Description
Dirty Martini Pasta Salad is a zesty and flavorful dish combining al dente pasta with castelvetrano olives, blue cheese, toasted pine nuts, and fresh lemon zest, creating a refreshing and savory salad perfect for gatherings or light meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- ½ lb malfa corta pasta
Salad Mix
- ½ cup parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 heaping cup castelvetrano olives, smashed
- ¼ cup brine from the olives
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- 1 medium lemon, zested
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ⅓ cup garlic expressions
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Prepare the malfa corta pasta until al dente according to package instructions, then rinse thoroughly with cool water until it is cool to the touch to stop cooking and remove excess starch.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta with roughly chopped parsley, smashed castelvetrano olives, olive brine, crumbled blue cheese, toasted pine nuts, lemon zest, lemon juice, and garlic expressions.
- Season: Add a pinch of flaky salt and several cranks of fresh cracked black pepper to the salad to enhance the flavors.
- Toss and Serve: Stir the mixture well to evenly distribute all ingredients and seasonings. Serve immediately and enjoy this refreshing and tangy pasta salad.
Notes
- Use malfa corta or similar short pasta like penne or rigatoni for best results.
- To toast pine nuts, lightly heat them in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
- Garlic expressions can be substituted with minced fresh garlic or garlic-infused olive oil for similar flavor.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste after mixing as the olives and blue cheese add saltiness.
- This salad can be chilled for 30 minutes before serving to meld flavors further but is best served fresh.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
