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Mondays are better with this Garden Fresh Herb, Olive, and Parmesan Pasta.
I’ve said this many times over now, but Mondays just need a big bowl of pasta, you know? I love pasta year-round. I mean obviously, BUT I especially love pasta this time of year because of all the fresh herbs, tomatoes, garden veggies, and fruits. I swear, I could create a new and different pasta recipe at least once or twice a week from now until summer ends. My brain is bursting with fresh summer pasta ideas.
Clearly I am just a little excited about it.
Today’s pasta is kind of an “early summer” pasta, using garden fresh herbs, green, olives, good quality extra virgin olive oil, and lots of fresh parmesan…okok, and a few of those heirloom tomatoes I love so much!
Every bite is perfection. <–honest.
This pasta is unlike any other pasta I have created here on the site. It’s not tomato based or cream based, but more of an olive oil base. It’s super fresh and very much inspired by the fresh pastas of Italy that simply use olive oil, garlic, parmesan, and basil. Even though this dish is simple, it’s one of my favorite pasta recipes I have created.
It’s also very quick cooking and uses up a variety of pantry staples, along with garden fresh herbs…which is about all my “garden” consists of at the moment.
The windows in my house are lined with herb plants. I have an entire window full of basil (it’s probably my favorite herb, but I love oregano and thyme too) and multiple thyme, oregano, dill, and mint plants. I love having easy access to these herbs more than you can imagine. I don’t however, love the cluttered look they give my windows, but I’m hoping to move them out into our new green house this week (more on that in another post, but dad’s building me a green house!).
This pasta is all about the olive and oil sauce. First things first, be sure to use a high quality olive oil. Preferably one from Italy if you want a real deal Italian style pasta!
You’ll start by simmering the olive oil on the stove with lots of garlic, oregano, thyme, chili peppers, and lemon. Once the oil has simmered for a few minutes, you’ll stir in the green olives. Simmering the herbs in olive oil releases their flavor, and in turn gives you a flavorful sauce that resembles one that has been cooking all day. This olive oil sauce is SO delicious. I of course love it on this pasta, but you guys, try dipping some bread into the warm oil….oh my gosh. Pure heaven.
Anyway, you’ll then add your pasta right into the oil. Add a splash of wine (yup, yup, Monday needs that too), cook a few minutes to really let the flavors of the oil cook into the pasta and finish off with lots of freshly grated parmesan, basil and dill.
YUMMMMMMM.
But you guys, I’m not even done.
This pasta also gets topped with some toasty breadcrumbs that are the perfect finishing touch <–because let’s be real, bread and pasta just go together. Forever and always.
Mom, you taught me so well.
This is my favorite pasta. I know every pasta is my new favorite. But I really do love this one. It’s fresh and light, which are perfect for the warm days ahead, ready to go in just around thirty minutes, and just beyond good.
Again, fresh herbs, olives, olive oil, parmesan, sweet heirloom tomatoes (the first heirlooms I have seen of the growing season!), and toasty breadcrumbs.
So much to love.
Now, who’s ready for pasta!?
Garden Fresh Herb, Olive, and Parmesan Pasta with Pistachio Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
- 2 cups roughly torn ciabatta bread
- 1/4 cup shelled roasted pistachios
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1-3 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes or 2-3 chili peppers, (use to your taste)
- 2 sprigs fresh oregano
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- the rind of one lemon, thinly sliced
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 cup pitted green olives, halved
- 1 pound bucatini pasta or other long cut pasta
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 cup fresh grated parmesan
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 2 sliced tomatoes or 1 cup cherry tomatoes, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 2. On a baking sheet, combine the bread crumbs, pistachios, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and large pinch of both salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. Transfer to the oven and cook 8-10 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden. Remove from the oven.3. To a large skillet with sides, add the remaining olive oil (about 1/3 cup), the crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, oregano, thyme, lemon rind, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until the garlic is caramelized and fragrant. Reduce the heat to low and then stir in the olives and cook another 5 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, remove 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain.5. Add the hot pasta right into the skillet with oil and seasonings. Add the wine and toss to combines. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the parmesan, basil, and dill, tossing to combine. If needed, thin the pasta with a little of the reserve cooking water. 6. Divide the pasta among each plate. Top with tomatoes, breadcrumbs and fresh basil. EAT.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
I really could not think of a better Monday dinner. Pasta night here we come.
Making this tonight! I just found your site and am so excited. I live just down the road from you!
Wow that is so great! I hope you love this recipe, Meredith! Thank you and hope to meet you sometime! xTieghan
Absolutely wonderful. I had guests over and they all loved it, even the kids!
Thats so amazing! I am so glad you all loved this!
Best Ever Pasta!
Super tasty, super easy to make and super chic!
I was missing some ingredients, so I used sun-dried tomates instead of the peppers and almonds for the pistachios, but it was still super delicious!
Yum! I am so glad you loved this! Thank you!
I’ve wanted to make this dish for a while, and finally did. A complete approval from everyone. Very tasty. The breadcrumbs add a wonderful crunchy touch. Thank you!
Thank you so much! I am so glad you loved this!
I’d like to make this next week and I have two questions – 1) at point 3 of the recipe, you say to add the olives at the same time as the rest of the ingredients, but then you say to add them after 10 minutes. Which is it? 2) do I need to grind the breadcrumbs and pistachios after baking? I can’t see any whole pistachios or large bits of bread in the photos. Thanks so much and please keep your recipes coming!
Hi Nia! Sorry for the confusion. Add the olives after 10 minutes. For the bread crumbs, you can leave them chunkier or pulse them in a food processor to get a finer crumb. I ended up liking them a bit chunky, but took the photos with a finer crumb (tested it a few times). Sorry if that was confusing! Let me know if you have questions. Hope you love this pasta! 🙂
Made this for my daughter’s 25th B-Day (at her request). The only change that I made was that I heated the tomato slices for a few seconds in the oil, since I had store them in the fridge and didn’t want a dramatic difference in temperature. It was amazing! My dishes are rarely photo worthy, but it looked so much like yours, I probably should have.
Awh how fun! Happy birthday to her!! It sounds delicious! Love that it looked like mine (:
This is soooo beautiful! Perfect for a lighter meal, which is what one needs now in the summer. The flavors are 100% what we both love ourselves. And the pistachio breadcrumb?What an awesome idea!!! We’ll definitely give this a try real soon, thanx so much for an amazing recipe.
Greetings from Athens, Greece
Mirella and Panos
Awh thank you so happy you like it! I really hope you love it! So cool to hear from Athens!! (:
This was so delicious! I made a wedge salad to go with it, which went really well. Thanks for yet again a terrific recipe ♡
Yum! Thank you Traci, I’m thrilled you loved this!
Hi this sounds wonderful! I am preparing it this evening for my husbands birthday dinner!
I will have 10-12 people should I double this recipe?
And how about capers, could I add them or serve them on the side?!
Thoughts?!
Hey Ashley! I would double it! And I think capers will be amazing. Hope the pasta is a hit! 🙂
This is my kind of summery pasta, and the pistachio breadcrumbs sound so good!
Thanks Laura! I hope you love it! ?
i thinks its a nice food
Thanks!
Can’t wait to make this. What Olive Oils brands can you recommend ?
Hey Julie! I use DeLallo brand or Organic olive oil from Costco. Let me know if you have questions.
This was wickedly delicious! Truly off the charts. So many flavors. Then again, I’ve cooked at least 20 of your recipes and all were great. (One correction to the recipe: #3 states to add the olives twice–at the beginning and with 5 minutes remaining.) Thanks again for another winner.
Winner winner pasta dinner lol! Makes me so happy that you enjoyed this dish and others on my blog! Thank you so much David!
This looks utterly nom!!
Rebecca
xx
http://www.peppermintdolly.com
Thank you Rebecca!!
Uh this is making me want to eat dinner. A second time. Pasta definitely does make Mondays better, especially when it looks gorgeous too!
Definitely couldn’t stop eating this myself haha! I hope you like this recipe, Tiffany! Thank you!!