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This quick and easy 20-minute Kalamata olive, tomato, and caper pasta is perfect for the weeknight rush! Full of flavor and packed full of fresh goodness.
If there is one thing I love it’s an easy pasta recipe!
This dish is just that and it’s packed full of kalamata olives, fresh summer cherry tomatoes, and capers all swimming in a garlicky butter olive oil sauce.
Trust me, if you’re craving a flavorful pasta dish (and you’re a lover all things olives!) this is the past for you.
I also threw in some fresh basil because it pumps up the flavor even more.
Don’t worry if you don’t have any fresh basil on hand – dried or freeze dried will work just as well!
Ingredients in this kalamata olive, tomato, caper pasta
- Pasta – I used bowtie pasta for this dish but you can easily substitute any pasta you have on hand.
- Butter and olive oil – I like to use a mix of both to add flavor and body to the pasta dish.
- Yellow onion – This adds a hint of traditional pasta sauce flavor and can be replaced with red or sweet onion.
- Garlic – Add as little or as much as you want!
- Cherry tomatoes – If you can’t find cherry tomatoes you can also use grape tomatoes.
- Capers – I love the briney flavor they bring and feel free to adjust the amount added based on personal preferance.
- Kalamata olives – Olives are the main flavor in this pasta dish so be sure to use olives you love.
- Fresh basil – This adds such a burst of fresh flavor.
- Parmesan cheese – Use freshly grated if you can!
Substitutions and additions
If you’re looking to add even more flavor to this kalamata olive, tomato, caper pasta here are a few substitutions and additions you can add to this easy kalamata olive pasta:
- Add protein – If you’re looking to add a little more protein try adding grilled chicken or even grilled shrimp.
- Use a different olive – If you can’t find kalamata olives you could easily substitute black olives. I personally don’t think green olives work well here but that will depend on personal taste.
- Add more fresh herbs – I love the addition of fresh basil but if you had fresh oregano or fresh parsley on hand those would be great additions too.
More fast and easy pasta recipes
- Want a one pot pasta recipe that is filled with flavor? Try my One Pot Ground Chicken Fajita Pasta.
- Craving a simple pasta recipe? Try my Chicken Broccoli Ziti.
- One of my most popular recipes! Try my Cajun Shrimp Alfredo.
- Need another meatless pasta recipe? Try my Ratatouille Pasta.
20 Minute Kalamata Olive, Tomato, and Caper Pasta
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a large pot, fill with salted water and set over high heat.
- Once the water is boiling add pasta and cook till al dente, following box directions.
- While the pasta is cooking start your sauce.
- In a large skillet melt butter and olive oil over medium heat.
- Add in onions and garlic. Sauté until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
- Add in tomatoes and capers and sauté until the tomatoes just start to soften. Remove from heat and set aside while your pasta finishes cooking.
- Once the pasta is fully cooked, drain and add back to the pot.
- Add sauce, Parmesan cheese, olives, and basil to the pasta. Toss to combine and drizzle with more olive oil if the pasta is too dry.
- Season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve warm with a sprinkle of extra grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This looks so delicious and beautiful! Thanks for sharing, this recipe sounds great!
My kind of dish for sure. Quick, colorful and salty. Love it!
Yep, I don’t know that John fellow. I better get with the program. My BFF lives in New Zealand. She comes to the states every 3 or 4 yrs. I made it down there once—-and of course had a fab time. It’s wonderful you go to spend time with her. We women value our women friends deeply. The recipe is pretty cool. The dish looks kind of perky for some reason, which is a compliment.
My best friend lives in Cali, so I totally get you on the distance. It is hard! But when we see it’s each other, it makes it all the more fun, I think.
This is such a great quick and easy meal!
I made this (with a little less butter and some white beans) to bring for lunches this week. So nice to eat it warmed up at lunch time…my fellow lunchtablers were jealous of my pretty pasta meal 🙂
I’m so glad you gave it a try! I love the idea of adding in some white beans. It’s such an easy dish to re-heat and enjoy 🙂
I tried this recipe as my husband is italian and was describing a dish his family used to make. It was exactly what he remembered and we loved it. What a great combo of ingrediants.