Description

Classic Pasta Puttanesca is a flavorful Italian dish combining savory anchovies, bold tomatoes, tangy capers, and briny olives with perfectly cooked pasta. Ready in around 40 minutes, this pantry-friendly recipe delivers a rich, satisfying sauce simmered to perfection and tossed with al dente spaghetti or linguine, finished with fresh parsley for a vibrant touch.

Ingredients

Scale

Sauce

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3-4 canned anchovies, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons small (non-pariel) capers
3/4 cup (95 g) pitted olives (black or green), roughly chopped

Pasta

1 pound spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine
Salt (for pasta water, about 1 tablespoon per 2 quarts of water)
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

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Instructions

Boil Pasta Water: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil using about 1 tablespoon of salt per 2 quarts of water to properly season the pasta.
Sauté Aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat in a large, deep sauté pan. Add the finely chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in chopped anchovies with some of their oil to enhance the flavor, then add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Build Sauce: Stir in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to develop depth of flavor. Add the crushed tomatoes, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, chopped olives, and capers. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and let the sauce gently simmer for 10 to 15 minutes to combine the flavors thoroughly.
Cook Pasta: When the salted water boils, add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente—tender but still slightly firm to the bite. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water.
Finish Sauce: Stir the chopped fresh parsley into the simmering sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water to loosen it to desired consistency.
Toss and Serve: Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large bowl. Optionally drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking. Add a ladle of sauce to the pasta and toss together to coat well. Serve in shallow bowls topped with additional sauce and a sprinkle of parsley if desired.

Notes

This dish cooks up in about 40 minutes, making it perfect for a quick but impressive meal.
Uses pantry staples including canned tomatoes, anchovies, capers, and olives, which gives it convenience and robust flavor.
Be sure to reserve some pasta water to adjust sauce consistency for a silky texture.
The anchovies dissolve into the sauce adding umami without a strong fishy taste.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/6 of recipe)
Calories: 429 kcal
Sugar: 9 g
Sodium: 662 mg
Fat: 11 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 72 g
Fiber: 7 g
Protein: 14 g
Cholesterol: 3 mg