This vegan puttanesca pasta sauce without anchovies is full of bold, briny flavor. It’s a delicious and hearty plant-based version of a classic, Italian-inspired dish. This sauce has no shortage of flavor, thanks to generous amounts of capers and olives in the sauce. Give this a try if you’re looking for plant-based sauce recipes, like this simple lemon herb sauce, which is another tasty option.
How to Make Puttanesca Sauce Without Anchovies
Start by sautéing some garlic in a bit of extra virgin olive oil in a large pot on the stove. Don’t allow the garlic to brown, just give it a quick sauté to cook the garlic through.
Next you’ll add the strained tomatoes, dried oregano, and dried chilli flakes. You can substitute crushed tomatoes if you can’t find any strained tomatoes (I like the strained tomatoes sold in glass jars that are made with Italian tomatoes).
You could also substitute fresh chopped tomatoes in this puttanesca sauce without anchovies. Just chop them up and toss them in the pot. You could also use a combination of fresh and canned tomatoes.
When the sauce is almost done simmering, you’ll add the olives and capers so they’ll have enough time to warm through and thoroughly flavor the sauce, but not so much time that they disintegrate.
Any type of olives work well in this vegan puttanesca sauce without anchovies, but the bigger the better. I used Kalamata olives this time and cut them in quarters, leaving them nice and chunky.
The capers add an extra layer of salty, briny flavor to this dish, so definitely don’t leave those out. Be sure to drain the capers before adding them to the sauce or the flavor of their brine will overpower the sauce.
Toss the sauce with any type of cooked pasta you like. The final touch that pulls this pasta dish together is a garnish of fresh herbs at the end. Either basil or parsley add a hit of freshness that goes nicely with the briny flavor of the capers and olives.
Puttanesca Sauce Without Anchovies Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups strained tomatoes (or substitute crushed tomatoes)
- 3/4 cup olives (pitted and cut in quarters)
- 1/4 cup capers (drained)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons fresh chopped garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
- Optional garnish: fresh basil or parsley
Instructions
- Add the extra virgin olive oil and garlic to a large pot on the stove and sauté on low heat for approximately one minute to cook the garlic.
- Add the strained tomatoes, oregano, and dried chilli flakes, then simmer on low heat, uncovered, for 25 minutes.
- Add the olives and capers and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
- Optional: garnish with fresh basil or parsley.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
Nutrition
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