Sicilian Style Fish Pasta
This easy Sicilian inspired fish pasta recipe delivers bold flavors in under 40 minutes. Made with simple pantry ingredients like tomatoes, capers, garlic, and white fish, it turns humble ingredients into something seriously delicious. Finished with crunchy almonds and fresh basil, it’s the kind of seafood pasta that feels a bit fancy but couldn’t be easier to make!
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This Sicilian Fish Pasta is a clever use of pantry staples that creates something incredibly tasty with minimal effort.
Inspired by the rich flavors of Sicily, this dish isn’t a classic by name, but it’s made using techniques and flavors that you'll find all across the island.
Adding cooked fish to pasta is a smart and flavorful move that you'll often see in Sicilian kitchens. Most cooks use leftover white fish from the night before, but sometimes fresh fish is used, too.
My recipe starts with cooking fresh fish, but you can use any leftover cooked fish you have on hand.
Lots of Sicilian pastas are topped with toasted breadcrumbs, but I swap in crushed almonds to add crunch and richness instead.
This easy seafood pasta makes an easy weeknight dinner and is a great way to turn pantry staples into a crave-worthy dish!
Want more Sicilian recipes? Try this authentic Pasta Alla Norma, these golden Arancini, or a versatile Pistachio Pesto that goes with just about anything.
Why This Recipe Works
- Easily adaptable with whatever fish, pasta, tomatoes, or nuts you have on hand.
- Comes together quickly with minimal prep, ideal for busy weeknights.
- A clever way to repurpose leftover fish fillets.
Ingredient Notes
White Fish - Any flaky white fish works beautifully here. Use cod, haddock, barramundi, or even salmon or tuna in a pinch. Fresh or leftover cooked fish both work great, just make sure to cut them in small pieces for even cooking.
Capers - Use non pareil capers for a subtle, delicate brininess or larger capote capers for a bolder pop.
Tomatoes - Canned or fresh will do. In summer, cherry tomatoes can add sweetness, but when out of season, quality canned tomatoes are ideal for making a rich tomato sauce. Learn more on how to choose canned tomato products in my guide.
Pasta - Long shapes like spaghetti or linguine are traditional, but short pasta shapes work too. Learn more in this guide to dried pasta.
Almonds - Toasted and chopped, these add the best crunch! Substitute breadcrumbs if need be.
Basil - Use fresh basil, never dried, to add brightness and freshness. You can substitute fresh Italian parsley in a pinch, but basil really is best.
Olive Oil - Use a high quality extra virgin variety for the best flavor. Learn about selection in this guide to olive oil and vinegars.
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Helpful Equipment
- Large skillet
- Slotted spoon
- Large pot
- Wooden spoon
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Colander
- Large bowl
Step by Step Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the fish fillets with a pinch of salt and pepper, then place them in the pan and cook until opaque and golden brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Pro Tip: If using leftover fish, skip the first step and proceed with the recipe.
- Add a garlic clove to the remaining oil and cook for about 1-2 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes, juice and all, breaking them up with a wooden spoon. Simmer uncovered over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to a boil. Salt it generously, it should taste like the ocean. Drop in your pasta and cook according to package directions until pasta al dente. Reserve some pasta water, then drain.
Pro Tip: Don’t skip salting the pasta water. It's one of the best ways to infuse flavor from the start.
- Transfer the freshly drained pasta into the sauce. Add in the cooked fish, capers, and a splash of reserved pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce. Toss everything together over high tossing for even coating.
- Stir in half the basil and almonds. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and the remaining basil and almonds. Serve immediately!
Tips for Success
- You can use any fresh fish or pre-cooked seafood. Just adjust the cooking time.
- Be sure to reduce the tomato sauce properly to avoid a watery pasta.
- Don’t forget to reserve a little bit of pasta water to help coat the noodles. Add just enough water to loosen it up as needed.
- No almonds? Use golden panko breadcrumbs toasted in a hot skillet instead.
Variations
- Add red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
- Swap almonds for pistachios.
- Add kalamata olives for extra briny flavor.
- Add touch of lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness.
- Finish with a generous sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley.
Serving Suggestions
This dish shines as a simple weeknight meal but is impressive enough for guests. Serve with a refreshing Sicilian Fennel and Orange Salad or this rich Parmesan Spinach, and some fluffy, olive oil-rich Homemade Focaccia to soak up every last bit of sauce.
Pair with a glass of chilled pinot grigio or grillo for a perfect match.
How to Store and Reheat
This dish is best enjoyed fresh. If you have leftover sauce, store it separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It's not recommended to store the whole dish because it can result in mushy pasta. When ready to eat, cook fresh pasta and reheat the sauce gently in a skillet with pasta cooking water to loosen it up and revive the flavors. Alternatively, use the leftover sauce to make a cold pasta salad.
Avoid freezing, as both fish and tomato-based sauces can lose quality in the freezer.
FAQs
Yes, it won't be the same but you can do it by skipping the searing step and stir it into the sauce at the end to warm through.
Let it simmer longer or add less pasta water. Make sure to break down the tomatoes thoroughly and reduce them.
Absolutely! Just use your favorite gluten-free pasta and make sure of keeping a little water from the cooking process, then fold the cooked pasta with the sauce as the recipe indicates.
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Sicilian Fish Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 1 lb skinless fish fillet cut into 1-inch chunks, anything white and flaky
- Salt and pepper to taste, plus plenty of salt for the pasta water
- 6 cloves garlic very thinly sliced
- 28 oz whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes 1 can
- 2 tablespoons capers drained and rinsed
- 1 lb long thin pasta such as spaghetti or linguine, plus 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves torn
- 1 cup roasted almonds finely chopped
Instructions
- Heat a generous swirl of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper, then add to the pan. Cook until opaque and lightly golden on all sides. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fish to a plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the garlic to the remaining oil and sauté for about 1 minute, just until it begins to turn golden. Add the tomatoes with their juices, breaking them up with a wooden spoon. Let the sauce simmer uncovered over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt the water generously—it should taste like the ocean. Add the pasta, give it a stir, and cook according to package directions until al dente.
- Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water. Add the pasta directly to the sauce, followed by the capers and cooked barramundi. Toss gently to combine, adding a splash of pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
- Stir in half the basil leaves and almonds. Toss again until everything is well mixed.
- Transfer to a serving dish, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, and top with the remaining basil and almonds. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can use any fresh fish or even pre-cooked seafood. Just adjust the cooking time.
- Be sure to reduce the tomato sauce properly to avoid a watery pasta.
- Don’t forget to reserve a little bit of pasta water to help coat the noodles. Add just enough water to loosen it up as needed.
- No almonds? Use golden panko breadcrumbs toasted in a hot skillet instead.
