Puttanesca sauce is famously punchy — packed with garlic, anchovies, tomatoes, and capers — and usually served with pasta. But in this fun twist, we swap the noodles for braised celery, which soaks up all that briny, spicy goodness and adds a meaty texture of its own.

Don’t worry if you’re anchovy-shy — they melt into the coconut oil, adding savory depth without a fishy taste. The result? A bold, satisfying dish that’s healthy, unique, and totally delicious.

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Servings 0

Ingredients

• ¼ cup raw coconut oil
• 6 anchovy fillets
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (plus more if desired)
• 3 garlic cloves (peeled and crushed)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 16-ounce cans chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley (minced)
• 1 tbsp capers (drained and rinsed)
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 lbs fresh celery stalks (tops and bottoms trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces)

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Instructions

• In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the coconut oil. Add the anchovies and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the anchovies dissolve into the oil, about 2 minutes.
• Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.
• Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook another minute. Stir in the parsley, capers, and black pepper.
• Add the celery pieces, stirring well to coat them in the sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low and braise for about 20 minutes, or until the celery is very tender.
• Serve hot — and feel free to turn up the heat with an extra pinch of red pepper flakes!

Tip: This dish is great as a main course or served alongside grilled fish or crusty bread. It gets even better the next day, so leftovers are your friend!