Pasta Puttanesca is a fabled Italian pasta dish made entirely with pantry ingredients like canned tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, olives --and anchovies. In this vegan Pasta Puttanesca I use two delicious ingredients that substitute perfectly for the anchovies, and no one will be able to tell the difference!
There is perhaps no pasta dish that teases and titillates a vegan cook's imagination as maddeningly as Pasta Puttanesca. Brazen and vibrant, this Italian classic, which literally translates to whore's pasta, appears at once attainable (all but one ingredient is vegan) and forbidding (darn those anchovies!).
Italian lore has it that Pasta Puttanesca was thus named because it was invented by prostitutes hoping to lure customers in with its rich aroma. Other versions attribute the sauce to the prostitutes' uber-busy lifestyles: they didn't have time to go shop for fresh ingredients, so they just threw together what was in the pantry.
Whatever its origins, Pasta Puttanesca is one of those dishes that, once you've had it, is impossible to forget (much like these two other dazzling pantry-ingredient pastas, Vegan Pasta e Fagioli and Vegan Penne alla Vodka).
In my pre-vegan days Pasta Puttanesca was one of the pasta dishes I cooked the most, but after going fish-free I didn't dare try it because it seemed close to impossible to find a vegan replacement for the anchovies. While it is easy enough to swap out fishy stuff in most dishes, the reason why it just seems that much harder with Pasta Puttanesca is that the anchovies and their peculiar saltiness melt into the sauce, forming a strong flavor base that ties together the rest of the ingredients, like the tomatoes, olives and garlic. Without the anchovies, in other words, you'd just be eating pasta in a tomato sauce with olives. And while that can be tasty enough, what's the big deal about it?
When I first shared this Vegan Pasta Puttanesca recipe with you back in 2011 (it was titled "Vegan Slut's Spaghetti at the time 😉 -- a saucy sobriquet first used by Nigella Lawson), I researched replacements for anchovies and came up with suggestions ranging from vegetarian Worcestershire sauce to capers, but neither seemed like they would replicate that oceany flavor and rich saltiness of the anchovies. Besides, puttanesca sauce recipes usually already contain capers.
Then, I had a small brainwave that sent me rushing to my pantry. I used two ingredients to replace the anchovies: seaweed, which brought to the sauce that fresh-ocean flavor, and tamari, which added a rich, deep, sweet saltiness.
My Vegan Pasta Puttanesca did not miss a flavor beat. It is perhaps the pasta dish that's most requested and cooked in my kitchen, and even little Jay has come to love it. I have updated the recipe, so I wanted to share it with you again, and to remind you once again that because you are vegan, there's really no need to miss out on your favorite recipes.
This is one to fall in love with. Enjoy, all!
Related recipes
- Vegan Pumpkin Spinach Lasagna
- Vegan Wild Mushroom Lasagna
- Pasta with Vegan Turnip Pesto
- Vegan Lentil and Pasta Salad
- Masala Pasta, Indian Street Style
- Pasta alla Norma
Vegan Pasta Puttanesca Recipe:
Recipe card
Vegan Pasta alla Puttanesca
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti (or any similar long pasta)
- 2 tablespoon nori (I crumpled up Nori sheets, put them in my blender, and processed them to a fine powder. A spice grinder might work even better.)
- 1 tablespoon tamari (use soy sauce if you don't have this)
- 28 oz canned San Marzano tomatoes (place in a bowl and crush whole tomatoes with fingers)
- 1 cup Kalamata olives (roughly chopped)
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ cup parsley (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoon capers
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste.
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the garlic and red pepper and toss until the garlic turns lightly golden.
- Add the powdered seaweed and stir for another minute.
- Add the tomatoes, olives, oregano, parsley, and capers. Cook over medium heat until the tomatoes release their juices and the juices start to thicken. If using canned tomatoes, cook for 15 minutes or until the sauce turns a deep red.
- Add the tamari and more salt, if needed. Season with ground black pepper.
- Add the pasta to the sauce, toss to coat, and turn off the heat. Garnish with more parsley if you like, and serve hot.
Nutrition Information
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Wiola says
Delicious, easy recipe. I cook it on a regular basis. Thanks Vaishali!
Daniela says
Really delicious. Not our usual go to flavors but this dish makes you come back for another bite, then another, and another. Thank you!
Sovery says
What a well-thought-out recipe! Thank you!
Stefan says
I make this recipe all the time and the nori trick is really something else. Good vegan option that I can use in other recipes if wanting that anchovy taste. Thank you for this wonderful recipe, sometimes I just have a hankerin' for a very briny meal
Els says
It's incredible how well the nori works! I think I wouldn't have tasted the difference if I hadn't made this myself.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Vaishali!
Vaishali says
Hi Els, so happy you enjoyed the puttanesca! Thanks for letting me know. The nori really does make all the difference. 🙂
Shambhavi Sahai says
Really enjoyed this recipe!! Skipped the nori, and it really hit the spot ??
Thank you ?
Vaishali says
Awesome, so happy to hear!
Tina W says
This looks soooo rich for a vegan recipe!
Rust says
Your recipe is really expanding my horizons! It sounds scrumptious and I will do my best to replicate!
Frederieke Seeger says
Dear Vaishali
Thank you for all your fantastic recipes, I live in Holland and have been vegan for 4 years now, and ne and my family love your creations! Thank you thank you thank you! Just made this for lunch since it is a hot day and your idea to use nouri turned out so great! Will make this more often.
Love,
Frederieke
Vaishali says
Hi Frederieke, so happy to hear, and thanks for your thoughtful and lovely comment.
Christine Lee says
Love pasta puttanesca.
Kimmy Ripley says
Cooking is my #1 passion in life and I would love to win these because my pots and pans are hand me downs!
Jennifer K says
Shared on Facebook!
My friend (who is vegetarian) just gifted me with a pasta maker! So excited to give this a try! I love using seaweed, and never thought to use it as a fish substitute! Love it!! Thank you.
Jeffrey says
This looks spectacular, a truly heart warming dish!
Prema says
Love many of your recipes and writing too.
Candy Gallaher says
Love the nori and tamari in the pasta putanesca. Gives it the depth in flavor to replace the anchovies. This is one of my favorite summer pastas, and this just makes it better! Thanks for sharing.
Mandy Sue Wolovich says
I can eat pasta any time of day and this looks so perfect. I am making this right away. You are a genius to use seaweed!
herbert hickey says
Hi Vaishali
So awesome to have a veg puttenesca. I used to have this at my parents house when I was younger and non-veg. I can't wait to try it.
Melanie Wicks says
Recipe is great.
Judee@gluten free A-Z Blog says
Love the addition of seaweed to the recipe,. I'm trying to use more seaweed in my cooking and I love your suggestion of blending it.. great looking recipe and photos
Roseanne says
I love adding seaweed for the "seafood-y" taste, but never tried putting it in pasta! Def want to try.
Ezra says
This looks great, it's really creative. I never would've thought to use nori like this. Sharing with friends 🙂
Eshika Roy says
I literally started having hunger pangs halfway through the post. It looks amazing and I bet it also tastes delicious too. It is the perfect dish to cook up in this rainy season. I can’t wait to try it . Looking forward to reading more delectable recipes in the upcoming posts.
Jean Horrall says
I love your blog.
Krithika says
Just pinned this! I've made this before following your recipe and it was delicious! I'd never heard of capers before I saw your recipe, and totally loved it. The tartness was spot on! This was a good reminder to make this again!
Tofu Cat says
Looking forward to trying this recipe.
Barbara Rote says
Looks delicious!
Angel Prichard says
Great recipe!! You've got my mouth watering... Can't wait to try it!!
Mario says
Finally! Vegan recipes where I can just go to the supermarket to get what I need.