Made with simple pantry staples, this Pasta a la Puttanesca recipe is a spicy tomato-based Italian dish that you can whip up in a jiffy. Filled with garlic, anchovies, olives, and capers, this pasta is beyond flavorful. So simple and delicious this is ready in 30 minutes.
I love easy and delicious budget-friendly recipes and this Pasta Puttanesca recipe fits the bill. It’s a classic Italian dish that the whole family loves as it’s filling, comforting, and full of flavor. Even better, it only takes 30 minutes to make so it’s perfect for a busy weeknight.
Want another pasta recipe that you can make in a flash? Then, you’ll want to try my Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta, Easy Lasagna Soup, and Chicken Scampi Recipe. You’ll love how weeknight-friendly these recipes are.
Why You’ll Love This Vegetarian Putttanesca Recipe
- Pantry staple ingredients. A lot of the ingredients are staples in my pantry such as canned tomatoes, anchovies, and pasta. This pasta puttanesca usually saves me a trip to the grocery store.
- It’s easy to double. I love making this recipe whenever friends or family are visiting because it’s easy to double.
- It’s simple. It doesn’t take a lot of time or effort to make this pasta recipe. It’s perfect for a busy weeknight when you need to get dinner on the table fast.
Puttanesca Pasta Ingredients
- Pasta: I use spaghetti noodles to make this puttanesca pasta dish.
- Olive oil: I recommend olive oil but you can use a different oil of your choice.
- Garlic: the more garlic, the tastier this pasta.
- Anchovy filets: get the ones that are packed in oil.
- Diced tomatoes: my go-to canned tomatoes are San Marzano tomatoes. They taste amazing.
- Seasoning: you’ll need red chili flakes, ground black pepper, and salt.
- Olives: I prefer using kalamata olives for this recipe.
- Capers: these give you a lemony tang and the brininess flavor of green olives.
- Parmesan cheese: I love the salty taste you get from parmesan cheese.
- Herbs: I use parsley and basil.
How To Make Puttanesca Pasta Recipe
- Cook the pasta: Cook the spaghetti in salted water according to the package instructions (minus 2 minutes). Once done, drain the water and reserve a ½ cup of pasta water for later use, and keep the spaghetti aside.
- Make the puttanesca sauce: Heat a large skillet and add olive oil on a medium flame. Add garlic and anchovy fillets. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the anchovies start to break down.
- Add the tomatoes: Stir in the diced tomatoes along with the seasonings; red chili flakes, pepper, and salt. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Add everything else: Add the olives and capers. Transfer the cooked spaghetti to the sauce and toss. If needed, add the reserved pasta water.
- Add the cheese and garnish: Finally, grate the fresh parmesan cheese on top and garnish with parsley and basil. Serve the puttanesca pasta while it is still warm.
Tips to Make the Best Spaghetti Puttanesca Recipe
- When cooking the pasta, use enough water so once the pasta begins to expand, there will still be plenty of room for the noodles to move freely.
- As soon as you drop the pasta in the water, stir it so the pasta doesn’t stick together.
- Anchovies add a lot of umami to the pasta. They add saltiness and savory depth of flavor to the pasta. If you do not want to use anchovies, you can use anchovy paste instead.
- Feel free to use black olives or green olives if you don’t have kalamata olives.
- While you can use any canned tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes are full of flavor and don’t contain many seeds, so they’re perfect for making tomato sauce.
- If you prefer spicier pasta, feel free to add more red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- You can use any variety of pasta, not just spaghetti.
Frequently Asked Questions
Puttanesca sauce is a unique, distinctive sauce made with canned tomatoes, capers, anchovies, and olives. Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca is spaghetti tossed in the puttanesca sauce.
This easy pasta stays fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days, so it’s great for making a bunch batch of and enjoying throughout the week. It can be reheated in the microwave
Yes, you can freeze pasta puttanesca! Store the pasta in a freezer-safe bag or container once it has cooled. Then transfer to the freezer. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stovetop or microwave.
Garlic bread, garlic knots, and crusty bread are always my go-to but any bread is great. You can also make this whole roasted chicken for some extra protein for dinner!
More Easy Pasta Dinner Recipes
- Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta
- Pesto Shrimp Scampi with Pasta
- Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Pasta Puttanesca recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it, and share it with your friends and family!
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Pasta a la Puttanesca
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti noodles
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4-6 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 4 anchovy filets in oil
- 1 28 oz can San Marzano diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- salt to taste
- ½ cup kalamata olives halved
- 3 tablespoons capers
- 2 tablespoons fresh parmesan cheese grated
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- fresh basil to garnish
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti in salted water according to the package instructions (minus 2 minutes). Once done, drain the water and reserve a ½ cup of pasta water for later use and keep the spaghetti aside.
- Heat a large skillet and add olive oil on a medium flame. Add garlic and anchovy fillets. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the anchovies start to break down.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes along with the seasonings; red chili flakes, pepper and salt. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Add the olives and capers. Transfer the cooked spaghetti to the sauce and toss. If needed, add the reserved pasta water.
- Finally grate the fresh parmesan cheese on top and garnish with parsley and basil. Serve the pasta while it is still warm.
Notes
- When cooking the pasta, use enough water so once the pasta begins to expand, there will still be plenty of room for the noodles to move freely.
- As soon as you drop the pasta in the water, stir it so the pasta doesn’t stick together.
- Anchovies add a lot of umami to the pasta. They add saltiness and savory depth of flavor to the pasta. If you do not want to use anchovies, you can use anchovy paste instead.
- Puttanesca is not traditionally served with parmesan as there’s already a ton of saltiness from the anchovies but who doesn’t love a sprinkle of parmesan on top! If you want a less salty dish, feel free to skip it.
- Feel free to use black olives or green olives if you don’t have kalamata olives.
- While you can use any canned tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes are full of flavor and don’t contain many seeds, so they’re perfect for making tomato sauce.
- If you prefer spicier pasta, feel free to add more red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- You can use any variety of pasta, not just spaghetti.
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