Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
5 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
20 mins
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Servings
2
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Calories
596 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
Description
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is a classic pasta dish centered on a tomato sauce with anchovies, black olives, capers, chili flakes, and garlic sautéed in olive oil. The anchovies dissolve to add umami without fishiness, while olives and capers contribute briny notes. The sauce simmers to allow the crushed tomatoes to break down, thickening and blending flavors. Oregano and basil provide herbal freshness, while a pinch of sugar balances acidity depending on tomato quality.
Once cooked, the spaghetti is drained and tossed with some reserved pasta water, which contains starch that helps the sauce adhere to the pasta, enhancing the mouthfeel and flavor integration. The result is a well-balanced combination of savory, slightly spicy, and aromatic elements coating the spaghetti.
This dish is best enjoyed freshly cooked to maintain the delicate texture of the pasta and the sauce’s vibrant flavor. While the sauce can be prepared ahead of time, reheating with a splash of water helps restore its consistency.
Using quality ingredients like oil-cured olives, fresh garlic, and anchovy fillets improves depth and authenticity of the sauce. Fresh basil added at the end provides an aromatic finish but can be substituted with a light sprinkle of Parmesan if unavailable.
Ingredients
- 200g / 7oz spaghetti , or other long pasta
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil , plus more for drizzling
- 2 garlic finely minced (knife, not garlic press, cloves
- 3 anchovy fillet finely minced (Note 1
- 1/4 cup black olives preferably in oil, quartered (Note 2, pitted
- 1 tbsp capers , drained (Note 3)
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes red pepper flakes
- 400g / 14oz crushed tomato or hand crush whole canned tomatoes, canned
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp oregano roughly chopped (sub 1/4 tsp dried, fresh
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt or 2 pinches table salt, cooking salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp sugar , if needed (depends on tomato quality, Note 4)
- 2 tbsp basil roughly chopped (Note 6, fresh
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!
Notes
- Anchovies provide savory depth without a fishy taste and can be replaced with anchovy paste.
- Use good quality olives in oil rather than cheap brined ones for better flavor release into the sauce.
- Quartering olives before adding releases more flavor into the sauce compared to adding them whole.
- Capers can be normal or baby size; baby capers are preferred if standard ones are too large.
- Add sugar only to balance sour tomatoes, adjusting to taste with the salt.
- Reserve some pasta cooking water to add when tossing pasta and sauce, helping sauce cling to pasta.
- Basil adds fresh herbal notes at the end but can be replaced with Parmesan if unavailable.
- Serve pasta immediately for best texture; sauce can be made ahead and reheated with water if needed.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 2Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 596 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 596cal | 30% |
| Carbohydrates | 91g | 30% |
| Protein | 18g | 36% |
| Fat | 19g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Cholesterol | 4mg | 1% |
| Sodium | 812mg | 34% |
| Potassium | 871mg | 19% |
| Fiber | 8g | 32% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 647IU | 13% |
| Vitamin C | 19mg | 21% |
| Calcium | 116mg | 12% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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