Some recipes whisper. This one leans over and says, “Are you sure about this?” And then wins you over completely.
Dirty Martini Pasta is exactly what it sounds like. Briny olives, lemon zest, pasta, and yes, gin. It’s a martini… but make it dinner. Elegant and wildly addictive, this is the kind of pasta that makes people raise an eyebrow at first and then immediately ask for the recipe.
If you love a dirty martini, this pasta is basically speaking your love language.
What Is Dirty Martini Pasta?
Dirty Martini Pasta is a modern internet-famous dish inspired by the flavors of a classic dirty martini. Gin, olives, and olive brine form the backbone, while pasta water and butter turn everything into a silky, glossy sauce that clings to every strand of pasta.
The idea started popping up a few years ago on social media and food blogs, mostly from cooks who clearly love a good martini and weren’t afraid to blur the line between dinner and drinks. Somewhere between a late night craving and a well-stocked bar cart, Dirty Martini Pasta was born.
It quickly took off online, especially among olive lovers and martini devotees, because it sounds outrageous and then immediately proves itself once you taste it. It’s salty, briny, citrusy, and just indulgent enough to feel clever instead of gimmicky.
Ingredients Needed
I’ve included exact measurements in the recipe card below. Here’s why each ingredient matters:
- Pasta – Long pasta works best here. Linguine, spaghetti, fettuccine, or pappardelle all grab onto that glossy sauce beautifully.
- Olive oil – This starts the sauce and keeps everything silky without overpowering the other flavors.
- Garlic – Thinly sliced, not minced.
- Red chili flakes – Just enough heat to keep things interesting.
- Castelvetrano olives – Buttery, mild, and less aggressive than other green olives.
- Lemon zest – This is key. It lifts the briny flavors.
- Gin – Yes, gin. It cooks down quickly, leaving behind notes that make total sense here. No, it does not taste boozy.
- Olive brine – This is the “dirty” in dirty martini. Salty, savory, and completely essential.
- Butter – Just a little to emulsify the sauce and make everything glossy and luxurious.
- Salt and pepper -Go easy on the salt at first. The olives and brine do a lot of heavy lifting.
- Pasta water – Liquid gold. This pulls everything together into a proper sauce instead of oily noodles.
- Blue cheese crumbles – Optional, but highly encouraged if you love that extra salty flavor. Think martini olives stuffed with blue cheese, but pasta.
- Parsley – Freshness. Color. Balance. Don’t skip it.
How to Make Dirty Martini Pasta
1. Boil pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it generously. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Before draining, reserve about ¼ cup of pasta water and set both aside.
2. Sauté aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic, lemon zest, and red chili flakes. Stir gently until fragrant.
3. Make it martini: Add the chopped olives and cook for 1 to 2 minutes so they warm through and release their flavor. Pour in the gin and let it simmer for a minute or two until reduced.
4. Build the sauce: Stir in the olive brine and butter. Keep stirring until the butter fully melts and emulsifies into the sauce. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper if needed.
5. Toss in pasta: Add the cooked pasta directly to the skillet along with the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together until the pasta is fully coated and the sauce looks glossy and cohesive.
6. Garnish: Finish with extra olives, chopped parsley, and blue cheese crumbles. Serve immediately.
Alpana’s Tips
- Go easy on the salt at first. Olives and brine are salty by nature. Taste before adjusting.
- Use the right olives. Regular green olives are a bit too tart to allow the other flavors to come through, that’s why I use Castelvetrano.
- Don’t skip the lemon zest. It adds great brightness to the pasta.
- Yes, the gin matters. Use one you’d actually drink. You don’t need top-shelf, but this is not the time for mystery gin.
Serving Suggestions
This pasta doesn’t need much. A simple green salad, maybe some crusty bread, and that’s it. It’s rich in personality, so let it be the star.
Also, this pairs extremely well with an actual dirty martini. Not required, but highly on theme.
Storing and Reheating
This pasta is best eaten fresh. The sauce is at its glossiest right after cooking. If you do have leftovers, store them in the fridge for up to three days and reheat gently with a splash of water or olive oil to loosen things up.
Dirty Martini Pasta is bold, briny, and fully aware of how ridiculous it sounds. And yet, one bite in, it makes complete sense. If you love olives, martinis, or pasta that doesn’t play it safe, this one’s for you.
Make it once, and don’t be surprised if people ask, “Wait… what was in that?” and then immediately go back for seconds.
More 30 Minute or Less Pastas:
Gigi Hadid Pasta
Creamy Langostino Pasta
Pasta Puttanesca
Pasta e Piselli
Kielbasa Pasta
Creamy Sausage Pasta
Rasta Pasta
Recipe Video
Dirty Martini Pasta
Dirty Martini Pasta is a fun twist on the famous cocktail. Briny olives, tangy lemon and a splash of gin all combine to create a meal with unforgettable flavor. It's James Bond approved!
Ingredients
- 8oz pasta (long shapes like linguine or spaghetti)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 large garlic cloves, sliced
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 15 Pitted Castelvetrano olives, smashed and roughly chopped, + more for garnish
- 1 lemon zest (zested into thin strips)
- 50ml gin
- 2 tablespoons olive brine
- 2 tablespoon butter
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup pasta water
- 2 tablespoons blue cheese crumbles
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to rolling boil and salt the water. Cook pasta to al dente, according to package instructions, and set aside. Save about ¼ cup of pasta water.
- Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic slices, lemon zest and red chili flakes and stir until fragrant.
- Add the roughly chopped olives, stir and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add the gin and simmer down for a minute or two.
- Mix in olive brine and butter and mix well. Stir continuously to emulsify butter until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust the sauce for seasonings. Add in salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir cooked pasta into the skillet and mix well. Add in reserved pasta water and mix everything well.
- Garnish with more olives, chopped parsley and blue cheese crumbles. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Feel free to substitute the gin with vodka, if that's what you have on hand.
- Go easy on the salt at first. Olives and brine are salty by nature. Taste before adjusting.
- This pasta is best eaten fresh. The sauce is at its glossiest right after cooking. If you do have leftovers, store them in the fridge for up to three days and reheat gently with a splash of water or olive oil to loosen things up.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 306Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 7gUnsaturated Fat 13gCholesterol 21mgSodium 415mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 3gSugar 1gProtein 6g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former worldwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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