My sauce is not creamy; it seems oily and separated. What happened?

This is the classic sign that you didn't use the hot, starchy pasta water, or you didn't toss the pasta vigorously enough. The pasta water is the essential emulsifier that binds the oil, butter, and melted cheese into a cohesive sauce. Add a few more splashes of the hot water and keep tossing!

Can I make a more traditional, authentic Pasta Puttanesca with this recipe?

Yes! For a more classic, savory flavor, finely mince 2 or 3 oil-packed anchovy fillets and mash them into the garlic-caper paste. Anchovies provide a huge, salty, umami kick that is characteristic of many traditional Puttanesca recipes.

What other pasta shapes work well with this sauce?

The light, chunky nature of this no-cook sauce is perfect for pasta shapes that can catch all the delicious bits. Besides bucatini and spaghetti, other great options include penne, fusilli, or rigatoni.

Pasta Puttanesca: The #1 Ultimate 15-Minute No-Cook Sauce Recipe

The Ultimate 15-Minute Pasta Puttanesca (A Fresh, No-Cook Sauce!)

A quick and fresh vegetarian pasta dish featuring a no-cook sauce with Mediterranean flavors. The recipe uses hot, freshly cooked bucatini or spaghetti to gently melt a mixture of room-temperature butter, finely chopped fresh mozzarella, diced tomatoes, olives, and basil. A pungent paste made from mashed garlic, capers, and red pepper flakes provides a bold flavor base. The dish comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta.

Author: Evelyn
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Main Course
Method: Boiling, Tossing (No-Cook Sauce)
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

Kosher salt
12 ounces bucatini or spaghetti
1 small clove garlic
2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound tomatoes, diced
2/3 cup pitted kalamata or nicoise olives, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, finely chopped

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Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the bucatini or spaghetti and cook according to the package directions until al dente.
Before draining the pasta, reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water. Drain the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. On a cutting board, pile the garlic, 1 tablespoon of the capers, and the red pepper flakes. Mince them together, then use the flat side of a chef’s knife to mash the mixture into a paste.
Transfer the garlic-caper paste to a large serving bowl. Add the olive oil, diced tomatoes, chopped olives, the remaining 1 tablespoon of capers, and the room-temperature butter. Stir in the chopped basil and the finely chopped mozzarella cheese.
Add the hot, drained pasta directly to the bowl with the tomato and cheese mixture.
Toss everything together. The heat from the pasta will melt the butter and mozzarella, creating a creamy sauce. Add some of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, if the sauce seems too dry.
Season with salt to taste and serve immediately.

Notes

This recipe features a no-cook sauce that is created by the residual heat of the freshly cooked pasta.
Mashing the garlic and capers into a paste helps to release their flavors and distribute them evenly throughout the dish.
Reserving the starchy pasta water is a key step to help create a smooth, emulsified sauce that coats the pasta perfectly.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
Calories: 600-700
Sugar: 6-9 g
Sodium: 800-1000 mg (before adding salt to taste)
Fat: 35-45 g
Saturated Fat: 15-20 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 50-60 g
Fiber: 5-7 g
Protein: 20-25 g
Cholesterol: 60-80 mg

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/pasta-puttanesca/