Description
Pasta Puttanesca is a bold and flavorful Italian dish featuring a rich tomato sauce infused with anchovies, olives, capers, and garlic. Quick to prepare, this savory pasta is perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner with a burst of Mediterranean flavors.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Oil and Aromatics
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Protein and Flavor Boosters
- 3 to 4 canned anchovies, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Tomato and Herb Base
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
Olives and Capers
- 2 tablespoons small (non-pariel) capers
- 3/4 cup (approximately 95g) pitted olives (black or green), roughly chopped
Pasta and Garnish
- 1 pound spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine
- Salt, for water
- Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat the pasta water: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil — roughly 1 tablespoon of salt per 2 quarts of water. While heating, begin preparing the sauce.
- Cook the onions, anchovies, garlic: In a large, deep sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the chopped anchovies and some oil from the can, cooking for another minute. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute, fragrant and fragrant.
- Make the sauce: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add crushed tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, olives, and capers. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
- Cook the pasta: When water boils, add pasta and cook until al dente, following package instructions. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Finish the sauce: Stir chopped parsley into the sauce. If needed, add reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- Combine and serve: Drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with a drizzle of olive oil if desired. Add ladles of sauce and toss to combine. Serve immediately in shallow bowls, topped with additional sauce and garnished with parsley.
Notes
- For a spicier kick, increase the red pepper flakes to 1 teaspoon.
- Fresh olives can be used instead of jarred, pitted and roughly chopped.
- This dish pairs well with crusty bread and a simple green salad.
- To make it vegan, omit anchovies and check that all ingredients are plant-based.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe (~1 cup pasta with sauce)
- Calories: 427 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 659 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 72 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 3 mg
