Easy Tuna Puttanesca Spaghetti
Easy Tuna Puttanesca Spaghetti
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This easy Tuna Puttanesca Spaghetti is a bold, flavorful Italian pasta dish that comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Made with pantry staples like canned tuna, anchovies, briny olives, capers, garlic, and tomatoes, this hearty pasta delivers big Mediterranean flavor with very little effort.
Traditional pasta alla puttanesca is known for its rich tomato sauce and salty, savory ingredients. Its origins are surrounded by an intriguing story, with one popular legend claiming the sauce was created by Italian prostitutes to attract customers with its irresistible aroma. Whether that story is true or not, there’s no denying the appeal of this classic Italian dish!
I love how easily this tuna puttanesca comes together in one deep sauté pan. Tossed with spaghetti and coated in a robust, savory sauce, it’s an easy Italian dinner that proves you don’t need complicated ingredients to make a delicious meal. Keep this quick tuna pasta recipe handy for those nights when you want something satisfying, flavorful, and a little different from your usual pasta dinner.
Things to Know About This Easy Tuna Puttanesca Spaghetti Recipe
Choose your favorite pasta. I used spaghetti for this tuna puttanesca, but you can use any pasta you like. Linguine, bucatini, penne, and rigatoni all work well. Long pasta is wonderful for twirling with the savory tomato sauce, while short pasta catches little pieces of tuna, olives, and capers.
Save your pasta water. Before draining the pasta, reserve a cup of the starchy cooking water. If the sauce seems too thick or dry, add a splash at a time until everything comes together. The starch helps emulsify the sauce, giving it a silky consistency that clings beautifully to the spaghetti.
Use good-quality olives. I chose Kalamata olives because I love their bold, briny flavor. Growing up, my mother used olives from our family farm in Tuscany. She cured them the traditional way, soaking them in a saltwater solution and changing the water every few days for weeks until the bitterness disappeared. They went from glossy purple olives to wrinkled, deeply flavorful ones, which she then marinated with olive oil, garlic, orange peel, and red pepper flakes. It was time-consuming, but the flavor was unforgettable!
That’s why I always say that good ingredients matter. In a simple sauce like puttanesca, quality olives add so much depth and bring all those salty, savory flavors together.
Make it your own. Traditional puttanesca gets its signature flavor from garlic, anchovies, olives, capers, and tomatoes. The tuna makes this version extra hearty and satisfying. you might also like my Italian pasta recipes.
More Italian Pasta Recipes to Try
If you love easy Italian pasta dinners, here are a few more favorites to add to your dinner rotation!
- Spicy Lobster Spaghetti – Spaghetti tossed with tender lobster in a bold, garlicky tomato sauce with a little heat for a restaurant-worthy seafood pasta dinner.
- Spicy Pasta alla Norcina – A comforting Italian pasta made with spicy Italian sausage and a creamy Pecorino Romano sauce.
- Mushroom Bolognese Bucatini – A hearty, savory mushroom-based Bolognese tossed with thick bucatini for a delicious meatless twist on a classic Italian sauce.
- Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Orzo – Creamy orzo with roasted butternut squash, fresh sage, spinach, and Parmesan for a cozy Italian-inspired dinner.
- Carbonara – A traditional Italian pasta with eggs, Pecorino Romano, cured pork, and freshly cracked black pepper, without a drop of cream.
How to Store Tuna Puttanesca Spaghetti
Refrigerator: Store leftover tuna puttanesca spaghetti in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Warm leftovers gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce. You can also microwave individual portions, stirring halfway through.
Freezing: You can freeze the tuna puttanesca sauce separately in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently. For the best texture, cook fresh pasta when you’re ready to serve.
I hope you give this easy Tuna Puttanesca Spaghetti a try! You know the part I love most? Hearing from you. Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think. And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram when you make it. I love seeing your creations!
Easy Tuna Puttanesca Spaghetti
Ingredients
- ½ lb Spaghetti
- 1 small chopped onion
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 2 cans albacore tuna in olive oil
- ½ cup capers
- 1 cup chopped kalamata olives
- 15 oz can chopped tomatoes
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 1 tbsp each chopped Italian parsley, basil, thyme and red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions reserving 1 cup pasta water
- Mean while prepare your sauce by heating oil in a large deep saute pan, add onion and garlic, cook until tender and just beginning to brown
- Add the anchovy fillets stir until anchovies disintegrate, then add both cans of tomatoes not drained and reserved pasta water.
- Simmer covered for 20 minutes, add the Tuna, olives, spinach, capers, red pepper flecks and herbs, simmer 10 minutes longer
- Always salt and pepper to taste
- Toss with the drained spaghetti pasta
Notes
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