Pasta alla puttanesca is the perfect dish to make when you don’t feel like going to the grocery store but still want a really delicious dinner. Chances are, you already have most of these ingredients sitting in your pantry right now. It’s briny, bold, easy to make, and packed with flavor thanks to a handful of simple, mostly shelf-stable ingredients.
The name is a little controversial. Puttanesca loosely translates to “in the style of…” well, you can Google the rest. Legend says the dish originated in brothels in southern Italy, where a quick late-night meal had to be made using whatever shelf-stable ingredients were on hand. Pasta, canned tomatoes, olives, capers, anchovies, garlic. Things you could throw together fast, with no planning.
As wild as the story sounds, what it really comes down to is this, it doesn’t take much to make something incredibly delicious. A few good ingredients, cooked simply and thoughtfully, can turn into a dish that feels special without being complicated. That’s exactly why this pasta is still such a go-to today.
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Pasta alla Puttanesca
Uses pantry staples you likely already have on hand.
Quick and easy — perfect for weeknights.
Bold, briny, and packed with flavor.
No fancy techniques or special equipment needed.
🍝 Ingredients
Spaghetti – Long pasta works best to grab onto the sauce, but use your fav
Canned whole tomatoes – hand-crushed. (Crushed tomatoes or tomato purée also work.)
Capers – Adds salty, briny punch.
Anchovies – They melt into the oil and add deep umami flavor.
Mixed olives – a mix of green and Kalamata olives works well.
Garlic – thinly sliced for a fragrant base.
Olive oil – to sauté the garlic and anchovies and build flavor.
Fresh parsley – for finishing and brightness.
👩🍳 How to Make Pasta alla Puttanesca
Bring the pasta water to a boil
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti 2 minutes under al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Start the sauce
While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and anchovies and cook until the anchovies melt into the oil and the garlic is fragrant.
Build the sauce
Add the crushed tomatoes and let simmer for a few minutes. Stir in the olives and capers.
Finish the pasta
Add the undercooked pasta directly to the sauce along with a splash of reserved pasta water. Toss and cook for the remaining 2 minutes, adding more pasta water as needed until the sauce coats the pasta.
Serve
Remove from heat and finish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
🪄 Tips and Tricks
Cook the pasta slightly under al dente – so it can finish cooking in the sauce.
Let the anchovies fully melt into the oil before adding tomatoes.
Taste before adding salt, the sauce is naturally salty.
Finish the pasta in the pan for the best texture and flavor.
My Pro Tip
Always save your pasta water!
It helps the sauce cling to the pasta and makes the sauce extra creamy!
👝 How to Store & Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
FAQ
They’re traditional and add depth without tasting fishy, but you can leave them out if needed.
Yes, crushed tomatoes or tomato purée both work well.
Linguine or bucatini are great alternatives.
Traditionally it can include chili flakes. Add them if you like heat, or leave them out.
Pasta alla Puttanesca
Ingredients
- ½ lb spaghetti
- 14 oz canned whole tomatoes, hand-crushed
- ¼ cup capers
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 1 cup pitted mixed olives, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Olive oil
- Fresh parsley, minced
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti 2 minutes under al dente. Reserve pasta water and drain.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and anchovies and cook until anchovies melt.
- Add crushed tomatoes and simmer a few minutes.
- Stir in olives and capers.
- Add pasta and a splash of pasta water. Toss and cook until perfectly al dente.
- Finish with parsley and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Loved!!