25-Minute Vesuviana Pasta

Elevate a simple tomato sauce with this Vesuviana Pasta. It's a dish that marries the robust flavors of olives, capers, and fresh tomatoes with perfectly al dente spaghetti. This Italian recipe transforms simple, fresh ingredients into a vibrant meal that is delicious and only takes 25 minutes to make.

Vesuviana pasta is a traditional Italian dish that comes from the Campania region. It's a spaghetti-based dish that highlights the punchy tastes of olives, capers, and the sweet acidity of plum tomatoes (not unlike spaghetti alla puttanesca), all tied together with a generous pour of olive oil. 

I make this Neapolitan recipe over and over in my Italian kitchen because it's easy to make and it’s packed with simple flavors and ingredients! When making this recipe, it's all about timing and tossing. Boiling spaghetti just shy of al dente, then sauté onions until soft.

A crush-and-stir method follows with plum tomatoes, seasoned with a dash of salt and pepper, simmered with olives and capers thrown into the mix. Fold in the spaghetti, and let it mingle with the sauce to soak up the flavors.

Vesuviana pasta fits any table, whether it's a weeknight dinner (serve with escarole with raisins and pine nuts or carciofi alla romana for a vegetarian meal) or a meal with friends.

And if you enjoy this spaghetti dish, you’ll also love making my recipes for Sun Dried Tomato Spaghetti or Tuna Spaghetti for a quick meal!  

Notes on ingredients

Spaghetti is traditionally used in this dish and pairs perfectly with the sauce. But if you don't have spaghetti on hand, it's totally fine to use a different cut of pasta like linguine. I could even see a short cut of pasta working here, like penne, rigatoni, or fusilli.

That's one of the things I like about this dish is that it's very versatile.

Whole green and black olives go in this recipe, but once again, if you only have one type, it's fine to use all green or all black olives - see a trend here?

For the black olives, I just used black olives from a can that you would buy at the grocery store, and for the green olives, I used pitted castelvetrano. But any green/black olive would do.

Capers add a nice briny and umami punch to this dish which I love.

Melting fresh mozzarella into the warm, tomato-infused spaghetti creates an irresistibly gooey texture that guarantees a comforting meal every time - it's my favorite part of this dish - makes it a little unexpected.

How To Make Vesuviana Pasta

Cook the pasta: Add water to a large pot and bring to a rolling boil. Add salt, then add the pasta. Cook for 2-3 minutes or just before it becomes al dente. Remove it from the pot and place it right into the sauce, where it will finish cooking. 

Saute the onions: While the water is boiling, add olive oil to a medium-sized skillet. Add the onion and cook until tender for 3-5 minutes. 

Assemble the tomato sauce: Using a fork or your hands, crush the peeled tomatoes. Add them to the pan with salt and pepper, cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, then add both olives and capers. Cook for 10 minutes until the sauce is thickened.

Add spaghetti and cheese: Add the spaghetti to the sauce, along with a bit of pasta water to loosen up the sauce. Mix in with a pair of tongs. Then add the mozzarella and mix again until just slightly melted. Plate while hot. Enjoy! 

Recipe Tips

• To prevent overcooking, drain the spaghetti when it's still two minutes from al dente; it will continue to cook in the hot sauce, ensuring perfect texture.
• Crush the canned tomatoes by hand or with a fork for a rustic, chunky texture that clings to the pasta better than a smooth sauce.
• Add a splash of pasta water to your sauce before combining it with the spaghetti; the starchy liquid helps the sauce emulsify and stick to the pasta.
• Slice the mozzarella instead of shredding it; larger pieces will melt into delightful, gooey pockets throughout the pasta.
• Serve the pasta immediately after adding the mozzarella to enjoy the cheese in its perfectly melted state.

Variations

• For a spicy kick, toss in a pinch of red pepper flakes while sautéing the onions to infuse the oil with a little heat.
• Stir in a handful of arugula or spinach at the end of cooking for a peppery green addition that wilts perfectly into the warm pasta.
• Use kalamata olives instead of black or green ones for a sweeter, meatier olive flavor that adds complexity to the dish.

Storage

Let the pasta cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container; it'll keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water to loosen up the sauce.

Freezing this pasta dish isn't recommended due to the fresh mozzarella and the delicate texture of the spaghetti, which can become mushy after thawing. 

Recipe