This easy gnocchi puttanesca is made using the iconic Italian flavours of tomatoes, garlic, capers, olives and chilli but without the anchovies making it completely vegan. This is a simple yet rich and delicious pasta dish that can be made in just 30 minutes making it perfect for busy weeknights.
There is a restaurant in Brisbane that does a vegan version of gnocchi puttanesca and it’s delicious (which is lucky because it’s hard to find dairy free Italian food!), but recently I was at an event where they had a pop up and while they had their signature gnocchi puttanesca, they were not serving the vegan version as they only had the gnocchi that contains dairy.
So needless to say I was a bit disappointed as I was still craving it. So the next day I decided that I just needed to make it myself at home. And honestly I am so glad I did because this recipe is so easy yet tastes incredible and has so much flavour.
Similar to my gnocchi bolognese (which is also vegan!), this is one of those recipes that you’d think a lot of effort went into but really it took just 30 minutes. This gnocchi ticks all of the boxes for my husband who loves rich and hearty meals but also is great for my need for simple and speedy meals. It’s definitely one that will become part of our regular rotation.
🤓 Now just a note that this is a vegan puttanesca therefore it can never be authentic Italian cuisine as it does not contain anchovies. Feel free to add them if you like, but honestly this isn’t an ingredient that I usually use so I prefer this version.
Key Ingredients
You don’t need a lot of ingredients to make a puttanesca sauce but they are all important to creating a balanced and flavourful sauce to serve with your gnocchi.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Garlic and chilli flakes – the garlic and chilli are heated in the olive oil to flavour it and create a delicious base for our sauce. Adjust the amount of chilli depending on how spicy you like it. You can also omit the chilli from the sauce and just serve it on the table for people to add their own at the end.
- Black olives – I find the black olives in a jar from the supermarket don’t tend to have a lot of flavour so I prefer to use pitted kalamata olives for a stronger, briny flavour but any black olives work. You can leave them whole or I prefer to slice them in half to release more of their flavour into the sauce.
- Capers – adding more of that briny flavour similar to an olive but also a bit of fresh, lemony, salty tang that is essential in the flavour profile of a puttanesca sauce.
- Tomato paste – not used in a traditional recipe but I like it here to add some extra depth of flavour as we don’t have that extra flavour that you would usually get from the anchovies.
- Canned tomatoes – my preference here is to use the canned cherry tomatoes as they add a bit more flavour and texture to the sauce. You can however just use canned crushed or diced tomatoes.
- Herbs – a little dried oregano is added to flavour the sauce and then fresh basil to serve however if you don’t have fresh you can skip and the dish will still be delicious.
- Gnocchi – check your ingredients as some gnocchi can contain dairy and or eggs making it not suitable for a vegan diet. You can also use gluten-free gnocchi to make this recipe gluten-free as well.
Step-By-Step Instructions
I honestly love just how flavourful this recipe is considering how quick and simple it is to make.
There is just a little amount of prep where you will peel and thinly slice the garlic and cut the olives in half. I know the temptation is high to just use a garlic crusher for the garlic but the goal here is for the flavour of the garlic to infuse into the oil and this happens much better when sliced, as crushed garlic is more likely to burn which will result in a bitter taste.
Add the olive oil to a pan over medium heat and add the garlic and the chilli flakes. You want to watch the heat as you want the garlic and chilli to become fragrant but you don’t want it to get so hot that they burn.
Stir in the olives and capers, cooking for another 2 minutes to release the flavours. From here you should be getting the most delicious smells through your kitchen!
Add the tomato paste to the pan, stirring to coat the olives and capers, and cook for 1–2 minutes until the paste deepens in colour.
Pour in the canned cherry tomatoes and sprinkle in the oregano. Stir well and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
💡Optionally here, if you find your sauce is a little bitter, you can add a pinch of white sugar. I usually prefer not to add sugar to my sauce but this can help balance the flavours depending on your tastes.
While the sauce simmers, cook the gnocchi according to the package instructions and reserve a little of the cooking water.
Add the cooked gnocchi to the sauce, tossing to coat evenly and if needed, add a bit of the reserved cooking water to help the sauce cling to the gnocchi. It should be super saucy.
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately garnished with fresh basil if you have it and extra chilli flakes if desired.
You can serve the gnocchi puttanesca as is or make it a full meal with a side of green salad and homemade olive and herb focaccia.
Recipe FAQs
Yes this recipe is still super delicious even reheated. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce if needed.
Yes, you can substitute gnocchi with any pasta you like, such as spaghetti, penne, or fusilli. Adjust the cooking time based on the pasta package instructions, and toss it in the sauce the same way.
Of course! If you’d like to add anchovies you can add 4-8 to the oil with the garlic and chilli, breaking them apart as they heat using a wooden spoon.
More weeknight vegan pasta recipes:
Vegan Vodka Pasta
Vegan Mac and Cheese (without cashews)
Vegan Pumpkin Pasta
Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo
Lentil Bolognese
Kale and Walnut Pesto Pasta
Gnocchi Puttanesca (Vegan!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3-4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
- ¼ cup pitted black or kalamata olives whole or halved
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 400 grams canned cherry tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 500 grams gnocchi
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh basil optional for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and chilli flakes, cooking for 1–2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
- Stir in the olives and capers, cooking for another 2 minutes to release the flavours.
- Add the tomato paste to the pan, stirring to coat the olives and capers. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the paste deepens in colour.
- Pour in the canned cherry tomatoes and sprinkle in the oregano. Stir well and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavours have melded together.
- While the sauce simmers, cook the gnocchi according to the package instructions. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water, then drain the gnocchi.
- Add the cooked gnocchi to the sauce, tossing to coat evenly. If needed, add a bit of the reserved cooking water to help the sauce cling to the gnocchi.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately garnished with fresh basil and extra chilli flakes if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
Made this recipe? Leave a review!