This tuna puttanesca brings together spaghetti and a chunky tomato sauce with savory tuna, briny olives and capers, garlic, and anchovies. Crushed red pepper adds a little heat, while fresh parsley gives the finished sauce a bright note.
The sauce and pasta cook side by side, so you can bring them together while both are ready. A splash of reserved pasta water helps the sauce cling to the spaghetti without losing its hearty texture.
Build a savory tomato sauce
Finely chopped anchovies melt into warm olive oil with the garlic and crushed red pepper, laying a savory, gently spicy base for the tomatoes. Stir as they cook so the garlic becomes fragrant without browning; browned garlic can make the sauce taste bitter.
Hand-crushed whole peeled tomatoes bring varied pieces and plenty of juice, giving this sauce its chunky texture. Kalamata olives and drained capers add concentrated briny flavor. Simmer the mixture uncovered, stirring occasionally, so the flavors come together while the sauce reduces. Taste before adding more salt: olives, capers, and anchovies are already salty, and their intensity varies. Black pepper rounds out the seasoning.
Coordinate the pasta and sauce
Keep the pot of salted water ready while the sauce gets started. Begin cooking the spaghetti when the sauce begins its simmer, as the recipe note directs, so the two are ready to combine around the same time. Follow the recipe card for the pasta’s cooking time and check for an al dente texture.
Before draining, reserve the pasta water called for on the recipe card. Its starch helps loosen the sauce and helps it coat the spaghetti. Drain the noodles rather than rinsing them, then add them to the skillet. If the sauce feels too thick to toss easily, add reserved pasta water a splash at a time.
Keep the tuna in large flakes
Add the drained tuna after the spaghetti joins the sauce. Break it gently into large flakes as you toss everything over low heat; vigorous stirring can turn the tuna into small crumbs and make the pasta feel less substantial. The goal is to distribute the tuna while keeping distinct pieces in the finished dish.
Stir in the chopped parsley at the end. Its fresh, leafy flavor balances the deep tomato and briny ingredients. Toss until the spaghetti is coated and the tuna is warmed through, using a little reserved pasta water if needed for a cohesive sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why reserve pasta water for the sauce?
Reserved pasta water gives you a way to loosen the thick tomato sauce as you toss it with the spaghetti. Add only a splash at a time so the sauce coats the noodles while staying chunky.
How can I keep the tuna from breaking apart too much?
Drain the tuna, add it after the spaghetti, and fold it through gently over low heat. Break it into large flakes instead of stirring forcefully; this keeps noticeable pieces in the finished pasta.
How do I keep the garlic from tasting bitter?
Cook the minced garlic with the anchovies and crushed red pepper over medium heat, stirring until fragrant. Watch it closely and avoid letting it brown before you stir in the tomatoes.
Tuna Puttanesca with Olives and Capers
Course: Main CourseCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes13
minutes530
kcal18
minutesSpaghetti is coated in a chunky tomato sauce with tuna, briny olives, capers, garlic, and anchovies. Red pepper and parsley round out the puttanesca-style sauce.
Ingredients
- Pasta
12 oz spaghetti
1 tbsp kosher salt, for the pasta water
1/2 cup reserved pasta water, as needed
- Sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
3 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand with their juices
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
2 tbsp capers, drained
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cans (5 oz each) tuna packed in olive oil, drained
- To finish
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the salt. Keep the pot ready while you start the sauce.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the anchovies, garlic, and crushed red pepper; cook for 1 minute, stirring, until the anchovies begin to break down and the garlic is fragrant.
- Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, olives, capers, salt, and black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 11 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the sauce simmers, cook the spaghetti in the boiling water for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Add the tuna and drained spaghetti to the skillet. Gently break the tuna into large flakes and toss everything over low heat for 1 minute, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce needs loosening. Stir in the parsley and serve.
Notes
- Start the spaghetti when the sauce begins its 11-minute simmer; the pasta and sauce cook at the same time.
