Seafood Pasta Puttanesca
A heartier version of a classic, Seafood Pasta Puttanesca is flavored with capers, olives, & a hint of spice. Plus amazing seafood.
I was given seafood for purposes of this review but all opinions are genuine.
I’ve always loved a good puttanesca sauce. You can’t get much more flavorful than the combo with tomatoes, crushed red pepper, capers and anchovies. Legend has it that “ladies of the evening” used to prepare the tasty dish to lure in customers with the aroma.
But the recipe has a downside. It is very light and sometimes you want a heartier meal. Maybe some… protein? Which is how I decided to enhance it with seafood. 
And thanks to my Sitka Salmon Shares subscription, I always have a nice supply of seafood in my freezer.
How to Source Seafood
Stika Salmon shares is a subscription service that I originally joined out of frustration sourcing good seafood. Yes, I knew things like fish shouldn’t smell fishy, but I had other concerns too, that were less obvious. Things like:
- Is the fish safe to eat regularly or do I need to worry about mercury or other contaminants?
- Is it environmentally responsible and not a threatened species or from an overfished area?
- Does it taste good? (As in, consistently good)
- Is it genuine? (See this Wikipedia article if this seems like a strange question)
- Are the fishermen treated fairly and paid a living wage?
This used to mean a research project every time I bought a piece of fish. But not since I joined Sitka!
How to Prepare Seafood Pasta Puttanesca
Seafood Pasta Puttanesca is as easy as it is tasty! You:
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until just soft. 
Add remaining sauce ingredients.
Add fish 
Add mussels
Serve over past and enjoy!
Tips and FAQs
Mussels are tasty and cool-looking, but they can be intimidating if you haven’t made them before. Feel free to substitute scallops or shrimp–or take note of these prep tips. First, discard any mussels that don’t close when you clean or tap them and second, discard any mussels that don’t open when you cook them.
That way you’ll be sure you’re using fresh live mussels.
The sauce calls for either canned tomatoes or cherry tomatoes. In summer I’d use fresh but in late winter, canned was more convenient.
Finally, feel free to adjust the amount of crushed red pepper according to your taste—and the freshness of the spice in your spice rack. 
Seafood Pasta Puttanesca
Ingredients
- 2 T olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 shallot or 1/2 onion, chopped finely
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon dried crushed peppers to taste
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 28 ounce can canned tomatoes see note
- ¼ cup chopped kalamata olives
- 1 Tablespoon capers drained
- 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
- 1 Tablespoon minced Italian parsley
- salt pepper to taste
- 1 lb mussels
- 1 lb firm white fish like halibut cut in 4 pieces
- 8 ounces whole wheat pasta cooked
Instructions
- Clean mussels as needed and discard any that aren't closed or don't close when handled. Set aside.
- Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil until just soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add dried crushed red pepper, oregano, tomatoes, olives, capers, anchovies and parsley. Simmer until flavors combine and sauce thickens some, about 10 minutes.
- Add whitefish to sauce, cover and cook until almost done, about 5 minutes.
- Add mussels and cook until they open, about 5 minutes. Discard any mussels that don't open. Serve over hot cooked pasta.
Looks like a great recipe but I have never eaten a fish stew with a fork. I lived in Italy for 17 years, at it at restaurants and have made it countless times at home. Spoon for the win!
I think it’s considered a pasta dish not a fish stew. But that would help you twirl your past too, wouldn’t it!
Inger, your dish looks great. I love shrimp puttanesca and make it often. It is usually what I will order the first time I go to a new Italian restaurant. If they can cook it properly, then I know they have a good kitchen.
Ah, kind of a litmus test! Yum!
Wow — it sounds so flavorful! I love puttanesca and seafood — this is a win-win!
Two of my favorites too David!