Description
Pasta Puttanesca delivers irresistible flavors with simple prep. Perfect for a quick dinner or a cozy night in, this dish combines spaghetti with garlic, olives, and anchovies for a comforting meal that’s both satisfying and easy to make.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 4 canned anchovies (optional)
- 5 oz black olives, halved lengthwise and pitted
- 2 heaping tablespoons small capers, rinsed
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, not drained
- 1/2 cup packed fresh parsley, finely chopped
- cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare a wide skillet for this recipe and gather all your ingredients.
- Begin boiling a large pot of water for the pasta; once boiling, salt it generously and cook the spaghetti until just al-dente. Drain and save a cup of the pasta water.
- In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add olive oil. Sauté crushed garlic and optional red pepper flakes until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add optional anchovies and cook for another 30-60 seconds until they fall apart.
- Add in the black olives and capers, sautéing for 1 more minute. Then, incorporate the diced tomatoes and half the parsley, stirring and cooking for 2 more minutes.
- Cover the sauce and simmer on low for 8-10 minutes, seasoning lightly with salt.
- Mix in the cooked spaghetti, stirring into the sauce, adding reserved pasta water gradually until the sauce is glossy and coats the pasta evenly. Adjust seasoning with more salt and freshly cracked black pepper, if needed.
- Serve immediately, garnished with the remaining parsley.
Notes
For extra flavor, use high-quality olives and tomatoes.
This dish pairs perfectly with a side salad or garlic bread.
Feel free to adjust the amount of red pepper flakes based on heat preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 56g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 10mg