Whole Wheat Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato and Olive Puttanesca

This pasta dish is a quick and easy way to get your veggie fix. The sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and capers add a salty, briny flavor, and the parsley brightens it up. It's a great weeknight meal that can be on the table in under 30 minutes.

This recipe was inspired by a trip to Italy a few years ago. I was eating at a small trattoria in Rome, and I ordered a pasta dish with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and capers. It was so delicious that I couldn't stop thinking about it. When I got back home, I recreated the dish and have been making it ever since.

Prep time: 10 | Cook time: 15 | Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
• 1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and capers and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.
5. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the sauce.
6. Toss to coat and cook until the pasta is heated through, about 1 minute.
7. Stir in the parsley and serve.
8. Garnish with additional parsley, if desired.

Why It Works

• The sun-dried tomatoes add a sweet and tangy flavor to the dish.
• The olives add a salty and briny flavor.
• The capers add a sharp and tangy flavor.
• The parsley brightens up the dish and adds a fresh flavor.