Pasta Puttanesca

Pasta Puttanesca is the perfect pantry meal. Full of punchy flavors like olives, capers and garlic, it’s a guaranteed showstopper.

Ingredients

Full recipe + amounts can be found in the recipe card below. 

• Olive oil. 
• Fresh garlic. 
• Anchovy fillets. Don’t let the anchovies put you off. This pasta is not even a little bit fishy and the anchovies melt into the sauce to add serious depth of flavor and umami-richness.
• Chopped tomatoes. 
• Kalamata Olives. 
• Capers. 
• Chilli flakes / Red pepper flakes.
• Pasta. (I used spaghetti but any pasta shape will work.)
• Parmesan. 
• Fresh basil. 
• Salt and pepper. 

How to make Pasta Puttanesca

1. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente. Drain and reserve 1 cup of cooking water.
2. Make the sauce: While the pasta cooks, make the sauce. Heat a splash of olive oil in a large pan set over medium-high heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook for a minute until fragrant. Add the anchovies and with the back of a wooden spoon, smash into the oil. Pour in  the tomatoes and chilli flakes and bring to a simmer. Add the pitted olives and capers then simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce has reduced slightly. Taste and season with salt and pepper as necessary.
3. Combine and serve: Add the pasta to the pan along with a little of the cooking water. Toss to coat the pasta in the sauce. Serve with grated Parmesan and fresh basil.

Can you freeze Puttanesca sauce?

Yes, Puttanesca sauce is freezable. Transfer the cooked and cooled sauce to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before reheating in a saucepan. Leftover puttanesca can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container.

What to serve with puttanesca

1. Cheesy pull apart garlic bread
2. Easy side salad with lemon dressing

Easy pasta recipes

1. Cacio e Pepe
2. Spaghetti Carbonara
3. Spaghetti Aglio e Olio