Spaghetti alla Puttanesca – 20-Minute Recipe
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is a classic Italian pasta from Naples featuring a savory sauce made from pantry staples like olives, capers, and anchovies. The sauce clings to the pasta, creating a flavorful, quick‑cook meal perfect for emergency‑style cooking.
Recipe by Nagi· Structured by ReelsMeals
From: Website(view original)
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ReelsMeals turns recipetineats.com into a kitchen-friendly checklist while keeping the original source attached.
Cooking context
20 min estimated total time for 2 servings.
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Ingredients
- 7 1/10 oz spaghetti
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 fillets anchovies
- 1/4 cup pitted black olives
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1/4 tsp chilli flakes
- 14 oz crushed tomato
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp fresh oregano
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh basil
Instructions
- 1Prepare: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and set aside for cooking the pasta. Warm serving bowls in the microwave for about 1 minute.
- 2Cook garlic: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium‑high heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 15 seconds, just until it begins to turn golden.
- 3Add anchovies, capers, olives, and chilli flakes: Stir in the minced anchovies, drained capers, quartered olives, and chilli flakes. Cook for 1 minute, allowing the anchovies to dissolve into the oil.
- 4Add tomatoes and water: Pour in the crushed tomatoes, then add the remaining half‑cup of water from the can (use the can to rinse out any remaining tomato pulp). Stir to combine.
- 5Simmer the sauce: Sprinkle in the fresh oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and the tomatoes break down. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- 6Cook pasta: Add 2 teaspoons of salt to the boiling water, then add the spaghetti. Cook according to the package directions until al dente.
- 7Reserve pasta water: Just before draining, scoop out a mugful of the pasta cooking water and set aside. Then drain the pasta in a colander.
- 8Combine pasta and sauce: Transfer the drained spaghetti directly into the skillet with the sauce. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water and toss with two wooden spoons over low heat for about 1 minute, until the sauce clings to the pasta. If the mixture looks dry, add a little more pasta water and continue tossing.
- 9Finish and serve: Immediately divide the pasta among the warmed bowls. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil and sprinkle the roughly chopped fresh basil on top. Serve right away.
Helpful tips while cooking
AI-assisted notes grounded in this recipe's ingredients, timings, and method—not additional creator instructions.
Warm bowls first
Microwave the serving bowls for about 1 minute before plating.
Reserve pasta water
Scoop out a mugful of cooking water before draining the spaghetti and use it.
Brief garlic sauté
Sauté the minced garlic for roughly 15 seconds, just until it begins to turn golden.
Toss pasta briefly
Combine the drained spaghetti with the sauce and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water, tossing over low heat for about 1 minute.
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This recipe card was structured automatically from the original source. Always check the source for allergens or details the extraction may have missed.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does it take to make Spaghetti alla Puttanesca?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking.
- How many servings does this Spaghetti alla Puttanesca recipe make?
- This recipe makes 2 servings as written; ingredient quantities on this page can be scaled.
- Where does this Spaghetti alla Puttanesca recipe come from?
- It was shared by Nagi on recipetineats.com. ReelsMeals structured the original post into this step-by-step card; the original is linked above.
- How many calories are in Spaghetti alla Puttanesca?
- Roughly 596 kcal, based on the nutrition details captured with this recipe. Treat it as an estimate.