Pasta Arrabbiata

Shop This Video

This spicy tomato sauce is perfect for a quick dinner.

By Rhoda Boone, Culinary DirectorOct 17, 2022

Jump to the Recipe

25 Minutes

4 - 6 Servings

Easy

Rhoda Boone, our Culinary Creative Director developed this dish as true weeknight fare. It uses two pans—one for the pasta and one for the sauce—and takes only 25 minutes, start to finish. Plus, it uses simple ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry. Pasta arrabbiata, or “angry pasta,” gets its name from the chiles that also lend the dish its heat.

The Roman version uses whole chiles, either dried or fresh, but Rhoda opts for crushed red pepper flakes. The sauce is simmered in our largest Saucier for less than ten minutes but a splash of balsamic vinegar gives it sweetness and depth. Toss in some perfectly cooked pasta straight from the Pasta Insert and finish with a sprinkle of parsley, good olive oil, and Pecorino Romano for a beautifully balanced bowl.

Pasta Arrabbiata

This spicy tomato sauce is perfect for a quick dinner.

Rhoda Boone, Culinary Director

25 Minutes

4 - 6 Servings

Easy

Ingredients

1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
2 large garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
¾ – 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
1 pound short pasta such as macaroni, rigatoni, or penne
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, optional
¼ cup roughly chopped parsley, for serving
Pecorino Romano, finely grated, for serving

Instructions

1.

Bring water to a boil in an 8-QT Stockpot fitted with a Pasta Insert.

2.

Place tomatoes in a large bowl and crush by hand until tomatoes are in small pieces (alternatively, you can use a food processor or blender for this step). Using a Chef Knife, thinly slice the garlic.

3.

Add olive oil and garlic to a 5-QT Saucier or Dutch Oven, then heat over medium-high. Cook, stirring, until garlic is just barely sizzling, aromatic, and light golden brown, about 2 minutes.

4.

Add crushed red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Add tomatoes, ¾ tsp. salt, reduce heat, and cook until slightly thickened, 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add balsamic vinegar to sauce, if using.

5.

Meanwhile, season pasta water heavily with salt (about 2 Tbsp.) and cook pasta according to package directions until about 2 minutes shy of al dente. Remove Pasta Insert from Stockpot and transfer pasta to sauce. Reserve ½ cup pasta water.

6.

Toss pasta in the sauce and cook together until al dente, about 2 minutes more, adding reserved pasta water to adjust the consistency of the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more red pepper flakes or salt, if necessary (keep in mind that Pecorino is usually quite salty).

7.

Plate pasta in an Entrée Bowl and top with a drizzle of olive oil, parsley, and Pecorino. Sauce can be stored in an airtight container and chilled in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 6 months.