Description
This pasta puttanesca with charred tomatoes and olives is a vibrant and hearty weeknight meal that elevates a classic dish. It is surprisingly easy to make using pantry staples and delivers a delicious, satisfying taste.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or penne)
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
- 0.5 cup pitted and halved Kalamata olives (or black olives)
- 2 tbsp rinsed capers (or finely chopped dill pickles)
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 0.5 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 0.25 cup olive oil
- 0.25 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Parmesan cheese (optional), for serving
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Boil pasta according to package directions until al dente; reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining.
- Char Tomatoes: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cherry tomatoes and cook until blistered, slightly browned, and softened. Remove to a bowl.
- Build Flavor Base: Add remaining 2 tbsp olive oil to the skillet. Sauté minced garlic, red pepper flakes, capers, and olives until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes, and the garlic is golden.
- Simmer Sauce: Stir in the canned crushed tomatoes and reserved pasta water. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and let it gently bubble until the sauce thickens and flavors meld.
- Combine & Serve: Add the charred tomatoes back into the sauce. Toss the cooked pasta directly into the skillet with the puttanesca sauce. Garnish generously with fresh chopped parsley and optional Parmesan cheese.
Notes
To streamline cooking, prep all ingredients while pasta water comes to a boil. For extra speed, use pre-minced or frozen chopped garlic. For batch prep, double the sauce recipe and freeze half. If the sauce is too thick, stir in more reserved pasta water; if too thin, simmer uncovered for a few more minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 42 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups (280 g)
- Calories: 450 calories
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg