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5.0 from 30 votes

Penne Puttanesca

Ultra flavorful pasta with capers, olives, anchovies, garlic, tomatoes, and fresh basil and parsley. Simple and can be made in about 35 minutes.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 644 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (454g) penne pasta
  • 1 ounce can plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
  • 1 cup (140g) olives pitted and chopped, see notes below
  • 2 tablespoons capers rinsed
  • 1/4 cup (60g) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup (60g) tomato paste
  • 6 cloves garlic sliced
  • 5 anchovy fillets mashed
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
  • 3 tablespoons basil hand torn
  • 1 cup (240g) reserved pasta water will most likley not need all of it

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil with 2 tablespoons of kosher salt.
  2. Heat a large pan to medium-low and wait 2-3 minutes for it to heat up. Once the pan is hot, add a ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil then the garlic and anchovies.
  3. Cook until the garlic turns golden and the anchovies mostly dissolve (about 3 minutes), then add the chili flakes and cook for 30 seconds more.
  4. Next, add in the tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently.
  5. Add the plum tomatoes, capers, and olives and stir them all together. Bring the sauce to a simmer. While the sauce is simmering boil the pasta until al dente.
  6. Add 2 ounces of pasta water to the pan and turn heat to medium. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir quickly. Mix well and/or toss to emulsify. Cook for only 30-60 seconds being mindful to not overcook the pasta.
  7. Turn off the heat and taste test. Adjust salt and pepper if required. Sprinkle the parsley and basil onto the pasta and serve in bowls with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy!

Notes

  • There are many salty ingredients in this dish.  Often no extra salt is needed.  Adjust according to taste.
  • Oil-cured black olives are my number one pick for pasta puttanesca.  If using oil-cured olives you must rinse them because they are extremely salty.  
  • Other good choices include Gaeta, Sicilian (Castelvetrano), or Greek Kalamata.
  • Anchovies are best purchased in jars.  They can be refrigerated and used when needed.
  • Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave.

Nutrition Information

Calories 644kcal (32%) Carbohydrates 96g (32%) Protein 23.9g (48%) Fat 21.1g (32%) Saturated Fat 2.9g (15%) Cholesterol 21mg (7%) Sodium 1363mg (57%) Potassium 545mg (16%) Fiber 7.4g (30%) Sugar 11.9g (24%) Calcium 115mg (12%) Iron 7mg (39%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 644

% Daily Value*

Calories 644kcal 32%
Carbohydrates 96g 32%
Protein 23.9g 48%
Fat 21.1g 32%
Saturated Fat 2.9g 15%
Cholesterol 21mg 7%
Sodium 1363mg 57%
Potassium 545mg 12%
Fiber 7.4g 30%
Sugar 11.9g 24%
Calcium 115mg 12%
Iron 7mg 39%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.