I’ve been craving pasta lately. Normally I focus on meat and vegetables, but these days the carbs are calling. When I kept hearing about one-skillet pasta—no boiling large pots of water, no draining in a colander—I wanted to adapt the method for gluten-free diets. The first success: One Skillet Gluten-Free Pasta Puttanesca.
One Skillet Gluten-Free Pasta Puttanesca is officially in my regular rotation
I read that one-skillet pasta can be tricky with gluten-free pastas because some lack the starch needed to thicken the sauce the way wheat pasta does. While that’s true for certain brands, I suspected rice-based pasta would work—and it did.
I didn’t miss boiling water or washing an extra pot and colander. Cooking the pasta in the sauce concentrates its flavor and the released starch helps the sauce come together. It’s a satisfying, efficient approach that yields a tasty result.
Keep in mind: gluten-free pastas vary, so cooking times can differ. The pasta may finish before the liquid reduces to a glossy sauce, or you may need a little extra liquid. Some adjustment may be necessary, but this method works well, and I’ll be sharing more one-skillet gluten-free recipes soon.
Wine pairing tip: Tomato-based sauces pair nicely with white, rosé, or light red—choose according to your preference or mood.
One Skillet Gluten-Free Pasta Puttanesca
5 from 3 reviews
No boiling or draining required.
- Author: Simone Miller
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course, Pasta
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon minced anchovies (about 6–8 fillets)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more for serving if desired
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 28 ounces canned peeled tomatoes (or diced tomatoes)
- 3 cups water
- 12 ounces gluten-free rice spaghetti, broken in half
- 1/2 cup chopped Kalamata olives
- 1/4 cup capers, rinsed if salted or drained if brined
- Small handful parsley, minced, plus more for serving if desired
- Small handful basil, minced, plus more for serving if desired
- Grated Parmesan for serving, if desired
Instructions
- In a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering.
- Add the garlic, anchovies, red pepper flakes, and salt. Cook 1–2 minutes until the garlic is golden and fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes, breaking up whole tomatoes with a spatula if using them. Add the water and the broken spaghetti. Bring to a strong simmer.
- Cook, stirring often to prevent sticking, until the liquid reduces to a sauce and the pasta is al dente, about 12–14 minutes. Near the end of cooking, stir in the olives and capers. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley and basil.
- Serve immediately, offering extra herbs, grated Parmesan, and red pepper flakes at the table for guests to add as desired.
Notes
Gluten-free pastas vary in composition and cooking time, so you may need to adjust the liquid or cook time. Rice-based pastas tend to work best for this one-skillet method; I used a brown rice spaghetti. If the pasta finishes before the sauce has reduced, you can remove some pasta, or continue simmering briefly to concentrate the sauce.
All links on zenbelly.com are provided for information; some may be affiliate links. Sponsored posts are clearly labeled. Ads are served by networks and are not necessarily endorsements by Zenbelly.