Vegan Puttanesca

This vegan puttanesca recipe is a quick, classic Italian pasta dish made gluten-free and without anchovies. It makes an easy dinner idea on a busy weeknight.

This vegan puttanesca recipe requires 10 ingredients and less 30 minutes to make. This is about the time it takes to cook the pasta! And you probably already have some of these ingredients in your pantry.

I don’t know about you, but these are certainly my favorite kinds of pasta dishes. This pasta recipe serves two because it’s worth sharing!

Puttanesca originated from Naples, Italy. It’s believed to be the first dish to originate from that city. 

In Italian, puttanesca means “prostitute” or “ladies of the night”. So essentially, this dish is a “prostitute’s pasta”. Such a cheeky definition for such a delicious meal right?

Pasta puttanesca is traditionally made with a tomato-based sauce that’s flavored with garlic, olives, capers and anchovies.

But of course, since this recipe is vegan, the puttanesca sauce is made without anchovies while still filled with lots of flavor.

Key Ingredient Notes

Pasta

Spaghetti is most commonly used in puttanesca but you could also make this recipe with penne, linguine, bucatini, and vermicelli. I’ll be using gluten-free spaghetti.

Tomatoes

Using fresh tomatoes helps one stay true to traditional puttanesca but they don’t provide that deep, rich tomato flavor that I personally like from using slow-cooked tomatoes. Canned tomatoes give the sauce more flavor and texture. 

I used one can of whole tomatoes and crushed them to my desired texture. If you’d still like to use up some fresh tomatoes, you can pair them with a can of tomato puree to get both the flavor and texture.

Capers

Capers are small green flower buds typically packaged in a vinegar solution. The best way I can describe the flavor is tangy with a cross between an olive and a pickle. 

They have a pleasant, unique flavor but can make the dish salty if too much is used. You can also rinse them to remove some of the saltiness before using.

Black Gaeta Olives or Kalamata

Black Gaeta olives (originating from the Italian city, Gaeta) were traditionally used to make puttanesca. Black Gaeta olives are ripened on the tree before being picked. They are milder in flavor than green olives. 

These are different from the typical canned black olives that you find in the supermarket that sometimes have added coloring to make them appear black. They don’t have the best flavor so I would avoid using them in this dish. 

However, I did use green olives in this recipe since I had some on hand but feel free to use black Gaeta olives or Kalamata if you have some. Olives are also salty and can limit the need for additional salt in the recipe, especially when paired with capers.

Garlic

This pasta recipe uses garlic and lots of it! I love the flavor of garlic but you can use more or less if you prefer.

Fresh is best for traditional puttanesca. The first step in making the sauce is infusing the oil with garlic so try to use fresh garlic for the best flavor. 

Fresh Parsley 

Fresh parsley gives the dish a mild herbaceous flavor; however, other variations of puttanesca have used oregano. I had some dried parsley so I used some instead.

Peperoncino

These are red chilli peppers. They add a pleasant spicy kick to puttanesca but are optional. I used dried chilli flakes in this recipe.

Liquid aminos

Anchovies are traditionally added to the dish to give it some umami or deep savory flavor. But you can still boost the umami flavor without the fishiness by adding liquid aminos or more capers and olives.

Liquid aminos is a gluten-free soy sauce alternative that I use in so many recipes. It elevates the flavor of many dishes but it is also salty so there’s no need for extra salt in the recipe. I used some along with a few more olives.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Place a pan on low heat and add 2 tbsp/30ml olive oil and 4 cloves of thinly sliced garlic. Allow the garlic to slowly infuse the oil. High heat will burn the garlic quickly.

2. Once the garlic starts to brown, add 12 olives, 2 tbsp/28g capers and ½ tsp/1g red chilli flakes. Continue to infuse the oil with these flavors on low heat for about 3 minutes.

3. Stir in 2 tsp/10ml liquid aminos and 1 can (14oz/400g) of whole tomatoes that is crushed with a fork or your hands to your desired texture. Increase the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Add fresh or dried parsley and black pepper to taste (optional). Most of the ingredients are salty so there might be no need for added salt. But taste the sauce and add some if it better suits your taste.

5. Add 6oz/170g cooked and drained gluten-free spaghetti. Gently toss in the sauce to coat completely.

6. Remove from heat and serve immediately. You can garnish with extra parsley and olive oil for more flavor.
If you need a side dish, try these Vegan Garlic Knots.

Freezing and Reheating

You can definitely freeze puttanesca sauce if you’d like to make a large batch for later. It can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container. 

You can also use a freezer-safe bag. Fill the bag and lay it flat on a baking tray until it’s completely frozen. This makes it easier to store. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
You can reheat puttanesca sauce in a pan at medium-low heat.

More Pasta Recipes to Try

• Coconut Cream Pasta
• Vegan One Pot Pasta
• Easy Mushroom Alfredo
• Oil-free Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta
• Butternut Squash Ravioli

Vegan Puttanesca

5 from 7 votes

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Calories: 468kcal

Print Pin Rate

This vegan puttanesca recipe is a quick, classic Italian pasta dish made gluten-free and without anchovies. It makes an easy dinner idea on a busy weeknight.

Author: Jhanelle Golding

Baking Recipes: For more accuracy, use Metric measurements and measuring spoons.

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ 6 oz (170 g) gluten free spaghetti
• ▢ 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ▢ 12 pitted olives, black Gaeta, green or Kalamata
• ▢ 2 tbsp (30 g) capers
• ▢ 1 can (400 g) whole tomatoes, (14oz)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon (2 g) red chilli flakes, optional
• ▢ 2 teaspoon (10 ml) liquid aminos, optional
• ▢ 2 teaspoon (10 g) dried parsley, or a handful of fresh
• ▢ Salt and pepper, optional

Instructions

• Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.
  6 oz (170 g) gluten free spaghetti
• Place a pan on low heat and add olive oil and sliced garlic. Allow the garlic to slowly infuse the oil. High heat will burn the garlic quickly.
  2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil ,4 garlic cloves
• Once the garlic starts to brown, add olives, capers and red chilli flakes. Continue to infuse the oil with these flavours on low heat for about 3 minutes.
  12 pitted olives ,2 tbsp (30 g) capers ,½ teaspoon (2 g) red chilli flakes
• Add the whole tomatoes to a bowl and crush with a fork or your hands to your desired texture. Add to the pan with the liquid aminos. Give it a stir and increase the heat to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  1 can (400 g) whole tomatoes ,2 teaspoon (10 ml) liquid aminos
• Add fresh or dried parsley and black pepper to taste (optional). Most of the ingredients are salty so there might be no need for added salt. But taste the sauce and add some if it better suits your taste.
  2 teaspoon (10 g) dried parsley ,Salt and pepper
• Add cooked and drained gluten free spaghetti. Gently toss in the sauce to coat completely.
• Remove from heat and serve immediately. You can garnish with extra parsley and olive oil for more flavour.

Notes

• Use more or less garlic to your liking.
• Liquid aminos adds some umami flavour to the sauce but you could also add extra olives and capers.
• Try these other vegan pasta recipes: Coconut Cream Pasta, Vegan One Pot Pasta, Easy Mushroom Alfredo.

Tried this recipe? Upload a photo in the comments below!If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a rating. It really helps the blog.

Nutrition

Calories: 468kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 972mg | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 243IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian