One Pot Pasta Puttanesca
Pasta is always a popular dinner option when you’re planning meals for your family. And with its delicious blend of tomatoes, olives, capers, and anchovies, this One Pot Pasta Puttanesca recipe is sure to be a popular dinner idea with everyone at the table. And on top of being delicious, the best part about this simple Italian dinner is that it can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer until you’re ready to cook.
One pot meals are a home cook’s best friend because they mean less dishes. Some of our favourites include One Pot Creamy Mushroom Chicken Pasta, One Pot Taco Spaghetti, and Easy One Pot Bolognese.
Pasta Puttanesca Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Anchovy paste
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 28 ounces San Marzano tomatoes, broken up with fingers
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 3 tablespoons capers
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 cups chicken broth
- Salt & pepper
Day of cooking:
- 1 pound spaghetti
- Fresh basil
- Parmesan cheese, grated
Assembly Instructions:
- Combine the olive oil, anchovy paste, garlic, tomatoes, kalamata olives, capers, red pepper flakes, chicken broth, salt, and pepper in a large resealable bag. Squeeze the ingredients together in the bag to mix, then remove excess air from the bag and seal it.
- Place the bag flat in the freezer until you’re ready to cook your pasta puttanesca dinner.
Cooking instructions:
- Transfer the puttanesca ingredients to the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
- When you’re ready to start cooking, pour the contents of the bag into a large skillet. Add the spaghetti noodles to the pan and cook over medium heat, bringing the mixture to a simmer.
- Continue to simmer the sauce for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through.
- Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil and shredded parmesan cheese before serving.
What is the Difference Between Puttanesca and Marinara Sauce?
While both red sauces are made with a tomato base, there are a few distinct differences between puttanesca sauce and marinara sauce. One of the biggest ingredients that makes puttanesca sauce stand out from the rest of the red Italian sauces is the inclusion of anchovies. Additionally, this savory and aromatic sauce also features Kalamata olives and capers to add even more flavor.
Can I Make Pasta Puttanesca Without Anchovies?
If you’re not a fan of anchovies, this recipe may not be for you. While you can leave the anchovy paste out of the sauce, it won’t have the classic puttanesca flavor. That’s because the anchovies are key ingredient in creating the unique flavor found in this traditional Italian sauce.
Pasta Puttanesca Recipe Ideas
This delicious pasta dinner is packed with flavor thanks to its delicious sauce. But that doesn’t mean you can’t change things up to take your dinner to the next level. Take a look at some of these recipe substitutions and additions to enhance this authentic pasta recipe.
- Try different types of pasta. The traditional pasta to use with puttanesca sauce is spaghetti. But you can change things up using different types of pasta if you want. Any long, thin noodle – like linguine or vermicelli – would pair well with this red sauce. You can even make this a gluten free dinner by using gluten free spaghetti noodles when preparing your dinner.
- Add some meat. Although authentic puttanesca sauce is prepared without meat, there’s no reason you can’t add a little more protein to your dinner! Both chicken and tuna are popular additions to this tomato-based sauce. Try adding cooked, shredded chicken or a drained can of tuna or salmon to the pot along with the other sauce ingredients.
- Mix in some cheese. There’s no reason you can’t add some cheese to round out your pasta dinner! In addition to parmesan cheese, you can also top your pasta with Romano or mozzarella cheese.
- Make it spicy. This sauce recipe starts out with 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, which adds a mild heat to the finished meal. But if you prefer to eat a spicy sauce, you can add even more red pepper to increase the heat.
How Do I Store Pasta Puttanesca?
Your family is going to love this amazing pasta dinner, so I’d be surprised if you have any leftovers! But if you do have a few extras when your meal is over, they should be kept in the refrigerator.
Transfer the pasta to an airtight container and keep it refrigerated for up to four days. To reheat the spaghetti, cook it in the microwave or in a skillet over medium low heat until the sauce and pasta is heated through.
What to Serve with Pasta Puttanesca?
This delicious one-pot meal is the perfect dinner all on its own. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some amazing side dishes that would pair perfectly with your red sauce and noodles. Try rounding out your meal with some of these side dish ideas.
- Garlic bread
- Italian side salad
- Breadsticks
- Bocconcini salad
- Focaccia
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp Anchovy paste
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 28 oz San Marzano tomatoes broken up
- ½ cup Kalamata olives pitted and halved
- 3 tsp capers
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 cups chicken broth
- salt & pepper
- 1 lb spaghetti
- fresh basil
- Parmesan cheese grated
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Combine the olive oil, anchovy paste, garlic, tomatoes, Kalamata olives, capers, red pepper flakes, chicken broth, salt, and pepper in a large resealable bag. Squish to combine, remove excess air from the bag, and seal it.
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Freeze.
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Thaw.
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When you’re ready to start cooking, pour the contents of the bag into a large skillet. Add the spaghetti noodles to the pan and cook over medium heat, bringing the mixture to a simmer.
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Continue to simmer the sauce for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through.
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Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil and shredded parmesan cheese before serving.
