Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is a traditional Italian pasta from Naples that’s quick to put together from pantry staples. If you have canned tomatoes, garlic, olives, anchovies and capers in your cupboard, you can knock out this simple but flavourful sauce in a flash. It’s a stellar emergency meal everyone should know, with a “saucy” backstory of its own!
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
There are various colourful stories explaining how this dish came to be, and how Puttanesca pasta got its name. “Puttanesca” roughly translates to “working girls” in Italian (that’s a politically correct term I’m using there!) One tale tells how this dish was invented in the brothels of Naples so the smells wafting from the kitchen would entice potential … errr, clients. Another story claims this pasta was a quick and simple dish ladies of the Neapolitan night could throw together in a hurry in amongst their busy schedules.
Does this kind of talk on a G-rated food blog make you blush? 😉
Whatever the origins, today this is considered a classic and staple Italian pasta recipe. It’s budget-friendly, easy and quick to make, yet delicious enough to woo family and friends (or indeed, “paying customers” … 😉)
Ingredients in Puttanesca sauce
Being such simple recipe, this is one of those dishes that genuinely benefits from better quality ingredients. In this pasta, the one ingredient I find is really worth seeking out is fresh deli-style olives in olive oil or brine, rather than cheaper jarred ones you find on supermarket shelves.
Oh, also, anchovies – the secret “why is this simple sauce so good?” ingredient. If you skip it, the sauce isn’t quite as good! However you can leave it out if you wish to make the dish vegetarian / vegan (add a little more garlic, capers and olives instead).
Black olives – Try to use good quality, fresh olives from the deli. These come in either olive oil or brine and will add more flavour into the sauce as it simmers compared to bottled ones that come in sealed jars. Both pitted and unpitted are fine but pitting your own is best.
Anchovies – This adds savoury flavour and salt to the sauce without leaving it “fishy-tasting”. In fact, you’d have to have a highly attuned palate to be able to taste it at all. The anchovies are finely chopped and dissolve into the sauce, and any strong fishiness disappears leaving just deliciously deep umami.
I prefer to use whole anchovies and finely mince it myself because it has better flavour than using anchovy paste. But paste is a handy alternative – my rule of thumb is 1/4 teaspoon of paste per anchovy (so use 3/4 teaspoon in this recipe).
Spaghetti – Traditionally made with spaghetti or vermicelli pasta (ie. the thinner spaghetti), though this recipe works just fine with any long pasta. Or short, for that matter!
Tomatoes – Not all canned tomatoes are created equal! Better ones are sweeter and break down better to create a sauce.
TIP: If you find your tomatoes are a bit on the sour side, just add a touch of sugar to the sauce. It’s a cheat’s way of taking the sour edge off that is a game changer with for example, Spaghetti Bolognese.
Capers – Adds little pops of briny goodness and that unique caper flavour to the sauce. I usually use standard size capers. On occasion, I find they can be giant in size so I’ll reach for the baby capers instead. Both work!
Garlic – Because this is Italian food!
Chilli flakes (aka red pepper flakes) – A pinch of heat is wonderful in this sauce. It’s not a spicy sauce, here it’s just a background hum of warmth.
Extra virgin olive oil – For cooking and finishing.
Fresh basil and oregano – These finishing herb touches will really lift the dish and return some freshness to the sauce. But if you don’t have them, it is absolutely still worth making using a pinch of dried oregano. Don’t bother with dried basil, it’s basically flavourless.
If you don’t have basil, serve with a sprinkle of parmesan instead. The extra flavour will compensate for absence of fresh herb flavour.
How to make Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
Start the sauce first and get it simmering, then cook the pasta. They’ll both finish at the same time, ready to toss together!
This recipe serves 2. Use a medium size skillet here rather than a very large one, else the sauce will dry out too quickly when simmering. If you’re scaling the recipe up however a large skillet will be necessary to toss the pasta in the sauce (or use a pot for the sauce and tossing).
Sauté aromatics – Start off by sautéing the garlic in olive oil until it starts to go golden on the edges. Then add the finely chopped anchovies, capers, olives and red pepper flakes and cook for a further 1 minute.
This sautéing step is key to the flavour of the sauce. It blooms the flavour of the red pepper flakes and even more importantly, takes the raw fishy edge off the anchovies while causing them to break down, ready to dissolve into the sauce.
Add everything else into sauce – Add the can of tomatoes, then add water by rinsing out the can. In goes salt, pepper and fresh or dried oregano, then give it a good stir.
Simmer 10 minutes – Once the sauce comes to a simmer, turn the heat way down to low and let it simmer gently, stirring every now and then, for 10 minutes while the pasta cooks. The tomato will break down, the water will cook out, leaving behind a nice, shiny and thickened sauce.
If at any stage it looks like the sauce is drying out (probably due to heat being too strong or using a skillet that’s too large), just add a splash of water.
Cook pasta – Cook the pasta in salted water. Just before draining, scoop out a mugful of pasta cooking water. This is a key, essential step for cooking any pasta (well and properly!). We add a splash into the pasta sauce when tossing with the pasta. Starch that’s left in the cooking water helps emulsify the fats and water in the sauce. This has a thickening effect and also discourages the sauce from separating. The sauce clings deliciously to the pasta strands instead of leaving a watery pool of bland liquid at the bottom of your pasta bowl.
You’ll see this step in every pasta recipe on my website. And every household in Italy makes pasta this way!
Combine pasta, sauce and pasta cooking water – After draining the pasta, immediately throw into the sauce along with about 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water. I rarely measure, I just eyeball it.
Toss, toss, toss! With the skillet still on a low stove, use 2 wooden spoons to toss the pasta vigorously for a minute. After 20 or 30 seconds of tossing, you’ll notice that the sauce in the skillet starts clinging to the pasta (thanks to the pasta cooking water!).
The pasta is ready when the sauce is all stuck to the pasta rather than sitting in the skillet.
Pasta/sauce gets dry – If at any stage the pasta (or sauce) gets too thick or dries out, rather than being slippery and shiny, just add an extra splash of pasta cooking water then toss more. This will resurrect the pasta and makes it “juicy” again. This is why we scoop out a big mugful of pasta cooking water! I do this multiple times when taking photos and shooting videos of pasta because it loses freshness within minutes and I can’t shoot that fast!
Sprinkle with basil and serve immediately!
Pro tip: warm your pasta bowls
Pasta is a dish that is at its absolute best served hot and fresh. It is never the same reheated. It is also one of the rare dishes where I make the effort to warm serving bowls, to preserve the heat of the pasta when eating. I just pop them in a 70C / 160F oven to warm before I start cooking, or in the microwave for a minute before serving. It’s worth the small effort, especially in winter!
What to serve with Puttanesca pasta
Parmesan?
Puttanesca is traditionally not served with the typical shower of parmesan because it already has plenty of salt and savouriness from the flavour-packed ingredients. But I won’t stop you if that’s how you want to roll.
Having said that, if I don’t have fresh basil sometimes I use parmesan to compensate as a finishing touch (no it’s not the same thing at all, but I like to have a garnish).
Sides!
In my world, Puttanesca is planted firmly in the “emergency pantry meals” bucket so you won’t get a side salad if I make this for you. It’s also technically 95% vegetables anyway! 😉 However, if you’re after a super quick one that’s on-theme, Rocket with Shaved Parmesan fits the bill with a side of hot buttery garlic bread or focaccia (I’m very proud of this recipe, I hope you try it one day!).
Add a Tiramisu for dessert or Italian Almond cookies with coffee, and suddenly this humble “quick pantry dinner” has transformed into a full blown Italian dinner menu! – Nagi x
Complete your meal
Watch how to make it
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Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
Ingredients
- 200g / 7oz spaghetti , or other long pasta
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil , plus more for drizzling
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced (knife, not garlic press)
- 3 anchovy fillets , finely minced (Note 1)
- 1/4 cup pitted black olives , preferably in oil, quartered (Note 2)
- 1 tbsp capers , drained (Note 3)
- 1/4 tsp chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
- 400g / 14oz can crushed tomato (or hand crush whole canned tomatoes)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp fresh oregano , roughly chopped (sub 1/4 tsp dried)
- 1/8 tsp kosher / cooking salt (or 2 pinches table salt)
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp sugar , if needed (depends on tomato quality, Note 4)
- 2 tbsp fresh basil , roughly chopped (Note 6)
Instructions
- Prepare: Bring a large pot of water to the boil, ready for the pasta. Warm serving bowls (I microwave 1 minute).
- Cook garlic: Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook for 15 seconds until it starts turning golden.
- Cook anchovies: Add anchovies, capers, olives and chilli flakes. Cook for 1 minute.
- Tomato: Add tomato, then add the 1/2 cup of water into the can. Swirl around to rinse then pour into the skillet.
- Simmer: Add oregano, salt and pepper. Stir, bring to simmer, then turn down to low and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the tomato has broken down and created a sauce. Turn off stove when ready if not timed with cooked pasta.
- Cook pasta: Meanwhile, add 2 teaspoons salt into the pot of water. Then add pasta and cook per packet directions.
- Reserve pasta water (Note 5): Just before draining, scoop out a mugful of pasta cooking water and set aside. Then drain pasta in a colander.
- Toss pasta: Immediately add pasta into sauce. Add 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water reserved from previous step (Note 5) then use 2 wooden spoons to toss the pasta, still on a low stove, for 1 minute or until the sauce is no longer in the skillet but rather clinging to the pasta strands (but still slick and slippery). If the pasta gets too dry, add more pasta cooking water and toss.
- Serve: Immediately transfer into warmed bowls. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with basil. Serve immediately!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
His “look at me, I’m so good, puh-lease give me a treat” position. Sitting up straight, chest puffed out.
Who can resist? (Certainly not me!)
Zara says
The video quality and shooting is really good. Also my mouth was watering while watching it. I should go and buy the ingredients π
Nagi says
Thanks so much Zara!! N x
Mary says
I made Pasta Puttanesca for dinner!!! It was so good and easy to make. The burst of flavors was definitely a party in your mouth!!!!
Nagi says
That’s awesome Mary, thanks so much for the great feedback! N x
Francine says
I am so glad to find you. Long long time ago I use to eat in an Italian restaurant in Germany. My favorite was called Spaghetti Alla Pirata. I could taste something like bacon, or pancetta, I am sure there was anchovies, and hot pepper, and lots of clams with shells– Now I am going to recreate that with your Puttanesca. Will let you after I made it—-Thank you….
Nagi says
Love to know how it goes Francine!!!! N x
Linda M Stokes says
Hi Nagi! I just love your recipes! I plan on making this sauce. Could I use anchovy paste? If so, how much?
Nagi says
Sure can – I’ve mentioned this in the recipe notes π N x
Ailsa McQuade says
Well Nagi, its official husband now believes I am a magician in the kitchen – thankyou!π. Ive made a variation (read made up) of this sauce before but using some of your ingredients (capers eg) lifted it . Ive used anchovies to the sauce and olives but never together. I admit though that I had no fresh basil or oregano βΉ (put hubby on the job) I admit I made some additions : had some wine, 2 chicken thighs and a spare rasher of bacon that were added in – I dont think they took away from the dish π€. I had made some bread rolls that day and forgot to save some back from the freezer to clean the bowl with, which was silly! either way husband loved it and said he’d happily pay for a meal that tasted that good…might have to charge him next timeπ€π€£. Thankyou again for wonderful recipes and food ideas. Keep safe cheersπ€
S. Hall says
We recently ate this dish whilst out and loved it. It was so delicious that we came back the next day to order it again. and it was a bit disappointing. The chef was probably a different one and he must have missed the trick with the cooking water or didn’t use anchovies or both. Hence we were very pleased to find this recipe in our inbox today. It’s going to make it in our family top ten list. Thank you, Nagy for all your effort to bring out the best in food. The photos alone are mouthwatering. π
Nagi says
Oh that’s SO annoying S. Hall!! I hate that! I hope you give this one a go – love to know how it stacks up to the one in the restaurant!! N x
John says
That recipe looks ok will have to get the wife to cook it for me
Ailsa McQuade says
Its a v.easy recipe John make it your “I love you ” dish for your wife she will be thrilled. The upside is ….she has to do the washing upπ
Nagi says
You should cook it for her John, that would be a nice surprise π N x
Didina Gnagnide Angorinie says
You won’t taste the anchovies in the sauce. They give great savory flavor and change flavor with cooking. Capers, you can just omit.
Nagi says
No you can’t Didina, they are just such an underrated ingredient aren’t they?! N x
Jill says
I really don’t like anchovies or capers. Is there any substitute for them, or is it better to not make this dish if you don’t use capers or anchovies?
Nagi says
Best to try another recipe Jill, how about this one: https://www.recipetineats.com/sicilian-chicken-spaghetti/ N x
Jill says
Thank you so much, I will try the substitute recipe. Looks great. I may even brave up and try the capers and anchovies because of all the positive feedback. π
Jeremy says
I would make a different recipe if youβre omitting the capers and anchovies. Wouldnβt get the salt and savoury balance with substitutes
Deanna says
Awww, give dear Dozer a little teaspoon of the cheese, go onπ€€, just onceπ
Nagi says
He always gets some, don’t worry π N x
Deanna says
Of course he does, I should have known π. D xxx
Macy says
Love Dozer’s tongue hanging to the side. Such a sweet boy.
Nagi says
I think so too Mary π N x
Lee says
If I was to do a protein alongside this…what would be a good match? Fish? Chicken? Would love ideas please!
Nagi says
I find this dish satisfying as a complete meal, so I would toss protein through it f you wanted to add chicken, fish or prawns they would all work well! N x
Susi V says
Lee, I would toss some prawns (shrimp) or chunks of lightly pan-fried fish into the sauce just near the end. This is a real twirl with your fork and eat from a (warmed!) bowl kind of dish so I would include the protein in the dish rather than treating the pasta as a side dish.
Julie Blake says
We have a ton of fresh, homegrown tomatoes (all kinds) at present. Any disadvantage in using them for this recipe?
Nagi says
Hi Julie, You’d just need to remove their skins by blanching them prior to using. To do this, slice a small x in the skin at the base, cover in boiling water for a minute or two, remove and then peel the skin off. N x
Julie says
Thank you
Lisa says
Hey, Nagi, FYI the link to focaccia at the end of the post under Sides! doesn’t go anywhere. I think you must have put a placeholder and forgot to go back. π
Nagi says
Thanks Lisa – I’ll get this fixed! N x
Ileana says
This is one of my favorite pasta recipesβI’m so glad you’ve added it to the website! I personally prefer using shell pasta with this sauce since it goes so well with the shape of the olives and makes it easier to eat at school as a packed lunch.
Nagi says
It would be great on ANY pasta wouldn’t it Ileana?!! N x
Wendy Cladman says
What perfect timing for this recipe. It’s mid-summer up in Canada, we’re having a heat wave and my tomatoes are ripening quicker than we can eat them. So I’m going to modify your recipe slightly to use fresh tomatoes and leave them a little chunky. I also have fresh basil and oregano in my garden and just harvested my garlics. We grow jalapenos too but they’re still green. Thanks for a great dinner idea. Big hug for Dozer.
Nagi says
Perfect Wendy!!! N x
Wendy Cladman says
Dinner last night was fabulous. The freshly picked tomatoes (brandywine) were delicious. I substituted artichokes and pickles for capers and anchovies. We feasted. Thanks again. We’ll be making this again.
Susi V says
This dish has a special place in my heart since I tried it the first time 23 years ago – I came home late one night from waitressing and my nice housemate shared the plate he had just cooked with me. We now have two kids and still love this dish! Our recipe is the same as yours but we like to make it with fresh ripe tomatoes, cooked in the microwave then squished through a food mill. Beats canned tomatoes by a long way and not as tedious as one might imagine. And (again thanks to Patricia Wells) we toss it with lots of fresh parsley rather than basil. A good alternative when basil is not available.
Nagi says
Sounds divine Susi!! N x
Emi says
Ahh now I want puttanesca so badly but hubby doesn’t like it so it’s just me π
Miso paste is a good vegetarian sub for anchovies since it’s packed with umami. Fish sauce (for non-vegetarians) also works in a pinch.
Nagi says
Great Idea Emi, never thought of that! And you should just make it for yourself, hubby can fend for himself π N x
Didina Gnagnide Angorinie says
Curious, if you add miso in this do you add it at the end? Or in the soffritto phase like anchovies?
I have always added miso at the end as I was told, but what happens if you put it in the oil at the beginning?
Emi says
I add it at the end just before adding the pasta- take out some of the sauce or add to a bit of water and mix until smooth then stir back in. You don’t need much either. It does tend to go grainy if overheated so I’d be cautious about adding at the soffrito stage.
Didina Gnagnide Angorinie says
Ah yes, that’s how I was taught to do. But it reminds me more of a bouillon cube type taste than anchovies. I think nutritional yeast (at the end, within limits or it will start add funkiness) is a better veg sub for anchovies in sauces.
Cathy MacIntyre says
Hi Nagi. Once again this recipe looks amazing! A little issue though…. the link to your focaccia doesn’t work. I found it by searching your site. Thanks for all the delicious recipes!!
Nagi says
Thanks Cathy – fixing now! N x
Didina Gnagnide Angorinie says
“Garlic β Because this is Italian food!”
πππππππππππ
But more seriously puttanesca is thrifty and really good.
I made a similar version but without olives and with tuna, in place of garlic I used asafoetida, anchovy paste, then dried oregano (good quality) and smoked paprika (bloom them in oil). Lemon juice at the end.
This is a suggested sub for all no onion no garlic eaters from an Italian no onion no garlic eater.
Nagi says
Hi Didina, yes asafoetida is a great sub!! N x
Didina Gnagnide Angorinie says
Oh and maybe some double tomato concentrate in the soffritto…
Also thanks for stating that dried basil is useless, almost never used here (very faint and not so good dried herb flavor, Americans pls don’t use it) and that anchovies are amazing! Most people probably just think of them as a too salty too fishy pizza topper (I never eat them that way cuz most pizzaioli don’t rinse the salt out) but they are a boon to sauces (you can’t taste them at the end if you dose them right), to my no onion no garlic cooking, you can make fish sauce out of them, they are delicious to eat when fresh…and they are very healthy too.