Uncle Larry Adventures

Italian Classics · Campania

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Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Punchy Neapolitan puttanesca built on anchovies, garlic, olives, capers and tomatoes — a fast pantry pasta with big flavor.

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Twenty minutes, zero shopping

Spaghetti alla puttanesca with olives, capers and tomato

The short version

Punchy Neapolitan puttanesca built on anchovies, garlic, olives, capers and tomatoes — a fast pantry pasta with big flavor.

Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Serves
4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb spaghetti
  • 6 anchovy fillets in oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes, crushed
  • ⅔ cup Gaeta or Kalamata olives, torn
  • 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • Chopped parsley

Instructions

  1. 01

    Melt the anchovies. Warm the olive oil with the garlic, chili and anchovies over medium-low heat until the anchovies dissolve, about 3 minutes.

  2. 02

    Build the sauce. Add tomatoes, olives and capers. Simmer 15 minutes until glossy and thick.

  3. 03

    Cook and combine. Boil the spaghetti to just under al dente, then finish it in the sauce with a splash of pasta water.

  4. 04

    Finish. Off the heat, stir in parsley and a last drizzle of olive oil. No cheese on this one.

Larry’s rule: Salt the water lightly. Anchovies, olives and capers are already three kinds of salty.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

Serving
1 serving (about 380 g)
Calories
887 calories
Protein
31 g
Carbs
116 g
Fat
33 g
Saturated fat
5 g
Fibre
10 g
Sugar
10 g
Sodium
1701 mg
Cholesterol
13 mg

Figures are estimates calculated from this recipe’s ingredients and yield. Brands, cuts and portion sizes will move them.

Quoting or citing this recipe? Credit “Uncle Larry Adventures” and link to this page (https://unclelarryadventures.com/recipes/spaghetti-alla-puttanesca).

Before you cook

What to know about Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

What it is

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is a pasta recipe rooted in Campania's tomato-rich, ingredient-first cooking. This version makes 4 servings in 30 min and focuses on the technique that gives the dish its characteristic texture and flavor.

Why this method works

The method builds flavor in a deliberate order: melt the anchovies, then build the sauce, then cook and combine. Following that sequence keeps the main ingredients distinct while bringing the finished dish together.

Key ingredients and what they do

  • 1 lb spaghetti — provides the recipe's main structure, so its cooking time and texture matter.
  • 6 anchovy fillets in oil — supports the dish's balance, texture and regional character.
  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced thin — provides the aromatic character; use it at the stage specified so it stays distinct.
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper — provides the aromatic character; use it at the stage specified so it stays distinct.

Smart substitutions

For the most reliable result, keep the main ingredient and technique unchanged. Swap only like for like, then adjust salt, moisture and cooking time to taste.

Make ahead and leftovers

Prepare the measured ingredients ahead, but cook and sauce the pasta close to serving. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and reheat gently with a splash of water.

What to serve with it

  • Serve as a first course before a simple roast or vegetable dish.
  • Pair with a crisp salad or bitter greens to balance the pasta.

Larry’s why

Why Larry finishes the pasta in the sauce

Draining pasta and ladling sauce on top leaves two separate things on a plate. Pull the pasta a minute shy of al dente, move it into the sauce pan with a splash of the cooking water, and toss over heat. The starch in that water emulsifies the fat and glues the sauce to every strand.

Larry’s rule: Undercook by a minute, finish in the pan.

More questions Larry gets asked →

Ways Larry changes it up

Swaps, shortcuts and regional versions of spaghetti alla puttanesca.

Puttanesca without anchovies

Leave the anchovies out and replace them with a tablespoon of capers plus a teaspoon of white miso or a splash of soy. You lose the fish, you keep the salty backbone. Add an extra clove of garlic and let the sauce reduce two minutes longer so the tomatoes concentrate.

Puttanesca with tuna

Stir a drained 5-oz tin of olive-oil-packed tuna into the sauce off the heat, right before the pasta goes in. Break it into large flakes, not paste. This is the version Larry makes when the pantry is the only grocery store open.

Fresh tomatoes instead of canned

In late summer, swap the canned tomatoes for 2 lb of ripe cherry or datterini tomatoes, halved. Cook them hard over high heat until they collapse, about 12 minutes, and skip any added water.

Bucatini, linguine or penne

Spaghetti is traditional, but bucatini holds the oil better and penne rigate traps the capers. Cook whichever shape one minute short and finish it in the pan.

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca: common questions

Can you make puttanesca without anchovies?
Yes. Add an extra tablespoon of capers and a teaspoon of miso, soy sauce or a few chopped olives to replace the savory depth. The sauce will be slightly less complex but still balanced and salty.
Do you have to rinse the capers?
Rinse salt-packed capers well and soak them for ten minutes. Brine-packed capers only need a quick rinse — the sauce is already salty from the olives and anchovies.
Should you add cheese to puttanesca?
Traditionally, no. It's a seafood-adjacent sauce and Italians skip the cheese. A little pecorino won't ruin it, but the olives and capers already carry the salt.
How spicy should puttanesca be?
Warm, not hot. Half a teaspoon of chili flakes for four servings gives a background heat that lets the olives and anchovy come through.

Questions Larry gets asked

Can you make puttanesca without anchovies?
Yes. Add an extra tablespoon of capers and a teaspoon of miso, soy sauce or a few chopped olives to replace the savory depth. The sauce will be slightly less complex but still balanced and salty.
Do you have to rinse the capers?
Rinse salt-packed capers well and soak them for ten minutes. Brine-packed capers only need a quick rinse — the sauce is already salty from the olives and anchovies.
Should you add cheese to puttanesca?
Traditionally, no. It's a seafood-adjacent sauce and Italians skip the cheese. A little pecorino won't ruin it, but the olives and capers already carry the salt.
How spicy should puttanesca be?
Warm, not hot. Half a teaspoon of chili flakes for four servings gives a background heat that lets the olives and anchovy come through.

What to pour with it

Drink pairings for Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Olive, anchovy, caper — bitter drinks belong here.

See the full Italian beverage menu →

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Quick answer

What kind of peppers do you use for sausage and peppers?

Use two red or yellow bell peppers for sweetness and one green bell pepper for the classic bitter edge. Cubanelle peppers are the Italian-American original — thinner walls, faster cooking, more flavor. Add one long hot or a pinch of chili flake if you want heat.

The gear Larry uses →Where to eat sausage & peppers →What to drink with it →This week on the blog: Labor Day Cookout: The Sausage Lineup That Never Fails →

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