Pasta with olives, tomatoes and breadcrumbs
This easy and flavorful pasta recipe comes together in just 20 minutes using a handful of basic pantry ingredients. It’s a simple, puttanesca-inspired dish that gets finished with golden garlicky breadcrumbs for the best texture. It’s a restaurant level dish that's quick enough for a weeknight!
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This pasta is bold, briny, and just a little bit spicy. It's inspired by pasta puttanesca, but it skips the capers and finishes with crispy toasted breadcrumbs and fresh basil instead.
The breadcrumb topping is a nod to traditional Sicilian pasta dishes, where breadcrumbs are often used in place of cheese. They add the best crunchy texture!
This recipe comes together super fast and is easy to riff on with whatever you have in your pantry. Skip the anchovies, add capers, use whatever tomato product you have on hand.
You can make the sauce in the time it takes for the pasta to boil, making it ideal for busy nights when you still want something homemade and satisfying.
Want more quick and easy Italian pasta recipes? Try this traditional linguine alla vongole, this quick and easy ricotta pesto pasta, or comforting linguine carbonara with peas.
Why This Recipe Works
- Uses basic pantry staples and is adaptable to what you have on hand.
- The sauce comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta.
- Puttanesca inspired, but topped with crunchy toasted breadcrumbs.
Ingredient Notes
Pasta – Long shapes like spaghetti, linguine or long fusilli work best. Cook until al dente and reserve a bit of pasta water if needed. For more on quality Italian options, see this guide to Italian dried pasta.
Olives – Use assorted Italian pitted olives such as Castelvetrano, Gaeta, or Taggiasca. For more selecting quality olives, check out my guide to Italian preserved vegetables.
Tomatoes – Fresh sweet cherry or grape tomatoes break down just enough to create a light, jammy sauce, but you can also used canned.
Anchovies – Optional but recommended. They melt into the oil and deepen the flavor without tasting fishy.
Olive Oil – Use a high-quality extra virgin oil for the best flavor. Learn more in this post on Italian olive oil and vinegars.
Breadcrumbs – Panko gives the lightest, crispiest texture when toasted in oil with garlic.
Basil – Fresh basil brings brightness and a pop of color, but Italian parsley works too.
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Helpful Equipment
- Large pot
- Large skillet
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Garlic press or knife
- Colander
- Small mixing bowl
Step by Step Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add the minced garlic clove and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the panko breadcrumbs and toast until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Lightly season with salt, transfer to a bowl, and set aside. Wipe out the pan.
Pro Tip: Stir breadcrumbs frequently for even toasting. They can burn quickly.
- Salt the boiling water lightly. The sauce is naturally salty from the olives and anchovies.
- Cook the pasta until al dente, about 8-9 minutes or according to the package.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet. Add sliced garlic and anchovies. Mash the anchovies into the oil until they dissolve and garlic just starts to turn golden, about 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and olives. Simmer over medium heat until tomatoes soften and some of the liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.
Pro Tip: Gently smash a few tomatoes to help release their juices and thicken the sauce.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet. Toss to coat evenly in the sauce.
- Sprinkle with fresh basil, drizzle with a little more olive oil, and top with the toasted breadcrumbs. Serve immediately.
Tips for Success
- Mash anchovies well so they fully blend into the sauce.
- Use ripe, sweet tomatoes for a richer flavor.
- Be conservative with salt in the pasta water since the sauce has plenty already.
Serving Suggestions
This pasta makes a satisfying light main course! Serve it with a salad or a side of greens, like this Sicilian fennel orange salad, this kale caesar salad or a refreshing zucchini salad.
How to Store and Reheat
Always cook the pasta fresh for best flavor and texture. However, the sauce can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat it gently on the stove or in the microwave, then toss with freshly cooked pasta and a splash of reserved pasta water if needed. Toast a new batch of breadcrumbs right before serving to bring back their crunch.
FAQ
Yes. But you’ll miss out on the savory and umami complexity they add.
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Pasta with Olives, Tomatoes and Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling, divided
- 1 clove garlic minced, plus 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- salt as needed
- 4 anchovy fillets
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 cups diced tomatoes fresh or canned
- ¾ cup assorted pitted olives green or black
- ½ lb long pasta such as spaghetti linguini or fusilli
- ½ cup basil leaves thinly sliced
Instructions
- Place a large pot of water on the stove and bring it up to a boil.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet.
- Add the minced garlic clove and cook for about 1 minute, then add the panko breadcrumbs and toss around until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Season lightly with salt, then transfer to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the pan and return it to the stove.
- Season the boiling water with a little bit of salt, but not too much. The sauce is salty so the pasta doesn't need much.
- Drop the pasta into the water, stir, then cook until al dente (about 8-9 minutes, depending on the brand - check package directions).
- While the pasta cooks, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the skillet, then add the sliced garlic and anchovies. Use a fork or rubber spatula to mash the anchovies into the oil until they nearly dissolve and the garlic is just starting to turn golden, about 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and olives, then simmer over medium heat until some of the water evaporates, about 5 minutes. Taste, then season with salt as needed.
- When the pasta is ready, drain it, shake dry, then add to the sauce. Toss to evenly coat the pasta with sauce, then sprinkle with basil and drizzle with a bit more olive oil. Top with breadcrumbs and serve immediately.
Notes
- Mash anchovies well so they fully blend into the sauce.
- Use ripe, sweet tomatoes for a richer flavor.
- Be conservative with pasta water salt—the sauce has plenty of brine.
Made this tonight it was a hit!,, I had all ingredients and now we have leftovers for tomorrow. Thank you for the great recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it, Josie!
Never tried pasta with breadcrumbs - except for mac and cheese! This looks like an amazing recipe. Your blog is amazing. Signed up to your newsletter right away! Cant wait for more.
Thank you so much! The breadcrumbs give the most amazing texture. Hope you give this a try!