Description
Dirty Martini Pasta Salad is a vibrant and flavorful pasta dish inspired by the classic cocktail. Featuring olives, feta cheese, and a zesty lemon-olive oil dressing accented with olive brine and garlic, this salad is perfect for a light lunch or as a side dish. The combination of briny olives and tangy feta with tender pasta makes it a refreshing and savory summer favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- ½ pound pasta of choice
Salad Components
- 1 cup pitted large green olives, roughly chopped
- 100 g feta cheese, cubed or blue cheese crumbles
Dressing
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup olive brine
- 1 clove fresh minced garlic
- Zest of half a lemon
- Juice of ¼ lemon
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down for the salad.
- Prepare the dressing: In a small mason jar or bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, olive brine, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a generous amount of black pepper. Close the jar and shake or whisk until the ingredients are well combined.
- Assemble the salad: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked and cooled pasta, roughly chopped green olives, and cubed feta cheese. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
- Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste the salad and add more black pepper, lemon juice, or salt if needed. Chill the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
Notes
- Very lightly salt the pasta water, as the olive brine and feta cheese provide plenty of saltiness to the salad, preventing over-salting.
- Green olives are traditional for this recipe, but you can substitute with any type of olives you prefer.
- The pasta used in the original recipe is Mafalda Corta; gluten-free pasta can be used to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Chilling the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature for 15 minutes before serving for optimal texture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
