Pantry Pasta Puttanesca

A bold and briny Italian pasta dish combining pantry staples like anchovies, capers, olives, and tuna with tomatoes and aromatics. This classic puttanesca sauce creates a quick and flavorful weeknight dinner.

4 servings
32 min

Ingredients

  • 1 lb linguine
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 14 oz diced tomatoes
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup capers
  • 6 fillets anchovy fillets
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  • cup Kalamata olives
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 6 oz oil-packed tuna

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid; return pasta to pot.

    10 min

  2. 2.

    While pasta cooks, pour tomatoes into a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. Shake to release as much juice as possible, then let tomatoes drain in sieve, collecting juices in bowl, until ready to use.

    5 min

  3. 3.

    Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large deep-sided skillet over medium-high. Add capers and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until they burst and are crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer capers to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving oil in skillet.

    3 min

  4. 4.

    Combine anchovies, tomato paste, and drained tomatoes in skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes begin to caramelize and anchovies start to break down, about 5 minutes. Add collected tomato juices, olives, oregano, and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add pasta, remaining 1/4 cup oil, and 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid to pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring and adding remaining 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid to loosen if needed, until sauce is thickened and emulsified, about 2 minutes. Flake tuna into pasta and toss to combine.

    12 min

  5. 5.

    Divide pasta among plates. Top with fried capers.

    2 min