Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
A weeknight-friendly seafood built around spaghetti, anchovy fillets and crushed tomatoes — roughly 70 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for pan and large pot. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's pescatarian — fish but no meat.
What you'll need
Shopping list (6)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: contains fish or shellfish, no meat, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Gluten Dairy Fish
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil and cook the spaghetti until just shy of al dente, reserving a cup of the pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil and butter in a wide pan over medium-low heat, add the sliced garlic, crumbled chile and anchovy fillets and stir for 2 to 3 minutes until the anchovies melt into the oil and the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, olives and capers, then simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes until it thickens and the flavours come together.
- Season the sauce with black pepper and only a little salt if needed, as the anchovies, olives and capers are already salty.
- Add the drained spaghetti to the pan along with a splash of the reserved pasta water and toss over medium heat for a minute or two so the sauce clings to every strand.
- Loosen with a little more pasta water if the sauce looks dry, then stir through the chopped parsley.
- Serve immediately in warm bowls with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil over the top.
You'll use: Pan · Large pot · Saucepan
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
Tips & common questions
How long does Spaghetti alla Puttanesca take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 12 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Spaghetti alla Puttanesca - detail.JPG by Kaifredriksen, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.