Fish Puttanesca

5.0
(2)
Add your rating & review
1 Photo

This fish puttanesca, served over spaghetti, comes together quickly. Normally, puttanesca sauce, simple but robust, doesn’t include a protein, but it’s easy to add some cod filets, and the addition barely influences the cooking time. Any mild white fish will be just fine in this dish.

By Brenda Venable
Published on March 21, 2024
white plate with fish filet on puttanesca sauce on a bed of spaghetti
Prep Time:
5 mins
Cook Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Servings:
4
Jump to Nutrition Facts
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings

  • 1/2 pound spaghetti

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons drained capers

  • 1 tablespoon anchovy paste, or to taste

  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

  • 1 (28 ounce) can whole, peeled San Marzano tomatoes

  • 1/2 cup pitted and sliced Kalamata olives

  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley

  • salt and pepper to taste

  • 4 (6 ounce) cod filets, or other mild white fish

  • fresh Italian parsley sprigs for garnish (optional)

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it shimmers.

  3. Add capers, anchovy paste, garlic, and red pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

  4. Drain off about 1/2 cup of the liquid in the tomato can and discard. With clean hands, crush tomatoes, and add to the skillet with the remaining juice. Stir in olives and minced parsley. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

  5. Bring sauce to a boil, add fish filets, and reduce heat to a simmer. Sauce should bubble occasionally, but not boil, once fish have been added.

  6. Cook until fish flakes easily with a fork, 8 to 10 minutes, spooning sauce over fish occasionally. Thin filets may cook more quickly. An instant read thermometer inserted in the fish should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). 

  7. Evenly divide spaghetti into 4 serving dishes. Place 1 filet in each dish and ladle sauce over all. Garnish with parsley sprigs.

    Cook’s Note

    I did not salt the fish, before placing in the sauce. With the olives, capers, and anchovies, we found the fish well-seasoned.

    If you’d like a salad, a green vegetable, or bread with this recipe, I suggest you get them going first. Once you start this dish, it will come together quickly.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

518 Calories
25g Fat
26g Carbs
47g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 518
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 25g 32%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 132mg 44%
Sodium 851mg 37%
Total Carbohydrate 26g 10%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 47g 94%
Vitamin C 29mg 32%
Calcium 154mg 12%
Iron 4mg 20%
Potassium 1155mg 25%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.