Today’s green pasta party and $300 giveaway – woot woot! – is sponsored by Oliviers and Co., makers of olive oil, vinegar, and most importantly, that heavenly basil spread.
Sometimes I need, want, just completely love green foods. This is one of those major big times since I’m still coming down from two weeks of vacation where, for me, green foods take a back seat to grilled pork and freshly caught and fried Walleye tacos. So I’m ready, guys. Bring me the green things!
This pasta salad contains 1-2-3-4-5 fresh, healthy ingredients assuming that olive oil and salt don’t count towards my total cause you’re nice like that. Can we just make those freebies? Five is such a nice number for my bouncy grocery store mind.
Favorite thing about simple recipes (hi, five ingredient green pasta salad): the higher the quality of the ingredients, the fewer ingredients you really need because the flavor of even just one ingredient is so over-the-moon-delicious. This pasta salad, which – side note – would be perfect warmed up for dinner OR eaten cold for lunch as I can assure you from experiencing both! features a few of those high quality ingredients alongside a few grocery store basics.
I have always had this thing about high quality olive oil – if I’m going to use the really good stuff, I want to TASTE it. So in this here salad, I took some Oliviers and Co. olive oil and drizzled it over the top, cold, pure, right on the greens, just before diving in so I could really fully taste and appreciate the joy. As in j to the o to the y.
It’s tempting for an ingredient and flavor obsessed girl like me to make this a one-million-foods-in-a-bowl-party, but there’s no need to get wild and crayzee with the food shenanigans. This is food minimalism at its best: just really high quality, delicious vegetables and herbs in a big bowl of summer freshness drizzled with beautiful olive oil that has flavor you can taste.
PS. Me = dipping my face in that bowl. You = wondering if I’m serious. I am.
You know those nibbly little pasta tubes? Yes – THOSE ones. Bring them on.
This pasta salad fiesta starts with the baby pasta tubulars getting tossed up with green beans which are obviously cut in a copycat shape of pasta tubes because matchy-matchy is funnnn. The green continues with some chopped up spinach, a handful of Parmesan, and then the best thing happens: Oliviers & Co. basilic – basil and olive oil spread comes a’calling.
This is where Oliviers and Co. gives us a hand: this company makes what is considered some of the world’s best olive oil, probably because they are involved in every step of the olive oil process, from overseeing family farms throughout Europe, to the mills, bottling facilities, and ultimately to its boutiques. We’re talking about grove-to-table products here. Two thumbs up!
And one of their most wonderful olive oil products (which I got to sample and then: true story: I had to email them and ask for another jar for this here recipe partnership because the first one was gone in about 2 hours) is the Oliviers & Co. basilic basil and olive oil spread that I’m using as a sort of dressing in this recipe. In addition to using it for this salad, I’ve also shmeared it all over my poached egg and avocado toasts on several occasions – which reminds me, would it be weird to have that for both breakfast and lunch today? – and put it on, wait for it, PIZZA. The fact that it’s not traditional pesto (no nuts, no garlic, nothing besides basil and the most pure, beautiful olive oil) makes it extremely versatile. And yummy. *licks fingers*
Alright, I think it’s time for me to leave you and the five ingredient green pasta salad alone for a little while. It’s fantastically, wonderfully simple. If you don’t make this or your own local summertime variation of it within 24 hours, you are a food criminal and your punishment involves lunch at my house where we sit outside and drink Pellegrino and eat this salad with an extra scoop of Parmesan. Mmk?
Five Ingredient Simple Green Pasta Salad
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This Five Ingredient Green Pasta Salad is fresh, healthy and delicious with just five simple ingredients. New favorite? Yes!
Ingredients
The Essentials:
- 2 cups cooked small tubular pasta
- 2 cups chopped green beans
- 2 cups shredded spinach
- 1 jar Oliviers and Co. basilic – basil and olive oil spread
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- salt to taste
- fresh lemon juice to taste
The Extras:
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup Oliviers and Co. olive & basil oil
- ¼ cup Oliviers and Co. organic balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Toss the cooked pasta with a little olive oil to prevent it from sticking (and to make it extra yummy). Heat a little bit of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the green beans and the garlic cloves (if using, which I recommend because it’s delicious) and saute quickly just until the garlic is fragrant and the green beans turn bright green and tender. Toss the green beans and garlic with the pasta. Place in the fridge to cool for 15-20 minutes otherwise you’ll wilt the spinach.
- When the pasta is cool, add the spinach, basil and olive oil spread, Parmesan, and salt. Toss, taste, and adjust as necessary. I like to serve each individual portion with a drizzle of the O&Co. olive oil and a splash of balsamic if you like a little tang in there.
Notes
I’ve also added bacon, tomatoes, chickpeas, fresh basil leaves, and other ingredients to jazz this up and use up whatever ingredients I have on hand – customize away! Also, for my vegheads out there, just replace or omit the Parmesan with a vegetarian-approved cheese.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Keywords: green pasta salad, pasta salad recipe, healthy pasta salad
{This Giveaway Is Now Closed.}
Annnnd that’s a wrap! Thanks for checking in on the green pasta salad today, you most awesome readers and food lovers. I hope your first week of August has been fab and I hope your weekend includes some really really good food. XO
Did anyone actually make this recipe and taste it? I’m confused by these being labeled “reviews.”
Hey! This recipe looks super yummy! I am just wondering in the ingredient list it says “1 Jar” but does not say of what? Is it a jar of pesto? Thanks!
So the beginning of the recipe says it yields 4, but the nutrition facts say a serving is 1… with that many veggies in it how on earth is it 1926 calories per serving?! That’s got to be for the whole thing, right?
5 ingredient recipe with 10 ingredients lol. Nice click bait.
Does anyone know if this salad holds well in the fridge overnight? Basically, could I make this Sunday and have leftovers for lunch on Monday or even Tuesday?
Thanks for any responses.
I think it could! The only part that could get a little soggy is the spinach. 🙁
Do you have to cook the green beans first? (sorry I normally don’t cook with green beans so I have no clue lol)
Yep! If you go to step 1, it’ll direct you to saute them for just a bit. 🙂 Hope that helps!
I just finished making this recipe. It’s wonderful! I also added chickpeas, basil, minced garlic, and lemon juice. Since it’s for a baby shower and not just me, I added some Italian dressing to make it taste more Minnesotan, AKA bland 😉 Also, super random, I went to school with your sister Kristin, tell he hi from Whitney Sharpe (now Burg) 🙂
Hi, Whitney! I now work for POY! 🙂 So glad to hear you like the salad!
loving this green pasta salad…
I cannot find the Oliviers Basilic Spread on their website. They have the basil olive oil, but not the spread. What should I do?
Thanks so much! I really want to try this recipe and I am a basil nut so the spread is right up my alley! Hope we can figure this one out!
Hm, looks like they changed the name to “pesto” even though it’s more of a basil/oil spread. Here’s the link: https://www.oliviersandco.com/ 🙂
Wow. Everything on their site looks pretty amazing, but I’m probably most drawn to the simple basil and Parmesan pesto!
The lemon oil & mango intrigues me!
Olive oil & basil!
Oh my, the Pesto Ai Peperoni – Bell Pepper & Ricotta Cheese looks so delicious! I’d love to try it! I subscribed via email too.
I would love to try the Tangerine and Chili Jam, I bet it would taste great on a piece of grilled chicken or fish.
I would like to try the Black Truffle Oil!!
I am lucky enough to have an O&Co Boutique close to my house, but I have only tried their basic EVOO and Balsamic Vinegar so far. I am dying to try their White Balsamic Condiment with Oregano!
I can’t wait to try this recipe! As soon as I get the olive and basil olive oil in ill give it a try!
I sort of want to drown a really good vanilla bean ice cream in their Olive and Mint Oil…is that weird?
Thanks for the chance at the giveaway!
Their tapenades look delicious-especially the green olive/pistachio and green olive/almond.
I would love to try the olive and mint oil!
Also, this simple salad looks delicious. I’ll make it this weekend for guests!
I really wanna try the O&Co Olive & Chili Oil
Ohhh, their tapenades look so good. I have to have self control with olives – otherwise I would eat the entire jar!
I’d love to try the olive&lemon oil!
I love to indulge in a good bottle of olive oil. What a difference it makes! I’d love to try the basil and lemon oils + the poppy vinegar 🙂
Gota love a healthy, fresh pasta salad. Pasta is pretty much my favorite food in the universe! Can’t wait to give this one a whirl.