Castelvetrano Olive Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes Recipe
This Castelvetrano Olive Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes is a vibrant and flavorful Mediterranean-inspired dish, combining the buttery, mild Castelvetrano olives with rich sun-dried tomatoes, crunchy walnuts, and a blend of aromatic spices. Enhanced with fresh parsley, pomegranate molasses, and a zesty lemon-garlic dressing, this no-cook salad is perfect as an appetizer, side dish, or a healthy snack packed with bold flavors and textures.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes (including resting time)
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Olives and Vegetables
- 12 oz pitted Castelvetrano olives, drained
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
Seasonings and Dressing
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp sumac
- 1 tbsp Aleppo pepper
- 1 tbsp dried mint
- ½ tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1 lemon, juice of
Instructions
- Prepare Olives: Drain the pitted Castelvetrano olives well and place them into a large mixing bowl. You may leave them whole to preserve their buttery texture or chop them slightly if you prefer smaller pieces for easier eating.
- Add Additional Ingredients: To the bowl with olives, add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped walnuts, and chopped fresh parsley for freshness and crunch.
- Add Seasonings and Dressing Components: Incorporate tomato paste, sumac, Aleppo pepper, dried mint, dried oregano, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, grated garlic, and freshly squeezed lemon juice into the bowl with the other ingredients.
- Mix Thoroughly: Wearing gloves, use your hands to mix all the ingredients together until the olives are well coated and the mixture is evenly combined, ensuring the flavors meld beautifully.
- Rest to Marinate: Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to come together and the olives to absorb the seasoning effectively.
Notes
- If you are using oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, reduce the amount of olive oil to prevent the salad from becoming too oily.
- There is no need to soak dry sun-dried tomatoes before use.
- If you don’t have Castelvetrano olives, mild green olives such as Cerignola or Picholine make excellent substitutes.
- If using saltier olives like Manzanilla, taste the salad before adding all of the lemon juice to avoid over-acidity.
- No additional salt is needed since the olives already add sufficient saltiness to the dish.
- Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Before serving, bring it to room temperature and drizzle with a little extra olive oil for best flavor.
