Quinoa Puttanesca

This quinoa puttanesca proves that puttanesca is the patron saint of pantry sauces. Garlic, olives, capers, and crushed tomatoes simmered into something briny, garlicky, and a little spicy, with a backstory that isn’t fit for polite company. The name roughly translates to “in the style of the ladies of the night,” and there are competing legends about why. One says the sauce could be thrown together fast between, um, appointments. Another says working women in old Italy were only allowed to shop once a week, so they cooked from ingredients that keep: olives, capers, canned tomatoes. Either way, it tastes like a sauce with a past.

I puttanesca everything. Pasta, obviously, but also white beans, roasted cauliflower, a baked potato if it’s looking at me funny. The sauce is that good and that fast. But if you are looking for creative vegan quinoa recipes, this puttanesca might be my favorite vehicle of all. The little grains drink up the sauce and the whole thing turns plush and creamy, like a risotto you didn’t have to babysit. Saucy, salty, spoonable. And it’s gluten-free, too!

It comes together with stuff you already have. If you’re anything like me, there’s a gigantic jar of capers and a tub of olives in your fridge at all times. Thirty minutes, one pot of sauce, and lunch is handled for days. I like to cook a big batch of quinoa at the start of the week so this is basically a dump-and-simmer situation by Wednesday. If you don’t have cooked quinoa around, no worries, directions are in the recipe.

Why This Recipe Rocks

• Pantry staples only. Olives, capers, canned tomatoes, garlic. Nothing to hunt down.
• Quinoa soaks up the sauce until it’s plush and risotto-like, no stirring required.
• One pot of sauce, about 30 minutes, lunch for days.
• Naturally gluten free, for when pasta night needs a little shake up.

_{Photos by Hannah Kaminsky}

What’s In Quinoa Puttanesca

Quinoa. Cooked ahead, buy frozen precooked, or made fresh while the sauce simmers. The grains absorb all that briny tomato goodness.

Kalamata olives. Salty, plummy, the heart of the sauce. Other olives work too if that’s what you’ve got.

Capers. A full half cup. We are not being shy here.

Garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Obviously!

Fresh thyme. Earthy and a little lemony, it pulls the whole sauce together. Use 2 teaspoons dry if you don’t have fresh. 

White wine. For depth. Broth with a squeeze of lemon works if you’re not a wine-in-the-house person.

Crushed tomatoes. Simmered until everything gets cozy. Buy the kind with basil if you can find it. 

Tips for Making the Perfect Quinoa Puttanesca

• No wine? Skip it and use vegetable broth instead, plus a little lemon juice for acidity.
• Make a big batch of quinoa at the start of the week and this becomes a 20-minute dinner.
• White beans bulk it up into an even heartier meal. Stir in a cup with the quinoa.
• The sauce is great over roasted eggplant and mushrooms too, or you know, pasta.
• Leftovers get even better. The quinoa keeps drinking up the sauce in the fridge.

Quinoa Puttanesca FAQ

Can I make this without wine? Yup yup yup. Use vegetable broth and a squeeze of lemon juice instead.

Can I use a different grain? Absofrigginlutely. Rice, farro, millet, whatever cooked grain is hanging out in your fridge.

Can I use green olives instead of kalamata? Not a problem at all. The sauce will be a little sharper and brighter, still delicious. Use whatever olives you have as long as they are pitted, and a mix is always nice, too.

How long do leftovers keep? About 4 days in the fridge, and the flavor only gets better.

How did I end up here? This quinoa puttanesca is the answer to “what do I do with this cooked quinoa”, “what are easy vegan quinoa recipes”, and “what’s a fast vegan dinner from pantry staples” all at once. Briny olives, capers, garlic, and tomatoes over fluffy quinoa, done in about 30 minutes. Bookmark this.

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Quinoa Puttanesca

Isa Chandra

Briny, garlicky puttanesca sauce folded into fluffy quinoa until it turns saucy and risotto-like. Pantry staples, one pot, about 30 minutes.

5 from 1 vote

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Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 cups cooked quinoa about 1 cup dry, see step 1

For the sauce:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, plus extra for garnish
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives sliced
• 1/2 cup capers drained
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• Fresh black pepper

Instructions

 

• If you don't have cooked quinoa on hand, start it first. Combine 1 cup quinoa with 2 cups water in a pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the grains are tender and the water is absorbed.

Make the sauce:

• Preheat a sauce pot over medium heat. Add the oil and garlic and stir for about a minute, until fragrant but not browned. Garlic burns fast, so stay close.
• Add the thyme, red pepper flakes, tarragon, oregano, and wine. Let it bubble for a minute or so.
• Add the olives, capers, and tomatoes. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and the flavors have gotten to know each other.

Assemble:

• Fold the quinoa right into the pot, reserving a little sauce to spoon over each serving (I like a little extra on top). Finish with plenty of fresh black pepper and a few thyme sprigs if you're feeling fancy.

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