Description
Penne all’Arrabbiata is a classic Italian pasta dish known for its bold, spicy tomato sauce made with garlic, chili peppers, and olive oil. This simple yet flavorful recipe combines perfectly cooked penne pasta with a fiery sauce, finished with a sprinkle of parmesan and fresh parsley for an authentic taste experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 400g / 14oz penne or ziti (or other pasta of choice, short or long)
- 1 tbsp cooking / kosher salt (for cooking pasta)
Sauce
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 red cayenne pepper chili, finely chopped (with seeds)
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
- 800g / 28 oz canned crushed tomato
- 1 1/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp white sugar (only if needed)
To Serve
- Parmesan, finely grated
- 2 tsp finely chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté: Heat 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the finely minced garlic and stir for 10 seconds until fragrant. Then add the finely chopped red cayenne pepper chili and 1/2 teaspoon of chili flakes. Cook for about 1 minute or until the garlic turns a light golden color without burning.
- Add Tomato and Seasonings: Pour in the 800g of canned crushed tomatoes along with rinsing and adding the tomato can water into the pot. Stir in 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
- Simmer: Turn the heat up to high and stir the sauce. Once it comes to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer gently for 15 minutes. Check the taste at around 10 minutes; if the sauce tastes too sour, add 1/2 teaspoon of white sugar to balance the acidity.
- Cook Pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the penne pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
- Save Pasta Water and Drain Pasta: Before draining, stir the pasta well to agitate starch, then scoop out 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and set it aside. Drain the pasta thoroughly.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Add the drained pasta directly into the sauce along with 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Toss the pasta and sauce together over the stove to coat the noodles evenly. Add more pasta cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce and achieve a silky texture.
- Serve: Divide the pasta among serving bowls. Top with a generous sprinkle of finely grated parmesan cheese and 2 teaspoons of chopped parsley if using. Serve immediately for best flavor.
Notes
- “Arrabbiata” means “angry” in Italian, referring to the spicy kick of this dish.
- For authentic texture, use whole peeled tomatoes mashed by fork instead of crushed tomatoes if preferred.
- Adjust the sugar based on tomato acidity to balance the sourness.
- Saving some pasta water helps loosen the sauce and make it cling nicely to the pasta.
- You can vary the chili amount to adjust spiciness to your taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 567 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 1011 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 91 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
