Name: Classic Linguine Alla Puttanesca
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb linguine; 2 tablespoon olive oil; 6 cloves garlic, sliced; 8 anchovy filets, chopped; 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper; 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved; 3 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 cup white wine; ¼ cup chopped kalamata olives; ¼ cup chopped castelvetrano olives; 3 tablespoon capers; 1 teaspoon salt

This classic recipe hits exactly like you'd expect: light, refreshing, and absolutely delicious. Classic Linguine Alla Puttanesca will always be a household favorite and it's done in under 30 minutes!

Linguine puttanesca topped with olives and capers in a bowl.

Looking for more classic Italian pasta? Try ourAuthentic Bologneseor short rib ragu!

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

Puttana or Puttanesca?

Linguine alla Puttanesca comes from the Italian word "puttana" loosely translating to "whore." There are a bunch of explanations that have to do with prostitutes; like the girls would cook it in between seeing different men, use the aroma to lure men into the brothel, or cook it for men in between sexcapades.

I have to say, these feel like weak explanations all created by some guy who got caught seeing a prostitute by his wife. Imagine the guy talking to his wife, "I swear, I never would have gone into the woman's house, but sweetheart the smell of the sauce was unbelievable. Once I was in there what was I going to do, insult her?" It just doesn't add up to me.

These old wives' tales may be true. Who am I to say? But there are always stories about these old Italian meals like Mussels Fra Diavoloor Italian Lentils. We're always left with a delicious recipe though!

Ingredients Notes and Substitutions

Crushed Red Pepper. You could substitute a teaspoon of calabrian peppers. Either will spice up your dish.
Anchovies. These are a necessary part of the recipe! BUT if you have to leave them out, you can.
Cherry Tomatoes. I always use cherry tomatoes instead of grape tomatoes. I find that they break down to a sauce a lot easier. You can substitute grape tomatoes if necessary. A lot of puttanesca recipes use crushed tomatoes but I like that cherry tomatoes make for a lighter sauce.
Olives. I went with castelvetrano and kalamata, but you can pick whatever olives you want. Manzanillo olives can work.

*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.

How to Make Puttanesca Sauce

Linguine alla puttanesca is done in under 30 minutes and is really easy to master. Puttanesca can be the perfect late-night meal or side dish for dinner to serve with Italian Chicken Cutletsor Cast Iron Boneless Pork Chops

Garlic and crushed red pepper sauteing in a pan.

Step 1: Heat a frying pan to medium heat. Add the olive oil. Once the olive oil is shimmering, add garlic and crushed red pepper. Saute both for 1 minute.

Anchovies combined with garlic in a pan.

Step 2: Add chopped anchovies and stir frequently for another 2 minutes. The anchovies will start to break down in the olive oil.

Cherry tomatoes breaking down with garlic in a pan.

Step 3: Add in halved cherry tomatoes and tomato paste and stir frequently for about 5 minutes. Let the tomatoes start to break down on their own before you break them with a spoon. Then, add the white wine and bring it to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. While the wine is simmering, bring your pot of water to a boil and start boiling your pasta.

Step 4: Stir in the capers, olives, and salt. Add a ¼ cup of the pasta water while the pasta is cooking.

Pasta combined with puttanesca sauce in pan.

Step 5: Strain the pasta and transfer it to the saucepan. Stir to finish cooking the pasta in the sauce and allow it to soak up some of the sauce.

I love this classic linguine alla puttanesca because it's a light sauce with a complex flavor that you can enjoy in the winter or the summer. It's unbelievably simple but that is the amazing thing about Italian food. The simplicity of high-quality ingredients is what makes Italian food so good. Good olive oil, fresh garlic, and anchovies make this easy recipe taste unbelievable.

Great quick seafood pasta recipes like linguine alla puttanesca or Creamy Pesto Shrimp Pasta are perfect for weeknight meals and can be served alongside a simple recipe like Classic Pork Chop Milanese or Chicken Spiedini.

Pro-Tips

Develop the tomato paste flavor by allowing it to sit in the saucepan and caramelize before mixing it with the cherry tomatoes. It adds an intense aroma and flavor of tomato that adds wonders to any dish.
Allow the cherry tomatoes to break down on their own without crushing them so that you know when the tomato wall starts to break down.
The anchovies will melt into the sauce. Don't worry about too much about them being part of the sauce.
Make sure to add pasta water while the sauce is cooking. The starch in the pasta water will make it easier for the sauce to stick to the pasta.

Recipe FAQs

Will I taste the anchovies in puttanesca?

No. You will taste the salt and it will make the sauce a little more savory. The capers and the anchovies will only accentuate the tomato flavor in the pasta.

How to reheat puttanesca?

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat with olive oil on the stove on medium heat.

What does puttanesca mean in Italian?

"In the style of the whore" is the best translation. Basically, it's thought that this recipe was made by prostitutes for their patrons in Old Italy.