Pasta Puttanesca

Pasta puttanesca is a garlicky tomato-based dish that’s dotted with anchovies, olives, and capers. From start to finish, it takes about 30 minutes to make. 

So you want to make…puttanesca. Excellent! It’s one of those meals that’s surprisingly easy to make at home. If you’ve had this before, you know it’s packed with big, bold flavors from the garlic, anchovies, olives, and capers. But if you’re out of one of the ingredients, don’t worry. It’s also really flexible. The other day I didn’t have capers in the house. I still made this recipe and it was wonderful.

What you need to make perfect puttanesca. 

• Chopped, fresh garlic gives the sauce the best flavor. As Kenji Lopez-Alt wrote for SeriousEats.com “Normally, I’m all for using the garlic press, the Microplane, or the grater to mince garlic rapidly for dishes in which it will be only briefly cooked with other ingredients. But for a dish like this, for which you want to really deeply flavor the oil from the get-go, garlic that is pressed or grated ends up burning well before it can infuse the oil.” 
• It’s worth it to use whole canned tomatoes. I know it seems ridiculous/annoying to buy whole tomatoes only to chop them right before using. The hand-chopped tomatoes, along with the sauce they’re packed in, gives the sauce a perfect texture that clings to the pasta.  
• Anchovies, Olives, and Capers are a pungent trifecta. As you can guess from that list, this is a pungent sauce with lots of briny, umami notes. My advice if these flavors are new to  you: use what you like, leave what you don’t. 
• Red pepper flakes add a nice spicy note. This puttanesca has a little spicy kick thanks to the red pepper flakes you add to the oil right at the start. 
• Any pasta shape works but linguine is my favorite. There’s something about a thick noodle with this sauce that really sings.

Ingredient Note: What are the best olives to use in puttanesca?

I usually use kalamata olives because I keep a giant jar in the refrigerator at all times. But there are other options! 

• Oil-cured black olives
• Castelvetrano olives
• Gaeta olives

From Pan to Plate: How to Make Puttanesca

This pasta puttanesca comes together in about 30 minutes! To make it, bring a pot of water to a boil. While you wait, cook the sauce. Then toss everything together and enjoy. And if the sauce is ready before the pasta is cooked? No problem! Just reduce the heat to a simmer and keep it warm until you’re ready.

• Boil the Water: This recipe calls for a pound of linguine, so use a large pot.
• Cook the Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the garlic just until it turns golden brown, then add the red pepper flakes. Cook for about a minute. Keep your eye on this. You don’t want to burn the garlic.
• Add the Tomatoes and Simmer: Add the can of tomatoes. If you haven’t already, break up the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Add the Anchovies, Olives, and Capers to the Sauce: Stir everything together, then reduce the heat to low to keep the sauce warm until the pasta is ready.
• Cook the Pasta: By now, the water should be boiling. Salt it generously and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. When the pasta is ready, reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
• Toss Everything Together: Combine the pasta and sauce. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir. Taste the pasta and add salt and pepper if needed.
• Serve: This is so good you can serve it right from the pan or transfer it to a large bowl and garnish with extra Parmesan cheese and chopped basil.

Cook Fast, Eat Well Tip: Want a more flavorful puttanesca? Add the anchovies last!

My secret to a really tasty puttanesca? I add the anchovies to the sauce at the end of cooking!

When added at the start with garlic, the anchovies break down and blend into the sauce, creating a subtle, umami-rich taste. However, if you add them at the end, they retain more of their distinct flavor, resulting in a more pungent and flavorful sauce.

If my sauce is ready before the pasta, I wait until right before I drain the pasta to add the anchovies.

Storing Leftovers

Got leftovers? Lucky you! This makes a great lunch or side dish for the next night, and it actually gets better the following day.

• Store in the Refrigerator: Place leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to three days.
• To Reheat: Heat the pasta in the microwave or in a pot on the stove over low heat.

Print

Pasta Puttanesca

This garlicky tomato-based sauce is dotted with anchovies, olives, and capers. It’s one of those “restaurant-quality” meals that’s surprisingly easy to make at home.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 8 people

Ingredients

• 1 pound linguine
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped (see note 1)
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, use more or less to taste
• 1 (28-ounce can) whole plum tomatoes, sauce and tomatoes (see note 2)
• ½ cup halved Kalamata or oil-cured black olives
• 6 anchovy fillets (see note 3)
• 2 tablespoons non-pareil capers
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to taste
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. While you wait for the water to boil, start the sauce.
3. Heat olive oil with garlic and red pepper flakes in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until the garlic is a very light golden brown.
4. Add the entire can of tomatoes. If you haven’t already, crush the tomatoes with a wooden spoon or fork.
5. Increase heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. The sauce should thicken a little.

6. Cook the pasta according to package directions until tender. Reserve about a ½ cup of pasta cooking water.

7. Right before you drain the pasta, stir in the olives, anchovies, and capers. Reduce heat to low.
8. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Toss it with the sauce and Parmesan cheese. If the sauce seems thick, add a splash of pasta cooking water.
9. Season with salt, pepper, and more red pepper flakes to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with additional Parmesan cheese (optional) and fresh herbs if using.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Fresh, chopped garlic adds the most pungent garlic flavor. If you use a garlic press or microplane, the garlic can burn as you cook it. So keep your eye on it as it cooks.

If you’re using jarred garlic, you might need to add more to taste.

Note 2: You can either chop the tomatoes before making the sauce or do it directly in the pan. If you choose to chop them beforehand, transfer the tomatoes to a large bowl and use a fork to break them into bite-sized pieces.

Note 3: Use more or fewer anchovies to taste. For a more delicate anchovy flavor, add them at the beginning, along with the garlic.