Pasta alla Puttanesca is a bold and flavorful Italian pasta dish made with tomatoes, olives, capers, garlic, anchovies, chili pepper, and extra virgin olive oil. This authentic puttanesca recipe is quick to prepare and combines salty, tangy, and slightly spicy flavors in a rich sauce that coats the pasta beautifully.
There are different regional versions of this classic dish. The Lazio-style recipe includes anchovies, while the traditional Neapolitan version, known locally as aulive e chiapparielli, leaves them out. In this recipe, I use Gaeta olives, peeled tomatoes, capers, anchovies, garlic, chili pepper, parsley, and extra virgin olive oil for an intense and savory flavor.
Spaghetti is one of the most traditional choices for pasta puttanesca, but linguine, penne, fusilli, and paccheri work well too.
With just a handful of pantry ingredients, Pasta alla Puttanesca is an easy way to bring the bold flavors of Italian cooking to the table.
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What Is Pasta alla Puttanesca?
Pasta alla Puttanesca is a traditional Southern Italian pasta dish made with a intensely savory tomato sauce flavored with olives, capers, garlic, chili pepper, and, in the Lazio version, anchovies.
Unlike a simple tomato pasta sauce, puttanesca is characterized by its strong, briny flavors and requires no long cooking: the sauce comes together quickly while the pasta cooks.
Ingredients
Prep Time: 10 Min | Cook Time: 20 Min | Servings: 4
- 350 g (12 oz) spaghetti or linguine
- 400 g (14 oz) canned whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 5 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained
- 150 g (5 oz) Gaeta black olives, pitted or whole
- 3 tablespoons salted capers
- 1 small red chili pepper, fresh or dried
- 1 sprig fresh parsley
- Salt, only if needed
How to Make Authentic Puttanesca
Step 1) - Place the canned whole peeled tomatoes in a bowl and roughly crush them with a fork or your hands. Keep their juices as well; they will become part of the sauce.
If using whole Gaeta olives, remove the pits, then roughly chop the olives. You can leave a few whole for serving.
Step 2) - Finely chop the garlic and rinse the capers thoroughly under cold running water to remove the excess salt, then drain them well. Finely chop the parsley, if using.
Now you are ready to make the Puttanesca sauce.
How to Make Puttanesca Sauce
Step 3) - In a large skillet, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the desalted capers, chopped garlic, chopped olives, anchovy fillets, and the chili pepper.
Cook for about 1 minute, stirring continuously, until the anchovies have completely dissolved into the oil.
Step 4) - Add the crushed peeled tomatoes with their juices and stir well. Let the sauce simmer gently for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste before adding any salt, as the anchovies, capers, and olives already provide plenty of seasoning. Stir in the chopped parsley toward the end of cooking.
Cook the Pasta
Step 5) - Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until about 2 to 3 minutes before al dente, following the package cooking time as a guide.
Before draining, reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.
Step 6) - Transfer the spaghetti to the skillet with the Puttanesca sauce. Toss well and finish cooking the pasta in the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes, adding a small splash of reserved pasta water only if needed.
Serve immediately, with a little extra parsley and a few olives on top, if desired.
Tips for the Best Pasta alla Puttanesca
Choose flavorful olives: Gaeta olives are ideal for an authentic Puttanesca because of their rich, slightly tangy flavor. If you cannot find them, use good-quality Mediterranean black olives rather than mild canned black olives.
Desalt the capers well: If using salt-packed capers, rinse them thoroughly before adding them to the sauce. They should add a pleasant briny flavor without making the dish overly salty.
Let the anchovies melt into the oil: Cook them gently until they almost disappear. They add depth and umami to the sauce rather than a strong fishy taste.
Do not brown the garlic: Keep the heat moderate and cook the garlic gently. Burnt garlic can give the entire sauce a bitter flavor.
Taste before adding salt: Olives, capers, and anchovies are already quite salty, so the sauce may not need any additional salt at all.
Finish the pasta in the sauce: Drain the spaghetti a couple of minutes before al dente and complete the cooking in the skillet. This helps the pasta absorb the sauce and brings all the flavors together.
Skip the cheese: Pasta alla Puttanesca is traditionally served without Parmigiano or Pecorino. The sauce is already intensely savory and flavorful on its own.
Variations and Substitutions
Without Anchovies: You can make Pasta alla Puttanesca without anchovies. This version is particularly associated with the Neapolitan tradition known as aulive e chiapparielli, meaning “olives and capers.” Simply omit the anchovies and let the olives and capers provide the characteristic savory, briny flavor.
With Fresh Tomatoes: When tomatoes are in season, you can replace canned peeled tomatoes with ripe cherry or grape tomatoes. Cut them in half and cook them until they soften and release their juices, creating a fresher and slightly lighter Puttanesca sauce.
Different Pasta Shapes: Spaghetti and linguine are classic choices, but the sauce also works well with short pasta such as penne or fusilli, which catch the pieces of olives and capers particularly well.
Storage
Pasta alla Puttanesca is best enjoyed immediately, while the pasta is still al dente and the sauce is freshly made.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy them within 1 to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water and a little extra virgin olive oil until warmed through.
I don't recommend freezing the finished pasta, as the texture of the spaghetti will become too soft after thawing.
Puttanesca sauce can also be made ahead. Prepare it up to 2 to 3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, gently reheat the sauce in a skillet while the pasta cooks.
You can also freeze the Puttanesca sauce separately. Let it cool completely, transfer it to a freezer-safe airtight container, and freeze for up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat gently before tossing it with freshly cooked pasta.
Origins and Why Is It Called Puttanesca?
The exact origins of Pasta alla Puttanesca are uncertain, and the dish as we know it today seems to have developed from older Neapolitan pasta recipes.
In 1844, Ippolito Cavalcanti included Vermicelli all’oglio con olive, capperi ed alici salse—vermicelli with oil, olives, capers, and salted anchovies—in his cookbook Cucina teorico-pratica. A similar combination appeared in the 1931 Guida Gastronomica d’Italia as maccheroni alla marinara, made with tomato, garlic, parsley, capers, and olives.
The name “Puttanesca,” however, is much more recent. One of its earliest known appearances in print dates to 1961, when Italian writer Raffaele La Capria mentioned spaghetti alla puttanesca in his novel Ferito a morte.
As for the unusual name, there is no single proven explanation. One popular legend connects it with the brothels of Naples and the Italian word puttana, meaning “prostitute.”
Another famous story comes from the island of Ischia. According to this version, restaurant owner Sandro Petti was asked late one night to prepare something to eat when he had very little left in the kitchen. He combined pasta with tomatoes, garlic, olives, capers, olive oil, and parsley after being urged to make “una puttanata qualsiasi”—roughly, “just throw together any old thing.” The improvised dish was reportedly so successful that it eventually became known as Pasta alla Puttanesca.
More Traditional Italian Pasta Recipes
If you enjoyed Pasta alla Puttanesca, try these other classic Italian pasta dishes made with simple ingredients and plenty of flavor.
- Penne all’Arrabbiata – A classic Roman pasta with tomatoes, garlic, and chili pepper, ready in about 30 minutes.
- Spaghetti Aglio e Olio – One of Italy’s simplest pasta recipes, made with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and chili pepper.
- Spaghetti al Pomodoro – A timeless Italian favorite with spaghetti tossed in a simple tomato and basil sauce.
- Pasta all’Amatriciana – A traditional Lazio pasta made with tomatoes, guanciale, chili pepper, and Pecorino Romano.
- Pasta alla Norma – A Sicilian classic combining tomato sauce, fried eggplant, basil, and ricotta salata.
Recipe Card
Authentic Puttanesca Recipe (Pasta alla Puttanesca)
Ingredients
- 350 g spaghetti or linguine - 12 oz
- 400 g canned whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano - 14 oz
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 5 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained
- 150 g Gaeta black olives, pitted or whole - 5 oz
- 3 tablespoons salted capers
- 1 small red chili pepper, fresh or dried
- 1 sprig fresh parsley
- salt, only if needed
Instructions
Prepare the Ingredients
- Place the canned whole peeled tomatoes in a bowl and roughly crush them with a fork or your hands. Keep their juices as well; they will become part of the sauce.If using whole Gaeta olives, remove the pits, then roughly chop the olives. You can leave a few whole for serving.
- Finely chop the garlic and rinse the capers thoroughly under cold running water to remove the excess salt, then drain them well. Finely chop the parsley, if using.Now you are ready to make the Puttanesca sauce.
How to Make Puttanesca Sauce
- In a large skillet, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the desalted capers, chopped garlic, chopped olives, anchovy fillets, and the chili pepper.Cook for about 1 minute, stirring continuously, until the anchovies have completely dissolved into the oil.
- Add the crushed peeled tomatoes with their juices and stir well. Let the sauce simmer gently for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.Taste before adding any salt, as the anchovies, capers, and olives already provide plenty of seasoning. Stir in the chopped parsley toward the end of cooking.
Cook the Pasta
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until about 2 to 3 minutes before al dente, following the package cooking time as a guide.Before draining, reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Transfer the spaghetti to the skillet with the Puttanesca sauce. Toss well and finish cooking the pasta in the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes, adding a small splash of reserved pasta water only if needed.Serve immediately, with a little extra parsley and a few olives on top, if desired.
Laurence Lovell says
This was a brilliant recipe, a photos were a great help especially with presentation, all agreed it was a winner - Thank you
Michael Russo says
This recipe is spot on! Reminds me of the one my Nonna used to make. The balance of olives, capers, and anchovies is perfect. Grazie mille for sharing!
Laura Bennett says
I made this Pasta alla Puttanesca last night and it was absolutely delicious! So easy to follow and packed with flavor. This is going into my weekly dinner rotation!