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bold mediterranean puttanesca dish

Bold Puttanesca Pasta

This vibrant puttanesca sauce combines briny olives, capers, and umami-rich anchovies with tomatoes and a hint of heat for a Mediterranean pasta dish that delivers massive flavor with minimal effort. Ready in just 20 minutes using mostly pantry staples, this classic Italian recipe creates a robust sauce that clings beautifully to pasta.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 tablespoons capers
  • 4 anchovy fillets rinsed and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 20 Greek olives pitted and coarsely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 cups tomatoes chopped and pushed through a sieve
  • 8 ounces pasta

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Skillet
  • Sieve

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt after it's boiling, then add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente.
  2. While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a skillet over low heat. Add minced garlic and cook until golden.
  3. Add the sieved tomatoes to the garlic and cook for about 5 minutes.
  4. Stir in the chopped anchovies, tomato paste, capers, chopped olives, and red pepper flakes. Allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Drain the pasta, reserving a little pasta water. Add pasta directly to the sauce and toss until thoroughly coated.

Notes

Don't be tempted to skip the anchovies—they dissolve completely and don't taste fishy but rather add incredible depth to the sauce. For a vegetarian version, substitute with a splash of soy sauce or miso paste for umami flavor.
This sauce works with any pasta shape—spaghetti is traditional, but penne, rigatoni, or whole grain options work beautifully as well.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and often taste even better as the flavors continue to develop.