Go Back
+ servings
freshly made pasta puttanesca in a blue skillet.
Print Recipe Add to Collection
4.89 from 9 votes

Pasta Puttanesca

Full of lots of bold salty savory flavors, this authentic Pasta Puttanesca recipe is a delicious famous Italian classic that is super quick and easy to make! It’s perfectly cooked pasta tossed together with an incredible chunky tomato sauce that is seasoned with garlic, capers, kalamata olives, and anchovies! 
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: pasta puttanesca
Servings: 4
Calories: 509kcal

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces spaghetti uncooked
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ cup Kalamata olives roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup capers drained
  • 4 anchovy fillets chopped
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 28 ounce diced tomatoes 1 large can
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • fresh basil for garnish

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water then drain the pasta.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, olives, capers. anchovies and red pepper flakes to the skillet and stir. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant.
    process shots showing how to make pasta puttanesca.
  • Add the diced tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper, sugar and about ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
    process shots showing how to make pasta puttanesca.
  • Add the cooked pasta into the sauce and toss everything together. If the sauce is too thick add a bit more of the pasta water to thin it out.
    process shots showing how to make pasta puttanesca.
  • Serve immediately garnished with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese if preferred.

Video

Notes

  1. Use quality ingredients. The key to making delicious Italian dishes is using better-quality ingredients. The simple recipes are known to be uncomplicated so that the ingredients stand out.
  2. Salt your pasta water. You want your pasta water to taste salty like the sea. This helps to season the bland noodles by infusing them with flavor as they cook. 
  3. Make it vegetarian. If you omit the anchovies this dish is completely vegetarian. And if you omit the parmesan too the dish is now totally vegan. 
  4. Leftover pasta puttanesca will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. To reheat, sprinkle it with a tablespoon of water to add some moisture, and then pop it in the microwave on medium power for a few minutes. You can also reheat it in a pan on the stovetop if you prefer. It’s also super yummy cold too.
  5. However, it does not store well in the freezer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 509kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 868mg | Potassium: 608mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 464IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 4mg