Pasta Puttanesca

Pasta puttanesca is a classic Italian dish that’s prepared with garlic, San Marzano tomatoes, olives and capers, simmered together into a bold, briny sauce.

If you enjoy this dish, you might also like lasagna alla Bolognese, pasta alla norcina, pasta alla nerano, pasta alla zozzona, and eggplant rollatini.

Why You’ll Love It           

Rich taste: Anchovies melt into the sauce for deep flavor.
Flexible spice level: Adjust the red pepper to your liking.
Pantry-friendly: Uses ingredients you likely already have.
Restaurant-worthy: Easy to make yet full of character.

Spaghetti Puttanesca Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

San Marzano-style tomatoes: Crushed for a chunky, flavorful sauce. San Marzano-style tomatoes bring natural sweetness and balanced acidity, which makes the sauce rich instead of sharp. If you can’t find this variety of peeled tomatoes, use another high-quality canned whole tomato; avoid crushed tomatoes since they cook thinner.
Extra virgin olive oil: Builds the base and enhances every layer of taste. The generous amount of oil carries the anchovy and garlic flavors through the sauce. If you’re out, you can use regular olive oil, but skip neutral oil as this dish relies on olive oil’s flavor.
Shallot: Adds gentle sweetness and depth.
Garlic: Brings a strong aromatic backbone. Garlic is central to the sauce’s backbone; freshly minced garlic blooms better than jarred. If replacing, use garlic paste before reaching for pre-minced jarred garlic.
Dried oregano: Adds herbal warmth to the sauce. Dried oregano adds herbaceous savoriness that supports the briny notes. If you run out, dried thyme works nicely or skip it altogether rather than using Italian seasoning.
Red pepper flakes: Bring subtle heat. A pinch adds gentle warmth without overpowering. Aleppo pepper is a great alternative for a more rounded heat; paprika doesn’t behave the same here.
Capers: Add salty, tangy brightness. Non-pareil capers are smaller and more delicate. If you can’t find them, use standard-sized capers.
Kalamata olives: Give richness and briny balance. Their meaty texture adds body and salty tang. Castelvetrano olives give a softer, buttery vibe if preferred. I used these!
Anchovies: Create a savory depth that defines the dish. The anchovies melt into the sauce and add savoriness without adding an overly “fishy” taste.
Spaghetti or bucatini: Perfect shapes to hold the pasta sauce.
Fresh parsley: Optional garnish for a fresh finish.

How to Make Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Start the sauce: Warm olive oil in a skillet and sauté shallot until soft. Add and cook garlic, oregano, anchovies, capers and olives, stirring as the anchovies melt.
Add San Marzano tomatoes: Stir in crushed canned tomatoes with salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.
Cook pasta: Boil pasta in salted water in a large pot until al dente. Save a little of the cooking water then drain pasta.
Combine: Toss pasta with the puttanesca sauce, adding splashes of pasta water until it clings smoothly to the noodles.
Finish: Top with parsley and serve right away.

Substitutions and Variations

Pasta types: Linguine, bucatini or spaghetti all work well.
Gluten-free version: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta.
Anchovy swap: Try anchovy paste or chopped sardines for a similar effect.
Heat adjustment: Use more or less red pepper to match your spice level.
Olive options: Castelvetrano olives give a softer, buttery touch.
Shallot alternative: Use half a small yellow onion, minced, instead.
Garnish: A small sprinkle of fresh parsley adds freshness without distracting from the sauce’s character. Lemon zest works well too, or you might prefer fresh basil.

Serving Suggestions

With bread: Enjoy this pasta dish with air fryer garlic bread or some mushroom focaccia.
With a salad: This Italian chopped salad would make a tasty side dish. 
With vegetables: Garlic green beans are tasty on the side or perhaps you’d prefer some smoked asparagus.

How to Store Pasta alla Puttanesca

Store: Keep leftover sauce in the fridge up to 4 days. This dish doesn’t keep well once mixed. The pasta will soften and lose its texture after storing. If planning ahead, make the sauce and divide into portions; then cook fresh pasta as needed and finish the recipe from that point.
Freeze: Freeze sauce (without pasta) for 2 months.
Thaw: Defrost in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove.
Reheat: Toss warm sauce with freshly cooked pasta before serving.