We’ve been waiting to make this one for quite some time. Pasta alla Puttanesca – or Rigatoni alla Puttanesca in our case – is the classic Southern Italian dish with a questionable (if not offensive to some) name. Learn more about that here. Whether the history is rooted in fact or folklore doesn’t matter to us and neither does the pasta that you choose. We chose rigatoni because we love the way it eats up sauce and makes it easy to gather all of the flavors in one bite. Penne, bucatini, linguini, or spaghetti make great alternatives so use whatever you have on hand or whatever your heart desires. The bottom line is that this is an umami packed dish where the tomatoes tend to counteract the flavors brought in by the anchovies, capers, and olives.
Speaking of olives, we used Castelvetrano olives because we love their meatiness and they play well in this preparation. Gaeta, Kalamata, or other similar olives are probably a bit more traditional but alas we take creative liberties at times. Such is the beauty of cooking. If you’re looking for a different flavor profile than what you typically see – particularly in Italian restaurants in America – then we think this is a great one to try! Let’s get to it.
How to Make Rigatoni alla Puttanesca
This dish is quick enough for a weeknight meal as it only takes 25 minutes from prep to serving. With that said you’ll want to gather up the ingredients out front and have them prepped according to the recipe card below.
The first thing you’ll want to do after prepping is to get the pasta water seasoned with a generous amount of salt and onto the stove. Cook the pasta according to the instructions while preparing the sauce, reserving a cup of the salted pasta water for the end.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a saute pan over low/medium heat. Add the garlic, anchovies, and red pepper flakes, stirring occasionally until the garlic begins to take on color and the anchovies are melting, about 5 minutes. Avoid burning the garlic.
Add the capers, ¼ of the parsley, and the olives. Stir to combine and cook for another minute.
Add the tomatoes and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
When the pasta is just under al dente add to the saute pan. Add a few tablespoons of water and adjust heat to medium. Cook for another 2 – 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente.
Season with a small amount of black pepper and ½ of the remaining parsley, stirring to combine. Serve in bowls, garnishing with the remaining parsley. How easy, quick, and delicious was that? Throw this one into your “I’m looking for something different” rotation.
Equipment: Rigatoni alla Puttanesca
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For this Rigatoni alla Puttanesca recipe you will need just the basics: a saute pan, a pot for the pasta, and basic kitchen handhelds for cutting, stirring, and serving. If you’re in the market for some fresh cooking supplies check these recommendations out from your friends at FB (affiliate links):
If you liked that, try this…
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- Scallops Florentine over Pappardelle (for the seafood lover)
- Rigatoni San Giorgio (one of our favorites!)
- Zucchini Lasagna (for those looking for an alternative to pasta)
- Asparagus Mushroom Risotto (rich, decadent risotto)
- Homemade Pomodoro Sauce (your choice of pasta)
- Easy Homemade Vodka Sauce (your choice of pasta)
- Ragu Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms (hearty decadence without the pasta)
- Spaghetti Squash Cacio e Pepe (another pasta alternative dish)
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Rigatoni Alla Puttanesca
Equipment
- Saute Pan
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Rigatoni, or other pasta Can use long pasta such as spaghetti as well. We used dried pasta.
- 3 – 4 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 cloves Garlic, sliced very thin
- 1½ oz. Anchovies, drained and diced fine We used anchovies in oil from a tin. It was about ¾ of the tin.
- 1 tsp. Peperoncino flakes Or use crushed red pepper as available.
- 1 tbsp. Capers, drained and chopped
- 15 – 20 Castelvetrano Olives, pitted and halved
- 28 oz. San Marzano Tomatoes, chopped We used the full large size can.
- 1 handful Fresh Parsley, chopped
- Salt and Pepper, to taste We only used salt in the pasta water as many of the ingredients are salty and impart plenty of salt flavor to the dish.
Instructions
Prep the Ingredients
- Prep the ingredients out front.
Get the Pasta Going
- Generously salt a pot of water and heat to a boil. Cook pasta according to the package instructions but remove a minute or so before fully cooked. Reserve a cup of salted pasta water.
Make the Sauce
- Heat olive oil in a saute pan over low/medium heat. Add the garlic, anchovies, and red pepper flakes, stirring occasionally until the garlic begins to take on color and the anchovies are melting, about 5 minutes. Avoid burning the garlic.
- Add the capers, ¼ of the parsley, and the olives. Stir to combine and cook for another minute.
- Add the tomatoes and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
Combine the Pasta and Sauce
- When the pasta is just under al dente add to the saute pan. Add a few tablespoons of water and adjust heat to medium. Cook for another 2 – 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente.
- Season with a small amount of black pepper and ½ of the remaining parsley, stirring to combine. Serve in bowls, garnishing with the remaining parsley.
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