Do you zip right past recipes with ‘vegan’ in the title? I usually do. The no-no list of a vegan diet is far too long for me: no eggs, no cheese, no butter, no honey – I really can’t imagine.
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So I didn’t set out to make this a vegan pasta dish, and honestly didn’t even realize that it was until I finished writing the recipe. But it made me step down off my high horse and admit that a completely plant based meal could be as hearty and flavorful as one with cheese and butter.
There are a lot of flavors and textures going on here: peppery olive oil, buttery olives and pine nuts, fresh herbs, zesty lemon, salty capers and crunchy bread crumbs. Each bite is a little bit different: a chunk of olive here, a zing of parsley there.
I think the gremolata is my favorite part; it goes beyond the classic combination of parsley, garlic, and lemon zest. I’ll be topping everything with it this summer, from grilled vegetables and fish to salads and risotto. It’s that good.
Even if you share my tendency for shunning vegan recipes, I hope you’ll try this one. (And for a couple of other options, Pasta Aglio e Olio is also naturally vegan if you skip the cheese, and to make Lemon Garlic Pasta vegan, just skip the butter and replace with olive oil. Spinach Mushroom Pasta is also an option with olive oil instead of butter and skip the cheese.)
Zesty Spaghetti with Olives and Pine Nut Gremolata
Ingredients
- 5 ounce spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons raw pine nuts
- 1 Meyer Lemon juice and zest separately
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
- pinch crushed red pepper or more
- 1 clove small garlic
- 1 cup fresh basil packed
- 1 tablespoon drained capers
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped green olives I used a mix of Castelvetrano and Picholine
Instructions
- Cook spaghetti according to package directions. (Scoop out 1/4 cup of cooking water before draining.)
- To make the pine nut gremolata: Add bread crumbs and pine nuts to a small, dry skillet over medium heat; cook and stir until both are lightly toasted. Transfer to a small bowl. Add lemon zest, parsley and crushed red pepper; stir to combine.
- With a food processor running, add garlic clove, fresh basil and capers; process until finely chopped.
- Scrape down sides. Again, with food processor running drizzle in olive oil and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- When pasta has finished cooking, drain, retaining 1/4 cup of cooking water. Return pasta and cooking water to pot; add basil mixture and stir vigorously until sauce has emulsified and completely coated pasta.
- Divide pasta between two serving plates and top each equally with olives and pine nut gremolata. Serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gremolata is sensational, especially on braised meat dishes… love it! This is no exception and I am in your camp. Sometimes I blaze right by recipes labeled that. I always feel like I won’t be full or satisfied, which from the looks of this one, would not be a problem. 🙂
Nope, not a problem. 🙂 And I agree about gremolata – so versatile!
I’m on the high horse…. I can’t help it! BUT I would not even think of this as vegan. This is sensational. And you are right. The gremolata IS the crowning glory of this, for sure!! 🙂 Pinning! The vegan community is going to go wild over this!
Thanks, Nagi! 🙂
Love gremolata! This pasta looks fantastic Marissa! Great meal, I need to try soon!
Thank you, Mira!
Marissa, I’m thinking this needs to be my lunch today! It looks so, so yummy! And don’t worry, I’ve totally be there on that high horse with you about the vegan foods. I love when a dish is accidentally vegan like this because you didn’t go out of your way to make a bunch of substitutes, but instead just used plant-based foods in a natural way. These are the kind of recipes I love to incorporate in my life because they’re natural and provide balance. There’s no vegetable shortening or funky powders, just good wholesome ingredients. I need to get a hold of some pine nuts so I can make this asap! 🙂
Well said, Beeta! That’s my favorite approach to food. I think ideal foods don’t come with labels, in recipe titles or otherwise.
This pasta looks fantastic, Marissa! So healthy and delicious. I could go for a massive serving right about now!
Thanks so much, Jen!
Oh my gosh Marissa – you know I love pasta girl. And, this looks simply fantastic. Totally pinning for later!
Thank you, Kristi!
Yum!! What a delicious and healthy looking pasta dish, Marissa! The gremolata looks so tasty.Will have to try it soon!
Thank you, Mary. It’s definitely all about that gremolata… 🙂
haha, see vegan ain’t so bad, right?! Delicious pasta dish! love this, Marissa!!!
Not bad at all, Alice! 🙂 Thank you.
That definitely doesn’t look vegan-I thought it had cheese in it but that’s the crumbs. It looks absolutely delicious Marissa!
Between you and me, a little cheese on this would be pretty tasty. 🙂
I am definitely guilty of immediately losing interest after seeing the word vegan but this gremolata sounds and looks fantastic indeed!
Thank you, Nicole!
I can definitely relate to having that visceral reaction to certain recipe keywords — “skinny” especially comes to mind. So I try to keep away from certain words when titling recipes, but I eat plenty of vegan food! This pasta sounds excellent — super full of intense herbal and cured flavors. And you have to love how fast it is!
It is really fast – I love to cook, but am honestly a lazy cook, not much for complicated recipes. I hear you on ‘skinny’ and raise you one with ‘free’ – blick! 😉
This dish looks gorgeous!!! I’ve only eaten capers once and I didn’t really care for them, but I might try them again for the sake of this recipe. 🙂
Yes, give them a second try! But if you still don’t like them, the olives give this enough salty kick that you could skip the capers. 🙂
I simply adore a dish with a wide variety of flavors and textures – that gremolata is calling my name! I think I could eat that straight up with a spoon!
I may or may not have tried it with a spoon. 😉 Thanks, Shashi…
I totally love gremolata!!! What a great pasta dish! And I could deal with vegetarians…but vegans tend to scare me juuuuust a bit.
I love gremolata too – it’s amazing how much flavor it can add with so few ingredients!
I totally agree, Marissa. Vegetarian is totally fine, but vegan generally gets too to restrictive for my tastes (those that can stick to it – more power to them). That being said, your ‘accidental’ vegan dish looks and sound fantastic. I love all of the fresh greens paired with the salty capers and zesty lemon. A perfect dish for the summer!
Thank you, Kathleen! And I agree on the ‘more power to them’ – it takes a lot of discipline to maintain that kind of diet.