Skip to main content

Spaghetti with No-Cook Puttanesca

4.9

(15)

A serving bowl of pasta with tomatoes olives and capers.
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Aneta Florczyk, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou

Tomato seeds and membranes can be a bit bitter, which is why we remove them from this uncooked preparation—it also prevents the sauce from being watery.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

2 beefsteak tomatoes (about 1 lb.), halved crosswise, seeds removed
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup Castelvetrano olives, crushed, pits removed
2 Tbsp. drained capers
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
12 oz. spaghetti
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pulse beefsteak tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, and 2 tsp. salt in a food processor until smooth; transfer sauce to a large bowl and mix in cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, and 1/4 cup oil.

    Step 2

    Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid.

    Step 3

    Add pasta, parsley, and butter to sauce. Toss vigorously with tongs, adding a splash of pasta cooking liquid or more as needed to create an emulsified sauce that coats pasta. Divide among bowls and drizzle with more oil.

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Do you need heavy cream to make fettuccine Alfredo? Debatable. Will it be delicious? Undeniable.
A go-to recipe for more than just pasta. Put it toward chicken, meatballs, and more.
In this wafu pasta recipe from author Sonoko Sakai, the only cooking involved is boiling spaghetti.
Greek yogurt, chili crisp, and spaghetti—that's the ingredient list.
A quick-fix dinner thanks to store-bought tortellini and chicken broth.
Gochujang creates a sauce that delivers the perfect balance of spice, tang, and sweetness.
“No one complains about it being vegan because they can’t tell the difference.”
With a heap of fresh produce and creamy sauce, this one-pot pasta endures for a reason.