Blond Puttanesca (Linguine With Tuna, Arugula and Capers) Recipe (2024)

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EugeniaH

I made this with all the bells and whistles - green castelverano olives, panko with grated lemon rind, fresh cherry tomatoes, lemon wedges. Awesome!

KRB

THis was good and I'm going to try it again with a little tinkering. Between the anchovies and the capers, this ends up very salty. I'd go lighter on the salt in the pasta water than you would normally do.

Olga

Buonissima ricetta! Pasta always needs salted water to taste delicious. Use less of the salted pasta water, and less anchovies and capers if concerned with too salty a flavour....in fact 10 anchovies (better to use the ones packed in olive oil, and not the brined ones), and the 3 tabs capers are quite a lot. Rinsing well the salt from the capers is very important. Ciao from Tuscany!

Steve

Pet peeve: Pasta comes in 16 oz. boxes. But this recipe calls for 12 oz. of pasta. Pain in the next to either measure out 3/4 of the box contenets or adjust other ingedients upward. So I’m starting a grass-roots movement to advocate for pasta recipes based on 16 oz. of pasta. To the barricades!!

NanceG

Ooooh, no comparison.The Italians poach the tuna in olive oil it’s pavked in, so it ends up being a very firm, solid, meaty mass.It isn’t like the pale-flavored, flakey, watery North American tuna which breaks down and practically disappears.When you use the oil-packed solid Italian tuna, you’ll have a nice bit of texture and flavor in every bite.Don’t toss the oil from the jar!!It’s great for using in salad dressings or sautéeing a dish like this.

BC

I do think some amazing summer cherry tomatoes would make a very nice addition, to balance the saltiness.

melissa

This recipe delivered! Only change I might make next time, is add some white wine instead of water when sauteeing the garlic and I will definitely double the arugula or add it much later in the cooking process. It shrunk too much.

Gary

10 anchovies = 2.5 tsp

andrea

This came out fantastic! Easy, salty, briny, spicy. Just be careful with salt and taste as you go along. I used salt cured capers and even after rinsing them, they were salty enough that the pasta didn’t need any additional flaky salt. Lemon at the end is a must. Serve with a simple tomato salad with basil and boom. Dinner is done. Yum.

Peg

Made this last week and loved the flavors. However, the arugula was too limp. I would add it later, with the tuna, and gently fold in for a minute or two. I will definitely make it again!

Sue Chamberlain

A dish very similar to this was served in San Francisco in a very small neighborhood restaurant. One thing they added that was a great balancer “Golden Raisins”. I loved the dish and I’m glad to have this recipe to riff on.

huja

Great minds think alike, I suppose . . . I had a couple of Roma tomatoes that I skinned, seeded, and diced that I mixed in the last step to add a little freshness and color to the dish. I'm avoiding refined carbs these days so it was whole wheat spaghetti in my recipe. This works out great because the whole wheat pasta pairs well with big, flavorful sauces. I'd make this recipe again.

Barbara G

I used spiral vegetables instead of pasta! Yumzy

Nina

This was great, and I followed it to a T, except for adding parsley. One thought though, maybe add pine nuts instead of panko. I think the crunchy, nutty flavor would be a great addition! :-)

NJ resident

This is tasty with canned Italian tuna but what if you don't have any? Use canned Alaskan salmon instead. I've made it with pink and sockeye and they are both delish, especially with chopped green olives and some thinly sliced celery (don't cook it and add at the end and toss with hot pasta). I usually add additional olive oil to taste.

LW

This recipe ended up being a disaster. I assumed when the recipe said it made 12 muffins that it made 12 standard muffins, so I used most of the batter. I used a ladle to put batter into the muffin tin, and was hard to know how much 3 oz was. I did not use muffin cup liners because of heating the pan and melting the butter. Unfortunately, the muffins overflowed the rim, making a nice muffin top, but also making them impossible to get them out of the pan. They all came out in pieces.

keep it classy san diego

Blah. Followed the recipe with all reasonable suggestions; arugula same time as tuna, olives and toasted panko with lemon zest topping. Classic puttanesca is MUCH better.

Jill

I already made this before seeing this recipe. However, I use canned salmon. It's very simple and good for an easy weeknight meal.

Alice

This has become a favorite in our household. Unusual mix of flavors, simple to make, and VERY tasty. Followed the recipe w/o any substitutions. Perfect.

Davis

Replace arugula with spinach

Lee

Amazing. Extra capers, lemon juice

cc

Add lemon zest and possibly half a lemon squeeze

Davis

Wait on the pasta to cook before you start the sauce

Kristin

This recipe is nearly identical to one that has been on heavy rotation at my house for the past 15 years! I originally found it on the back of a box of linguine. Over time, it has evolved to feature kale instead of arugula and no anchovies but oil-cured black olives along with the capers. I couldn’t believe how my young children gobbled it down! It became known as “Tuna In-guine”. When we started using spinach linguine, it became “Tuna In-greeny”. By which name we still call it.

ossareh

This recipe is fantastic!! Followed it to a tee except rather than the canned tuna I bought tuna steak, chopped it into small cubes (1/8” a side), mixed with a bit of olive oil and black pepper, pre cooked before adding to the dish. Served four perfectly with no left overs!

John

For two people, I cook 4 oz/125 grams of pasta (spaghetti, linguini or fettuccini work well with strands of arugula) in lightly salted water, 1 1/2 cloves garlic, 1 dried red pepper cut up, 2 anchovies, about 1 T capers, 2.5 oz arugula, 1 can (4.5 oz) tuna in oil (was too salty with more anchovies and capers, heavily salted water)

SEA

Great easy pasta dish. Next time I'll double the red pepper flake.

Spatchco*ck

Be sure to use Italian tuna packed in olive oil, it makes a HUGE difference in flavour.Be sure to use ALL the drained olive oil the tuna comes packed in to fry up your anchovies and garlic and become base of your sauce.Makes a HUGE difference in flavour.Only caveat ... there is some water that will be mixed in with your drained tuna oil, making it a bit messy as it pops while heating up. Be mindful, not to get any hot/popping oil in your skin or clothing.

Leney family notes

Only mark loves this

Oh The Saltiness!!!

Maybe 2 tsp of capers definitely less anchovies.. no need for added salt at the end either.. lemon on it was incredible. Arugula can be tripled! We added peas too. Will definitely do it again but tweak like crazy..x

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Blond Puttanesca (Linguine With Tuna, Arugula and Capers) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the meaning of puttanesca sauce? ›

It is an easy sauce, briefly cooked, and is very fragrant and spicy. Puttanesca translates as “in the style of the whor*.” The name derives from the Italian word puttana which means whor*. Puttana in turn arises from the Latin word putida which means stinking.

What are the ingredients of puttanesca? ›

Bold and comforting in the best way, puttanesca sauce is made of simple pantry staples including canned tomatoes, garlic, anchovies, olives and capers. Throw in some spaghetti for the perfect pasta puttanesca any night of the week!

What is the base of puttanesca sauce? ›

Garlic and herbs: In this pasta sauce recipe, fresh cloves of garlic are used to flavor the extra virgin olive oil. That garlicky oil is the base of your Puttanesca sauce. Tomatoes: When you have a traditional Italian recipe of very few ingredients, every one of them counts.

What does puttanesca sauce taste like? ›

Puttanesca sauce recipes will vary based on what ingredients are available on-hand, but traditionally, puttanesca sauce tastes salty from the olives and anchovies with a sweet kick from the tomatoes and oil. Puttanesca is a unique variation from traditional tomato sauces, but its flavor profile is hard to beat.

What does puttanesca taste like? ›

What Does Puttanesca Sauce Taste Like? Puttanesca sauce is very briny. If you're a fan of pickles, capers, and other vinegar based ingredients, you'll probably love Pasta Puttanesca. If you're not a fan of salty-acidic flavors, I wouldn't attempt this one.

What does puttanesca mean in Italian? ›

Puttanesca translates as “in the style of the whor*.” The name derives from the Italian word puttana which means whor*. Puttana in turn arises from the Latin word putida which means stinking.

What are capers and what do they taste like? ›

They are the green, unopened flower buds from the caper bush, Capparis spinosa. They have a fairly unique flavour and are preserved for use, usually in brine, so they're pretty salty and have a lemony flavour along with one like green olives.

Can you taste anchovies in puttanesca? ›

Recipe video above.

You don't need much salt in Puttanesca sauce because the olives, capers and anchovies provide the seasoning. Don't skip the anchovies – sauteeing it cooks out the fishy flavour and it just dissolves in the sauce, leaving behind savoury flavour you can't get from just plain salt.

Is puttanesca good for you? ›

Pasta Puttanesca is packed with tomato nutrition

Fresh and canned tomatoes improve health by reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer. Tomatoes are high in potassium which helps blunt the effect of sodium on blood pressure. So tomatoes lead to healthier blood pressure.

What does pasta puttanesca mean in English? ›

put·​ta·​nes·​ca ˌpü-tä-ˈne-skä : served with or being a pungent tomato sauce typically containing olives, garlic, capers, hot pepper, and sometimes anchovies.

How long does puttanesca sauce last in the fridge? ›

First courses:
Net280 g
AllergensMay contain traces of celery
StorageKeep in cool and dry, Refrigerate and consume within 5 days after opening
Shelf-life30 months

What is served with pasta in Italy? ›

Pasta is often served as a primo (first course), with a meat, seafood or vegetable course called a secondo coming after that. To do as the Italians do, try serving a smaller portion of pasta as a primo for an Italian-inspired dinner party, or as precursor to a meat, fish or vegetable main.

Do Italians eat pasta with olives? ›

Olives continue to play a key role in Italian cuisine today, gracing tables in tapenades, pasta dishes, salads, and even on their own as a snack or appetizer. With hundreds of olive varieties, the possibilities are endless, but we have to admit that our favourite place to see olives is in pasta sauce.

What kind of food is the Italian puttanesca? ›

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is a traditional Italian pasta from Naples that's quick to put together from pantry staples. If you have canned tomatoes, garlic, olives, anchovies and capers in your cupboard, you can knock out this simple but flavourful sauce in a flash.

What does spaghetti alla puttanesca taste like? ›

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca tastes like the most bold and intense tomato sauce you've ever tried. In addition two two kinds of tomatoes (paste and peeled whole canned), there are capers, anchovies, olives, and peppers going on as well. It is briny and acidic, garlicky and so very flavorful.

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