Pasta Puttanesca
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This easy pasta puttanesca uses pantry staples, requires minimal prep, and is ready in 15 minutes. It’s a simple yet luscious pasta dish full of big flavors, perfect for jazzing up your midweek dinner.
Published on May 2019 /Updated on September 2024
If you love pasta and bold flavors, this classic Italian pasta recipe is just for you! It’s extremely easy to make, quick, and budget-friendly, making it a great family meal for when your fridge is empty or if cooking feels like a chore.
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You’ll also love how this simple Neapolitan pasta dish typically uses everyday ingredients you probably have on hand.
And it tastes INCREDIBLE!
Some variations of puttanesca include anchovy fillets, too. Although anchovies add extra flavor, they’re quite an acquired taste and not a pantry staple for many. So today, I’ve updated my puttanesca pasta recipe, leaving them out and adding more capers, olives, and fresh parsley to boost the flavor.
And I promise it still tastes scrumptious, making a flavorsome, classic comfort food that is vegetarian, vegan, and requires a shorter list of ingredients and no anchovies!
So when you’re ready for a bowl of fiery pasta, bring a pot of water to a boil and grab your canned tomatoes. This pasta puttanesca, full of flavor, will be on the table in no time, and I’m sure it will cheer you up!
list of the ingredients
- Canned tomatoes
- Olives
- Capers
- Garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil or olive oil
- Chili flakes
- Parsley
- Salt
HOW TO MAKE puttanesca pasta
(Note: this is a quick description; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)
- Cook pasta about 1 minute less than the suggested cooking time.
- In a large skillet, fry the garlic, capers, olives, and chili flakes in olive oil.
- Stir in the canned tomatoes, and cook for 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in the parsley and the salt, and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Drain the pasta, add it to the skillet with a few tablespoons of cooking water, and cook for an extra minute. Ready!
RECIPE NOTES
WHAT IS PUTTANESCA pasta MADE OF?
Spaghetti: Traditionally, the recipe uses spaghetti, linguine, or bucatini, but penne or fusilli also works. My favorite brands are Garofalo and Rummo.
Tomatoes: Good-quality canned whole tomatoes, diced or San Marzano tomatoes will do. My favorite brand for canned tomatoes is Mutti. Fresh tomatoes will be great, too.
Extra virgin olive oil: It’s a must in every Italian pasta sauce.
Capers: These little flower buds add a distinctive sour and salty taste. They’re usually preserved in sea salt, vinegar, oil, or brine. I use baby capers preserved brine, but if you use the ones preserved in sea salt, be sure to rinse them thoroughly to remove excess salt.
Olives: I highly recommend using good-quality olives in brine or olive oil. Kalamata olives from the deli or jarred work perfectly fine and make a big difference in flavor compared to the basic ones, which are usually flavorless.
Chili flakes (aka red pepper flakes): To add warm notes without making the sauce too spicy. Make sure to adjust the level of spiciness to your liking.
Garlic: It’s another key ingredient for the best flavor.
Parsley: I love it, but It’s not essential, so feel free to skip it if you don’t have it on hand.
Salt: For this puttanesca pasta sauce, I prefer adding salt at the end of the cooking time as you don’t know how salty olives and capers are. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
WHY IS IT CALLED “PUTTANESCA”?
This classic Italian pasta dish was created in Naples in the 20th century, and there are many stories about the origin of its name. The word “Puttanesca” literally translates to “in the style of prostitutes” or “whore’s pasta,” as the dish was allegedly popular among prostitutes because it was cheap and quick to make in between appointments.
Yes, that’s quite a naughty name for a pasta dish, but we all agree that spaghetti alla puttanesca tastes good! 😉
STORAGE TIPS
You can store pasta puttanesca leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days.
To reheat, do so in a microwave-safe dish with olive oil. My favorite method is reheating the leftovers in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil to make spaghetti leftovers slightly crispy.
MORE quick Italian pasta RECIPES?
- Penne arrabbiata
- Sun-dried tomato pesto pasta
- Spaghetti with marinara sauce
- Bucatini Cacio e Pepe
- Pasta Napoletana
- Spaghetti with garlic and olive oil.
You might want to check out my quick pasta ideas and vegan pasta recipes, too!
If you make this pasta puttanesca recipe, leave a comment, rate it, or tag a photo #theclevermeal on Instagram.
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Pasta Puttanesca
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil or extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoon Capers in brine, drained
- ½ cup (80 grams) black olives like Kalamata, halved and pitted
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon chili flakes, to taste
- 1 can (14oz/400 grams) diced or whole peeled tomatoes
- 2-3 tablespoon Fresh Italian parsley, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
PASTA
- 8oz (220 grams) spaghetti or bucatini
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, and cook your pasta until al dente, but drain about 1 minute before the suggested cooking time.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, capers, olives, and chili flakes (use from ¼ to ½ teaspoon chili flakes, according to your liking). Cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
- Stir in the tomatoes and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes. Finally, stir in the chopped parsley and salt. I use ¼ tsp of salt, but I recommend seasoning to taste as the olives and capers can be salty. Your puttanesca sauce is ready, but turn the heat off if your pasta is not done yet.
- Drain the pasta tip into the skillet, adding a few tablespoons of the cooking water. Toss well to combine, and cook over high-medium heat for a further minute before serving.
- Garnish with more parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if desired. Parmesan cheese is not a typical ingredient for this pasta; feel free to skip it. Enjoy. x
This is so simple but fresh and delicious!! We have at least once a week!! Authentic ❤️
I’m so pleased you like it, thanks a lot for sharing your lovely feedback! x
Deliciozo BTW my family is from Calabria, Spezano Albanase thanks again beautiful site 🙂
Grazie! 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed it and thanks for your feedback, Joni!