Puttanesca Pasta Salad
This Puttanesca Pasta Salad delivers all the bold, briny flavors of the classic Italian sauce in a versatile, make-ahead dish. Featuring olives, capers, anchovies, and juicy tomatoes, it’s a 30-minute recipe that’s perfect year-round and tastes even better as leftovers. Skip the mayo-heavy pasta salads and try this Mediterranean-inspired version instead.
Why We Love This Puttanesca Pasta Salad Recipe
Unlike traditional mayonnaise-based pasta salads, this puttanesca pasta salad relies on quality olive oil, red wine vinegar, and the natural juices from tomatoes to create a light yet intensely flavorful dressing. It manages to be both light and bright, yet full of flavor, with brininess from the olives and capers, umami from the anchovies, sweetness from the tomatoes, and a subtle heat from the chili flakes.
You can make this easy puttanesca-inspired pasta salad in less than 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights or feeding a crowd. The flavors actually improve as the salad sits, which means you can prepare it ahead of time—making it great for entertaining or meal prep.
Ingredients You Need
- Ziti Pasta: I like to use a tubular-shaped pasta for this pasta salad. You can use ziti or penne.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes provide sweet bursts of flavor and juice that help create the dressing!
- Kalamata Olives & Capers: Essential to the puttanesca flavor, kalamata olives and capers both lend a savory, briny flavor.
- Garlic: For a depth of savory flavor!
- Anchovies: Anchovy fillets are the secret flavor powerhouse of puttanesca! They dissolve into the dressing, leaving behind a savory umami depth without any fishiness. If you’re hesitant, start with just one fillet. You can also use anchovy paste if you prefer.
- Chili Flakes: For a subtle heat!
- Red Wine Vinegar: For a touch of acidity that cuts through the richness.
- Olive Oil: Use a high quality extra virgin olive oil for the best results.
- Fresh Parsley: Brings a fresh, herbaceous note that lightens the dish.
- Salt: To taste.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: Add shaved parmesan cheese on top, if desired.
How to Make Easy Puttanesca Pasta Salad
- Cook Pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti according to package instructions until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain, and drizzle a touch of olive oil so the pasta doesn’t stick, and set aside.
- Prep Dressing: In a bowl, smash the grated garlic with anchovy fillets. Add the chili flakes, capers, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. Whisk together until well combined.
- Add Additional Ingredients: Add cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, and toss to combine. Add the cooked pasta and fresh parsley and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
- Serve & Enjoy: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Garnish with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano. Serve immediately or let sit for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Tips for Success
- Don’t skip the smashing! Smashing the garlic and anchovies together creates a paste that distributes more evenly throughout the salad.
- While this salad can be served immediately, allowing it to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving allows the flavors to marry beautifully.
- Use high quality ingredients. Since there are relatively few ingredients in this puttanesca pasta salad recipe, using high-quality components—especially the olive oil, anchovies, and cheese—makes a noticeable difference.
- Adjust to taste. Puttanesca is known for its bold flavors, but feel free to adjust ingredient quantities to suit your preferences, particularly the anchovies and chili flakes.
Serving Suggestions
This versatile Puttanesca Pasta Salad works beautifully as a standalone lunch or light dinner, but it also pairs wonderfully with protein-based mains. Serve it alongside grilled chicken, seared fish, or even a simple steak for a complete meal.
For outdoor gatherings or picnics, this pasta salad is ideal as it tastes great at room temperature and doesn’t contain mayonnaise that might spoil in the heat. Present it in a large, shallow bowl with extra parsley and freshly shaved Parmigiano Reggiano on top!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Simply omit the anchovies and add an extra pinch of salt or some extra capers to compensate for the lost savory depth.
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this pasta salad will keep well for up to 3 days.
Puttanesca is an Italian tomato-based pasta sauce. It is known for it’s briny, umami flavor thanks to olives, capers and anchovies. Just like pasta puttanesca, this pasta salad features fresh tomatoes, olives, anchovies, capers, garlic and olive oil.
More Recipes to Try
- Acini di Pepe Tabouleh Salad
- Mushroom Soup with Acini di Pepe
- Chicken Orzo Yogurt Soup
- Zucchini Tuna Pasta with Lemon
Puttanesca Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 4-6 oz ziti pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives
- 1 garlic clove
- 2-3 anchovy fillets
- pinch of chili flakes
- 1 tbsp capers
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Parmigiano Reggiano for serving, shaved
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti according to package instructions until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain, and drizzle a touch of olive oil so the pasta doesn’t stick, and set aside.
- In a bowl, smash the grated garlic with anchovy fillets. Add the chili flakes, capers, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. Whisk together until well combined.
- Add cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, and toss to combine. Add the cooked pasta and fresh parsley and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Garnish with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano. Serve immediately or let sit for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Enjoy!