Amazing Olive Pasta Salad is loaded with Castelvetranos olives, kalamata olives, sun dried tomatoes, and two cheeses! A summery pasta salad is perfectly flavorful with the best dressing!
This olive pasta salad, is really amazing! I have a thing for olives, I always have and I’ll put them in/on anything possible! I even added them to our favorite Panzanella Salad to kick things up a notch. This salad recipe has been in my head for a while and now that it’s getting hot outside, it seemed like the perfect time to finally put it together. I could easily make a meal out of this for a filling lunch or a light dinner. You could also serve it up with Grilled Chicken Thighs if you’re firing up the grill this week! We use two types of olives here, Kalamata and Castelvetranos and they are the BEST combination! These olives are generally really easy to find at any grocery store. I can find them with all of the other olives and condiments. Both of these olives are of course salty and briny, Kalamata more so but they have a bit of a fruity taste. Castelvetranos are my personal favorite olive, ever. They are a really mild olive and have almost a buttery taste, amazing!
Olive Pasta Salad Recipe Notes:
- As I talked about above we like to use Castelvetranos and Kalamata olives here. You’ll want to try and find them for the best flavor. Don’t panic, they are easy to find with all of the other jarred olives! If you can’t find them jarred, check out the olive bar at your grocery store deli.
- If you can’t find these types of olives, you can sub with regular green (pimento or even garlic stuffed) olives, and black olives.
- Keep in mind that Castelvetranos olives usually need to be pitted. This is almost always the case if you buy them jarred. If you don’t have a cherry/olive pitter you can get one, or again just check with your deli. They likely will have some already pitted. Kalamata olives can be found pitted/whole or sliced in a jar.
- The dressing MAKES this pasta salad! Try not to make any substitutions if you can help it. Don’t toss out your sun dried tomato oil, we use some of it to really kick up the flavor in the dressing. You can always make this dressing ahead if you wish. It lasts in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- This salad is good if eaten right away, but best if the flavors have time to meld. I recommend making this and chilling for at least a couple of hours before eating if you can. You can keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days for best results.
- Any pasta will work for this recipe! You can use any shape you wish, I like rotini because the sauce really coats the spirals! Small shells are also great. You can definitely use chickpea, lentil, low calorie, or gluten free pasta here as well.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Amazing Olive Pasta Salad
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD:
- 16 Ounces Rotini
- 1 Cup Pitted Sliced Castelvetranos Olives
- 1 Cup Pitted Sliced Kalamata Olives
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Sun Dried Tomatoes
- 8 Ounces Mozzarella Cheese, CUBED
- 1/3 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
FOR THE DRESSING:
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Sun Dried Tomato Oil, From the bottle of sun dried tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 Cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Honey
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 Pinch Each Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Cook the rotini according to package directions. Drain into a colander, then rinse under cold water until the noodles are chilled.
- Add the rotini to a bowl along with the olives, sun dried tomatoes, and cheeses.
- For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a small bowl or jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake for about 30 seconds until everything is well combined. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir well to coat.
- For best results, chill the pasta salad for 1-2 hours before serving. Pasta salad can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Such a delicious salad! I am sure my family will love this!
This is a summertime staple in our house! Hands down delicious; looking forward to enjoying this all season long!
I would love this for lunch! I can’t wait to try it!
Such a delicious salad!! Perfect for summer!
I am so glad I found this recipe. It was absolutely deliciious and full of flavor!
This was such a delicious twist on a traditional pasta salad. The flavor from the olives provided the perfect balance with the cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. We’ll be making this all summer long!