to generously coat the bottom. Once hot, add the breadcrumbs. Toast until golden brown and crisp, stirring often. Transfer the breadcrumbs to a plate lined with paper towels. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Wipe out the skillet and add more olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the broccolini. Cook for a couple of minutes per side until slightly charred. Transfer to a cutting board and chop into smaller pieces.
- Meanwhile, bring the water in the pot back to a boil and drop in the linguine. Cook for 1 minute less than the package’s instructions, stirring often.
- Lower the skillet to medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt. Add the white/light green onions and garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Meanwhile, combine the olives, dark green onions, chives, lemon zest, and 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.
- Retrieve 1 cup of pasta water from the pot and add it to the skillet. Let simmer for 2 minutes. Drain the pasta when done and add it to the skillet, along with the lemon juice. Stir well to combine. Gradually sprinkle in the parmesan cheese, stirring the pasta continuously as it melts. Lastly, fold in the chopped broccolini. Taste the pasta and season with more salt if needed.
- Serve the pasta with the olive mixture, breadcrumbs, and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese over top.
Notes
Whenever creating a pasta sauce using pasta water as the base, I like to reserve a little extra water on the side before draining the pasta. If the sauce reduces too much and loses it’s silky-smooth quality, you can add a splash of this extra water as needed to loosen it back up.
shop the dish: green olive linguine with broccolini & breadcrumbs
Just cooked your pasta and my boyfriend and me absolutely loved it !!
super special and unique- super creative.
definitely gonna cook that for my family soon 🙂
Amazing and so light!
I’m so glad you liked it!! xKayla