Puttanesca beans with spinach

Puttanesca beans with spinach

Puttanesca without pasta? Indeed. We use butter beans here instead of the usual pasta to make this a gluten-free recipe. If you don’t have butter beans, cannellini beans would be just as good.

Puttanesca beans with spinach

  • Serves icon Serves 4
  • Time icon Hands-on time 20 min, simmering time 55 min

Puttanesca without pasta? Indeed. We use butter beans here instead of the usual pasta to make this a gluten-free recipe. If you don’t have butter beans, cannellini beans would be just as good.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
236kcals
Fat
8.6g (1.2g saturated)
Protein
13.4g
Carbohydrates
26.7g (10.3g sugars)
Fibre
12.6g
Salt
2.4g

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 6 anchovy fillets in olive oil
  • 4 x 400g tins tomatoes (we used a mix of plum and chopped)
  • 1 large tbsp tomato purée
  • 3 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
  • Large handful black olives (we used unpitted kalamata)
  • 2 x 400g tins butter beans (cannellini beans are also good)
  • 300g frozen spinach, defrosted and excess water squeezed out
  • Parmesan and fresh basil leaves to serve
Sticky screen? No thanks! Tap to prevent your screen from going off while cooking.

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a wide, deep saucepan over a low heat. Finely chop and add the onion, crush in the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the anchovies and a little of the oil from the tin or jar. Cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until the onions are soft.
  3. Add the tomatoes and purée, then cook over a medium-high heat for 30 minutes to reduce (see tip). Stir every now and again.
  4. Add the capers and olives, then cook for 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Taste and season (it may not need salt).
  5. Drain the beans, rinse, then add to the sauce to warm through. Add the spinach to warm through, then taste and season. Serve with grated parmesan and basil.

Nutrition

Calories
236kcals
Fat
8.6g (1.2g saturated)
Protein
13.4g
Carbohydrates
26.7g (10.3g sugars)
Fibre
12.6g
Salt
2.4g

delicious. tips

  1. It’s important to soften the onion and garlic without allowing it to colour. And the longer you can leave the puttanesca to reduce, the more flavour it will develop. Half an hour should be the minimum, but if you turn the heat to low and reduce for an hour you’ll get a wonderful consistency and flavour. Add 1 tsp sugar to balance the acidity.

  2. Puttanesca is a classic Italian pasta sauce but we’ve used beans here for a gluten-free alternative.

Buy ingredients online

Subscribe

Fancy getting a copy in print?

Subscribe to our magazine

Rate & review

Rate

Reviews

Share a tip

Or, how about...?

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Pasta bake recipes

Puttanesca pasta bake

This puttanesca pasta bake requires mostly store cupboard staples, only...

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Italian pasta recipes

Pasta puttanesca

Looking for a classic Italian puttanesca? This recipe is quick,...

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Vegetarian recipes from around the world

Vegetarian spaghetti alla puttanesca

A vegetarian spaghetti alla puttanesca. Rose Elliot’s recipe leaves out...

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Italian pasta recipes

Cheat’s spaghetti puttanesca

A quick and easy spicy pasta recipe that’s ready in...

Subscribe to our magazine

Food stories, skills and tested recipes, straight to your door... Enjoy 5 issues for just £5 with our special introductory offer.

Subscribe

Unleash your inner chef

Looking for inspiration? Receive the latest recipes with our newsletter

We treat your data with care. See our privacy policy. By signing up, you are agreeing to delicious.’ terms and conditions. Unsubscribe at any time.