I can, and often do, eat pasta multiple times a week for dinner. It’s an endlessly versatile win in my household, no matter the night.
Most often, our pasta dinner is a pantry affair, likely because I forget to put much thought into it until we’re already hungry. That’s never a problem, though, since recipes like spaghetti aglio e olio and midnight pasta are built for this kind of use-what-you-have cooking.
Our most popular pasta recipe of all time leans into this sentiment, too, and it may not be exactly what you’d expect. It’s not a simple tomato-sauced pasta or a creamy pasta carbonara. Instead, it’s punchy pasta puttanesca, the Italian classic that’s just as humble and throw-together as it is worthy of date night.
Why Pasta Puttanesca Is a Forever Favorite
There are endless variations of pasta puttanesca, but they all roughly follow the same formula. The recipe originated in southern Italy and is a tomato sauce–based pasta that’s spicy from red pepper flakes and bold, briny, and savory thanks to anchovies, capers, and olives.
It’s such a winner because you may already have everything on hand to make it at this very moment (I know I do). Plus, our version comes together in less than 45 minutes.
It’s the ideal dinner to throw together when you’re tired but still want a flavor-packed meal that feels a little special.
Credit: Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
How To Make Pasta Puttanesca Your Own
While this recipe is pretty foolproof, like any good pantry recipe, it’s extremely flexible. Here are a few of the ways I like to play around with pasta puttanesca:
Swap the onion for a shallot, or skip it altogether if you’re out, and just throw another garlic clove or two into the pan.
Replace the capers with more olives, or skip the olives and increase the capers.
Stir in flaked tuna or sardines to make this pasta even heartier.
Short pasta shapes, like penne or rigatoni, work just as well as spaghetti or other long noodles.
Chopped fresh basil is a nice replacement for the parsley, if you have it.
What To Serve With Pasta Puttanesca
I like to keep it simple when thinking about sides for pasta puttanesca, since it’s already so flavorful. A quick green salad is ideal. Or make a side of sautéed spinach or broccoli rabe. Garlic bread is also undoubtedly a great choice. No matter what you choose, don’t sweat about it too much—this is a dinner to simply enjoy rather than overthink.
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Dining and Cooking