Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Name: Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 27 min
Total time: 37 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 400 g Spaghetti; 500 g Tomato, crushed; 100 g Black olive, pitted; 30 g Caper, drained; 24 g Anchovy, chopped; 3 clove Garlic, thinly sliced; 2 g Chilli, crushed; 3 tbsp Olive oil; 2 tsp Salt; 1 g Black pepper, freshly ground; 3 L Water, for boiling and mostly discarded

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca · ready in 37 min · 4 servings · 560 kcal per serving · easy · 11 ingredients

Born between Naples and Lazio, this puttanesca is bold, briny, and quick, with anchovy melted into tomato for deep southern Italian flavor.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 27 min
Total: 37 min
Serves: 4
kcal: 560
Difficulty: easy

Italian Main dishes Dairy-free

A QiMeal recipe · Updated 3 October 2026

Ingredients · 4 servings

400 gSpaghetti
500 gTomato, crushed
100 gBlack olive, pitted
30 gCaper, drained
24 gAnchovy, chopped
3 cloveGarlic, thinly sliced
2 gChilli, crushed
3 tbspOlive oil
2 tspSalt
1 gBlack pepper, freshly ground (optional)
3 LWater, for boiling and mostly discarded

Equipment

stovetop, large pot, colander, skillet, tongs, knife, cutting board, measuring spoons, ladle, wooden spoon, serving bowls, spoon

Instructions

Prepare Ingredients
Gather and measure all ingredients, then set out a large pot, colander, skillet, tongs, knife, board, measuring spoons, and ladle. · 10 min
What to look for: All ingredients are measured and tools are within reach.
Boil Water
Bring 3 l water to a rolling boil in the large pot, add salt, then stir in spaghetti until the strands soften and submerge. · 10 min
What to look for: The water boils strongly before the pasta goes in.
Sizzle Savory Base
Warm olive oil in the skillet, add garlic, chilli, and anchovy, then cook gently until the garlic is pale gold and anchovy melts. · 4 min
What to look for: The garlic is lightly golden and the anchovy has dissolved into the oil.
Simmer Tomato Sauce
Simmer tomato, black olive, caper, and black pepper in the skillet until the sauce looks glossy and slightly thickened. · 10 min
What to look for: The tomato reduces slightly and the oil shines at the edges.
Cook Spaghetti
Boil spaghetti in the salted water until 1 minute shy of tender, stirring often so the pasta stays loose and cooks evenly. · 9 min
What to look for: The spaghetti bends easily but still has a firm center.
Toss Pasta
Transfer spaghetti to the skillet, toss over medium heat, and loosen with a splash of pasta water until the sauce coats every strand. · 2 min
What to look for: The sauce clings evenly to the spaghetti with no watery pool.
Serve Hot
Serve immediately in warm bowls, spooning any olives, capers, and tomato over the top for the classic salty finish. · 2 min
What to look for: Each bowl has glossy strands with visible olives and capers.

Nutrition (per serving)

kcal	560
Protein	17 g
Carbohydrates	87 g
of which sugars	8 g
Fat	17 g
of which saturated	3 g
Fibre	7 g
Sodium	1627 mg

Nutri-ScoreB

Allergens

Contains: gluten, fish

Storage and reheating

Fridge: up to 3 days
Freezer: yes, up to 1 months
Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water until hot throughout.

Ingredient substitutions

Spaghetti

Durum wheat spaghetti: Use the same weight and cook just shy of tender.

Tomato

Fresh tomato: Chop finely and simmer a little longer until saucy.

Black olive

Gaeta olive: A traditional dark olive choice with a deep briny flavor.

Caper

Salt packed caper: Rinse well before using so the sauce stays balanced.

Anchovy

Salt packed anchovy: Rinse and pat dry before chopping.

Garlic

Young garlic: Use the same weight for a slightly gentler garlic bite.