Sun-Kissed Mediterranean Pasta
A vibrant dish of zesty cherry tomatoes, briny olives, and fragrant herbs tossed with al dente pasta and a drizzle of olive oil. This Mediterranean recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 50 minutes, pairs spaghetti, olive oil, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 1 pint halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Cook spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, then drain and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Step 3: Toss in cherry tomatoes and olives. Cook for 5 minutes until tomatoes soften and olives release their oil.
- Step 4: Add cooked pasta, 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. If dry, add 1-2 tbsp pasta water.
- Step 5: Garnish with parsley and serve warm.
