Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

  • 5MINS
  • 15MINS
  • Serves 4
  • 368KCAL

Our slimming friendly Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is better than a shop bought version and great if you're calorie counting or following Weight Watchers!

  • Batch Cook pinchofnom.com
  • Dairy Free pinchofnom.com
  • Everyday Light pinchofnom.com
Easy Peasy Spaghetti alla Puttanesca pinchofnom.com
4

NutritionPer Serving

  • Calories368
  • Carbs72g
  • Protein14g
  • Fat5g
  • Saturates1g
  • Sugars6g

For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card below. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff in the blurb!

Our slimming friendly Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is much better than a shop bought version and it’s great if you’re counting calories or following a plan like Weight Watchers.

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is one of the THE most classic pasta dishes and is full of flavour!

Some people are a little squeamish about using anchovies or think that they taste really fishy, but we promise they don’t in this recipe! They add an amazing depth of flavour to the sauce and a really savoury saltiness.

There’s no need to use a whole can of anchovies for this sauce and any you don’t use can be frozen. You could even make a double batch of sauce and freeze it for use at a later date.

What diets is this Spaghetti alla Puttanesca suitable for?

This Spaghetti alla Puttanesca recipe is suitable for dairy free diets.

It can be made gluten free as long as you swap out the following ingredients for gluten free versions;

  • Dried spaghetti

This recipe can easily be made vegetarian and vegan by omitting the anchovies and adding an extra pinch of salt.

Please make sure to double or triple check all of your ingredients if you’re cooking for people with allergies.

Do you need any special ingredients to make Spaghetti alla Puttanesca?

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Our Spaghetti alla Puttanesca really just needs a few kitchen basics.

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How many calories are in this Spaghetti alla Puttanesca?

There are 368 calories per portion in this Spaghetti alla Puttanesca, which means it falls into our Everyday Light category.

This Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is perfect if you’re following a calorie controlled diet, and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.

As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.

Step 1

Cook the spaghetti according to the instructions on the packet.

Step 2

Meanwhile, finely slice the garlic, chilli and olives. You can remove the seeds of the chilli if you prefer it less spicy. Roughly chop the capers and anchovies (omit the anchovies if vegetarian/vegan).

Step 3

Spray a saucepan with low calorie cooking spray and cook the garlic and chilli on a moderate heat until just starting to brown.

Step 4

Add the anchovies and capers to the saucepan and cook for a further minute. Add the canned tomatoes and olives and mix to fully combine.

Step 5

Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Serve immediately while piping hot!

What could I serve with this Spaghetti alla Puttanesca?

Our Spaghetti alla Puttanesca works really well when served with the following starter, accompaniment and dessert:

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How do you know when Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is cooked?

You’ll need to cook the spaghetti for this recipe according to the instructions on the packet and then mix the sauce until the ingredients are all fully combined.

Standard advice here in the UK is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and stayed at that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep your family safe.

How long can you keep Spaghetti alla Puttanesca in the fridge?

Once you’ve put it out, ideally you should eat it within 4 hours.

If you allow any leftovers to cool, make sure to refrigerate in a container with a lid and chill. You can keep leftovers of Spaghetti alla Puttanesca in the fridge for approximately 3 days or so.

Can I freeze Spaghetti alla Puttanesca?

Yes you can! This recipe can be frozen, but please remember to do the following;

  • Freeze it as soon as it is cold enough.
  • Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing.

Don’t forget to add a label with what it is, and on what date you put it in the freezer!

How do I reheat Spaghetti alla Puttanesca?

From chilled: Place in a microwave proof container with loosely fitting lid and heat for 4-7 minutes until piping hot.

From frozen: Allow to defrost, and heat covered in the microwave for 3-5 minutes then stir. Cook for a further 5-7 minutes until piping hot.

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Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Our slimming friendly Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is better than a shop bought version and great if you're calorie counting or following Weight Watchers!
  • Prep Time
    5 MINS
  • Cook Time
    15 MINS
  • KCals 368
  • Carbs 72G

Ingredients

  • 350 grams dried spaghetti
  • 8 whole black olives in brine
  • 2 tbsp capers in brine
  • 25 grams canned anchovies omit if vegetarian/vegan
  • 400 grams canned cherry tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic large cloves!
  • 1 whole fresh red chilli
  • low calorie cooking spray

We use a fan assisted oven for all of our recipes. Check out our oven temperature conversion guide.

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Instructions

  1. Cook the spaghetti according to the instructions on the packet.
  2. Meanwhile, finely slice the garlic, chilli and olives. You can remove the seeds of the chilli if you prefer it less spicy. Roughly chop the capers and anchovies (omit the anchovies if vegetarian/vegan).
  3. Spray a saucepan with low calorie cooking spray and cook the garlic and chilli on a moderate heat until just starting to brown.
  4. Add the anchovies and capers to the saucepan and cook for a further minute. Add the canned tomatoes and olives and mix to fully combine.
  5. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Serve immediately while piping hot!

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11 comments

See what others have to say

Julie DuffyTuesday 23rd June 2020

So simple and full of flavour.

Reply

    Holly LevellTuesday 23rd June 2020

    Hi Julie, so glad you enjoyed the Spaghetti alla Puttanesca!

    Reply

EmmaSunday 23rd February 2020

Hi when exactly do you use the tomatoes as I can’t see it on the method, plus I’ve never heard of tinned cherry tomatoes if I can’t get them what would be the best replacement.

Reply

    LisaWednesday 6th May 2020

    Hi Emma, the tomatoes are added in step 4. If you can’t find the cherry tomatoes, you could use a tin of normal chopped tomatoes, or use some fresh cherry tomatoes halved and add a little water to help make the sauce.

    Reply

Linda ReillyThursday 8th August 2019

Another great recipe liked it so much ingredients now in cupboard to do it again next week.

Reply

    Emma TMonday 23rd September 2019

    So glad you enjoyed it!

    Reply

Joan WilshawTuesday 6th August 2019

How can I convert this into vegetarian versions?
Many thanks

Reply

    Emma TTuesday 24th September 2019

    Hi Joan,

    You could just need to leave the anchovies out – perhaps add some extra seasoning to compensate as anchovies add a salty flavour ????

    Reply

Linda ReillyFriday 2nd August 2019

Hi there, look forward to trying this but realised I don’t have tinned cherry tomatoes although I do have fresh ones. Also if I did have the tinned toms, would the liquid need to be drained or does this form part of the sauce? Look forward to hearing from you. PS albeit I cook a lot I have never used tinned cherry toms so not sure if there is a lot of liquid.

Reply

    Emma TTuesday 24th September 2019

    Hi Linda,

    With the tinned cherry tomatoes, you’d use the whole tin, juice and tomatoes. If using fresh tomatoes, you may need to add a little water to them to make some extra sauce to coat the pasta ????

    Reply

AnnWednesday 8th August 2018

Fabulous recipe – I should have removed the chilli seeds (my bad not yours) however you omitted when to add the olives so I chucked them in with tomatoes … delicious with wholewheat spaghetti. Thanks for this recipe & your website – a real boon for those of us following SW (2 and a half stone down – more to go) and PoN contributions make healthy eating a pleasure … keep on cooking & posting ????

Reply

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