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5 from 2 votes

Dirty Martini Pasta

This Dirty Martini Pasta is a easy weeknight dinner made with a bold, briny, deeply savory sauce you'll want to make on repeat!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: budget friendly, pasta, valentine's day
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Ali

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces uncooked pasta (spaghetti linguine, or bucatini)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 6 anchovy fillets finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic very thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup vodka
  • 1/4 cup olive brine
  • 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives torn into pieces
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • freshly cracked black pepper and fine sea salt
  • very finely chopped fresh parsley for topping

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
  • Build the flavor base. In a large skillet, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add anchovies and cook, stirring, until they melt into the butter (about 1–2 minutes). Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant and lightly golden.
  • Add the vodka. Pour in the vodka and let it simmer for 2–3 minutes, until slightly reduced and the alcohol has mellowed. Stir in olive brineand the torn olives. Let everything simmer together for 1–2 minutes so the flavors meld.
  • Toss the pasta. Add the drained pasta along with a splash of reserved pasta water. Toss until glossy and emulsified, adding more water as needed.
  • Finish. Stir in Parmesan, lemon juice, and toss until creamy and cohesive. Season with black pepper (and only add salt if needed, since the olive brine and anchovies are salty).
  • Serve. Finish with fresh parsley, extra Parmesan and a few twists of freshly-ground black pepper. Serve immediately and enjoy!