Spaghetti with Anchovies and Capers is inspired by a classic from Naples in Italy, Spaghetti alla Gennaro. We’ve omitted the bread and included capers, but it remains stylishly simple and quick to make. Of course, the star of the show is the anchovies, combined with extra virgin olive oil and oregano to produce a subtle but tasty sauce.
Prep time is minimal here and total time is under 15 minutes, so a great weeknight dinner or a quick meal when you’re in a rush but want something filling and delicious. The only thing you need to cut is the garlic — the rest you just throw in and mix together.
Table of contents:
How to Make Spaghetti with Anchovies and Capers
Ingredients
Makes 2 servings
- 225 g / 8 oz spaghetti
- 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (depending on how oily your anchovy filets are)
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 6 anchovy filets in oil
- 1 teaspoon capers
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons of pasta water
- Chopped basil or parsley for garnish
Equipment
- Pot (for cooking the spaghetti)
- Strainer
- Small skillet/frying pan
- Wooden spoon/spatula
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
Instructions
- Put some water on to boil your spaghetti.
- When it’s boiled, add your spaghetti to the pot and time it so it’s al dente (refer to your spaghetti packet but it will be around 8 minutes).
- Add 3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to a skillet/pan and turn on the heat to medium, then roughly chop your garlic pieces and add these to the pan.
- Add the anchovy filets and stir regularly. These will start breaking apart and after a couple of minutes be practically melted.
- Add the capers and oregano, and give one last stir to mix everything together and take it off the heat.
- When the pasta has finished cooking, remove from the heat and then add 2 tablespoons of the water from the pasta to your skillet and stir.
- Strain your pasta then put it back in the pot and pour your anchovy sauce over it and stir through. Season to taste with salt and pepper — test the flavor first as the capers and anchovies often make it salty enough.
- Serve with some chopped basil or parsley.
FAQs
Can I use a different type of pasta?
If you don’t have spaghetti or favor a different type, that’s fine. This sauce is very versatile. You could use any plain pasta like linguine, tagliatelle, penne, fusilli, or rigatoni. You could also pour it on certain ravioli or tortellini depending on the fillings and the flavor combinations.
Can I use anchovies in salt?
You can use salt-packed anchovies but you need to prepare them first. Remove 6 filets from the salt and shake off any excess, then run each filet under cold running water, rubbing the salt off with your fingers. Place them on paper towel to dry, then you can use them in this recipe (be sure to use 4 tablespoons of oil when lightly frying the anchovies and garlic).
Is this pasta recipe healthy?
Yes and no. It’s full of nutrients and antioxidants, so healthy from a nutritional aspect but it does contain a lot of salt (around 26% of your daily intake) so you just need to be mindful of that. The fat content is high too at 41% but these are mostly good fats from your extra virgin olive oil and anchovies so are very nutritious and provide health benefits.
Nutrition Facts
| Servings: 2 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 597 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 31.9g | 41% |
| Saturated Fat 4.7g | 23% |
| Cholesterol 92mg | 31% |
| Sodium 597mg | 26% |
| Total Carbohydrate 63.3g | 23% |
| Dietary Fiber 0.5g | 2% |
| Total Sugars 0.1g | |
| Protein 16.6g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 64mg | 5% |
| Iron 5mg | 27% |
| Potassium 293mg | 6% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
Spaghetti with Anchovies and Capers (15-Minute Recipe)
Equipment
- Pot (for cooking the spaghetti)
- Strainer
- Small skillet/frying pan
- Wooden spoon/spatula
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
Ingredients
- 225 g / 8 oz spaghetti
- 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil depending on how oily your anchovy filets are
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 6 anchovy filets in oil
- 1 teaspoon capers
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons of pasta water
- Chopped basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Put some water on to boil your spaghetti.225 g / 8 oz spaghetti
- When it’s boiled, add your spaghetti to the pot and time it so it’s al dente (refer to your spaghetti packet but it will be around 8 minutes).
- Add 3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to a skillet/pan and turn on the heat to medium, then roughly chop your garlic pieces and add these to the pan.3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 garlic cloves
- Add the anchovy filets and stir regularly. These will start breaking apart and after a couple of minutes be practically melted.6 anchovy filets in oil
- Add the capers and oregano, and give one last stir to mix everything together and take it off the heat.1 teaspoon capers, 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- When the pasta has finished cooking, remove from the heat and then add 2 tablespoons of the water from the pasta to your skillet and stir.2 tablespoons of pasta water
- Strain your pasta then put it back in the pot and pour your anchovy sauce over it and stir through. Season to taste with salt and pepper — test the flavor first as the capers and anchovies often make it salty enough.Chopped basil or parsley for garnish
- Serve with some chopped basil or parsley.
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