Spicy Puttanesca Pizza – A Bold Twist on the Classic

A bold twist on classic Puttanesca – this pizza piles on ground beef, chopped grilled chicken and pastrami, olives, capers, and jalapeños for a salty, spicy flavor explosion.

Classic Italian Puttanesca sauce is all about punchy flavors – garlic, olives, capers, and anchovies – the kind of combination that doesn’t whisper; it yells deliciously. I took those bold, briny vibes and turned them into a pizza that’s equal parts salty, spicy, and unapologetically extra. Think chicken, ground beef, thin pastrami, and sliced jalapeños hanging out with buttery Castelvetrano and black olives over a garlicky, anchovy-spiked tomato base. It’s basically Puttanesca gone rogue… and it’s glorious.

If you like your pizza loud, layered, and a little rebellious, this one’s your Friday night go-to.

Why You’ll Love This Version

• Bold, briny, and spicy in every bite

• Anchovy paste adds deep umami without overpowering

• A pizza that balances salty olives and capers with meaty richness

• Works with store-bought dough or your favorite homemade crust

Pro Tip: Don’t skip the anchovy paste, it’s the backbone of Puttanesca’s signature flavor. It melts into the sauce and brings everything together without tasting “fishy.”

Making this is not as complex as it looks. I did it with the help of these three gems sent to me by OXO…

OXO Non-Stick Pro Pizza Pan (15″)
Complete Grate & Slice Set

and 4″ Pizza Wheel for Nonstick Pans (I’m SO in love with this thing)

The pizza wheel may not look very sharp because it’s made of durable plastic, but it’s actually the best pizza wheel I own now. It’s surprisingly sharp with its tapered edge.

The Grate & Slice set is phenomenal. I’ve used it so many times I can’t keep it out of the dishwasher. It makes shredding cheeses or vegetables a breeze. The plates snap on top of the lid that becomes a bowl to hold your grated/sliced food, and it features cup and millimeter markings so you can measure while you work.

Alternatively, you can position the plates over a bowl but I find it much easier to use the lid because it has non-slip feet and there’s no chance of anything slipping. I easily sliced through two big jalapeño peppers in mere seconds with this thing. It has both coarse and medium grating options, straight and julienne slicing surfaces. When it comes out of the dishwasher everything fits in slots inside the container and the lid snaps on.

I’m in love.

The pizza pan is definitely nonstick, and a breeze to clean.

Now, onto the pizza.

What Is Puttanesca Sauce?

Traditionally, Puttanesca is a Southern Italian pasta sauce made with tomatoes, garlic, olives, capers, and anchovies. It’s briny, savory, and a little sassy, like if marinara sauce had a wild weekend in Naples.

I believe this pizza earned its “Puttanesca” name because I included two different olives and capers in the toppings, and there’s plenty of garlic in the sauce. Here I added black olives and Castelvetrano olives, which is one of my very favorites. Obviously, I also added a few things that aren’t typical.

I used three cheeses – ricotta, Muenster and sharp cheddar.   

Keep in mind that I used a little less than half of the dough recipe, and pushed it out pretty thin. Feel free to use as much of the dough and make it as thin or thick as you like. Even though mine was thin, it held up just fine with all the toppings.

🍷 What to Serve With Puttanesca Pizza

This pizza’s got big personality, so keep your sides simple:

• Crisp green salad – something with arugula, lemon, and maybe a few shaved Parmesan curls.

• Roasted or marinated veggies – zucchini, artichokes, or red peppers pair beautifully with all that brine.

• A cold glass of something – a light red like Chianti, a Rosé, or an Italian lager if that’s more your speed.

• And dessert? Keep it cool. A scoop of lemon sorbet or a small affogato balances all that flavor like a pro.

Here’s your printable-

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Spicy Puttanesca Meat Lover's Pizza

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

A bold twist on classic Puttanesca - this pizza piles on ground beef, chopped grilled chicken and pastrami, olives, capers, and jalapeños for a salty, spicy flavor explosion.

Print

Ingredients

• This pizza dough
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 tsp anchovy paste
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• Pastrami, chopped
• Ground beef, browned and drained
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and chopped
• ½ cup black olives, sliced
• ½ cup Spanish olives, sliced
• 1 jalapeno, washed and sliced
• 2 cups Muenster cheese, shredded
• 2 cups Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar, shredded
• Dried oregano

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 500°.
2. Make pizza dough, and using half, spread on nonstick pizza pan. Cover remaining half of dough and refrigerate for use later.
3. Combine ricotta, garlic, anchovy paste, salt and pepper in a bowl; spread on pizza dough.
4. Spread tomato sauce on top of ricotta mixture.
5. Layer the rest of ingredients, sprinkle with oregano and bake for 7-10 minutes, until edges are beginning to brown and cheese is melty and bubbly.
6. Remove and serve.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 669Total Fat: 48gSaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 165mgSodium: 1891mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 47g

The provided nutrition calculated may not always be accurate.

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