Looking for a weeknight pasta dish? Penne Napoletana is a classic Italian pasta dish using a flavorful tomato sauce, olives, and basil. It is very easy and quick to make and uses many items you probably already have in your cupboard. When you want a simple dinner without sacrificing flavor, look no further!
Originating from the Italian city of Naples, pasta napoletana sauce is a tomato-based sauce typically flavored with garlic cloves, fresh basil leaves, freshly grated parmesan, and olives. Like many traditional Italian pasta dishes, it is vegetarian, prepared with simple and quality ingredients.
This version relies on lots of garlic (5 or more cloves!) and olives for most of the flavor. This combination adds a salty and irresistible taste and is really easy to prepare. I like to make this dish when I need to have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.
Don't hesitate to make a double batch and save some for leftovers, if they make it!
Generally, I like to serve pasta with a quick green salad like this spinach and arugula salad or a beet greens salad. It also goes great with these roasted carrots and asparagus with honey-butter!
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Key Ingredients
- Garlic: Like with many Italian dishes, don't be afraid of garlic! This sauce is spiked with loads of olive oil-sautéed garlic to give it depth. Sometimes I will put an entire head of garlic if I am patient enough to mince it all.
- Kalamata Olives: If olives in tomato sauce don't sound good to you, just give it a try and I promise you will be surprised! Even if you don't eat the olives, they add a lovely salty and tangy flavor to the pasta sauce.
- Tomatoes: I always go for high-quality crushed canned tomatoes for the best sauce, but any decent diced tomatoes will work as well.
- Basil: Stewed basil leaves add an herby and spicy flavor to the sauce. You can also add some finely chopped basil leaves for garnish as well.
- Parmesan: To me, any good tomato sauce needs parmesan. It adds a salty, umami flavor that is simply irresistible.
Find the complete ingredient list below.
Instructions
- First, get a big pot and fill it with water. Add some salt to it. Put it on the stove and wait until it starts boiling. Then, add the penne pasta and let it cook according to the instructions on the package, usually about 10 minutes. Before draining the pasta, scoop out half a cup of the water and keep it aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, take a large frying pan and heat it up on medium heat. Put in some olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Cook them until they start smelling nice, which should take about a minute.
- Now, toss in the kalamata olives, tomatoes, basil leaves, salt, and parmesan cheese. Turn down the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes while the pasta keeps boiling.
- Once the pasta is ready, add it along with the reserved pasta water into the pan. Cook it all together for another 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens and sticks to the pasta. Serve it up with a few spoonfuls of ricotta cheese on top. Enjoy!
Substitutions
If you don't have canned crushed tomatoes on hand, you can substitute 3 tablespoon of tomato paste and 1 cup of the pasta water (or just tap water).
Equipment
Keep it simple! All you need for good pasta is a sharp knife, a pot to boil water, and a frying pan for the sauce.
Storage
This pasta recipe makes great leftovers! Store it in a well-sealed container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. I like to splash a tablespoon or two of water in when reheating to keep it from drying out.
Top Tip
Try grating the garlic with a box grater or microplane to release more of its sticky, fragrant flavor.
FAQs
Napoletana sauce is a flavorful tomato-based sauce originating from Naples, Italy, that is flavored with garlic, olives, basil, and parmesan.
Traditionally, pasta napoletana is made vegetarian as opposed to a bolognese or ragu sauce that uses minced beef and pork.
Similar Recipes
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Penne Napoletana
Nutrition
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4-5 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ cup kalamata olives (or any other olives)
- 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt (plus more for the pasta water)
- ½ cup parmesan (grated)
- 8 oz penne pasta (or fusilli or other short pasta)
- ¼ cup ricotta cheese (per serving, for garnish)
Instructions
- Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the penne pasta and cook according to package directions, usually about 10 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water and drain. Set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat a large sauté or fry pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and black pepper and sauté until just fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Next, add the kalamata olives, tomato, basil leaves, salt, and Parmesan. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5-7 minutes while the pasta is boiling.
- Lastly, add the cooked penne and reserved pasta water to the pan and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until the sauce is thickened and sticking to the pasta. Serve with a few dollops of ricotta cheese.
Video
Notes
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Food Safety
- Cook meat to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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