If there’s one pasta dish to love, it’s pasta puttanesca. This Italian favorite originated from Naples and has a deliciously garlic-y tomato sauce with the bold flavors of anchovies, capers, and olives.
The best part about pasta puttanesca is that it’s incredibly easy to whip up. Many of the ingredients that go into this pasta are jarred ingredients like olives and capers, for example. These are items you can keep in your fridge or pantry and have in stock for quick and easy dinners like this.
If you don’t have anchovy fillets, you can also use anchovy paste to make this recipe. We recommend using a couple teaspoons of paste (or to taste) instead.
This pasta puttanesca recipe comes together in less than 20 minutes. The pasta pairs well with garlic crostinis or bruschetta as an appetizer.
Summary |
Cook time: 10 minutes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Idle time:
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch crescents
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 4-5 anchovy fillets
- 1 can diced tomatoes with basil and garlic
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 tbsp capers
- 6-7 olives pitted and sliced thin
- sea salt
- Black pepper
- 1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a tablespoon of salt to it. Add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the box (usually about 10 minutes).
- Warm olive oil in a separate pan over medium heat, then sauté the onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the anchovy fillets and break them apart into small pieces as they cook.
- Add the tomatoes, water, capers, olives, and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
- Cook the mixture over medium-low heat until the tomatoes have softened up, about 3 minutes.
- Drain the cooked pasta then toss the pasta with the sauce ingredients. Top with grated parmigiano reggiano.