Rigatoni Arrabbiata is a classic Italian dish that's enjoyed all over the world. This recipe is a modified rendition of my basic Italian marinara sauce. It's spicy and flavorful and comes together in under 30 minutes.
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Is there anything better than a recipe that has only 7 ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry? I just shared my cavatelli and broccoli recipe with you, another Italian classic with minimal ingredients. But, today I want to introduce you to another iconic Italian pasta dish, rigatoni arrabbiata. I've been making this dish on repeat, and it's a big hit with everyone that tries it.
Arrabbiata translates to "angry mood" in Italian. Basically, that means that this dish is a bit fiery! It's easy to kick the heat level up, or to take the edge off by simply reducing the amount of chili pepper flakes you use in this recipe.
Feel free to swap in any type of pasta you prefer. Arrabbiata sauce is wonderful on spaghetti and fusilli as well. You can even use it as pizza sauce (more on that later) or as a dipping sauce for garlic bread.
Let's make rigatoni arrabbiata!
Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
- If you love a spicy kick to your pasta, you'll love rigatoni arrabbiata.
- It can be on the table in 30 minutes, meaning it's a great midweek meal on those hectic days when you want a healthy dinner, but are short on time.
- It's dairy free and vegan!
- It can easily be made gluten-free by swapping your favorite gluten free pasta for the traditional wheat based rigatoni.
🛒How To Make Rigatoni Arrabbiata
- In a non-stick pan or Dutch oven over medium low heat, heat your olive oil. Add the onions and saute until they're soft and translucent - about 5 minutes.
- Add your garlic and chili pepper flakes and saute for a further minute.
- Add your San Marzano tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a spoon.
- Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring at regular intervals.
- Meanwhile, bring a pan of salted water to a boil, and cook your rigatoni according to the instructions on the packet.
- During the last 5 minutes of cooking time, add the fresh parsley to the arrabbiata sauce.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pasta to the pan with the sauce, and stir until it's evenly coated in sauce.
- Transfer your rigatoni arrabbiata to serving bowls and enjoy!
💡Recipe Tips And Suggestions
- The right pan is essential for making a great tomato based sauce. Choose a non reactive pan. Non stick pans as well as enamel coated pans work well. I like to use an enamel coated Dutch oven to make my tomato based sauces.
- When sauteing the chili pepper flakes in the olive oil, you'll know they're finished when the oil starts to turn a bit red. This is the chili oil seeping into the olive oil, which is what will give your arrabbiata sauce that extra special spicy kick.
- Season, season, season. Salt and pepper are not afterthoughts in a dish like this. Be sure to add salt to the water you boil your pasta in, and to the sauce (unless of course, you can't have salt.)
- If you use San Marzano tomatoes, you really shouldn't encounter the problem of your sauce being too acidic, but if you feel it is, simply add a tablespoon of sugar or maple syrup.
- If you want a great tomato sauce, stick with San Marzano tomatoes. They're a little bit more expensive, but the difference in flavor is worth it. You can buy San Marzano tomatoes at any Italian grocer or online. Some major grocery stores stock them too.
🍽️Serving Suggestions
🧡Arrabbiata sauce makes a great spicy sauce for pizzas, so if you want to pass on the rigatoni and go for pizza, this sauce is real winner. You might want to simmer it for an additional 5 minutes to thicken it up a bit.
🧡Serve with a light red wine like a Valpolicella or a Chianti. For a list of Vegan Society trademarked wines, see my list of vegan wines.
🧡Any kind of bread for dipping into the rich and spicy sauce, would be a welcome pairing with rigatoni arrabbiata. You could even use the sauce solo as a dipping sauce for my garlic knots.
🧡A simple salad with a cooling balsamic dressing would pair well with this dish.
🙋Frequently Asked Questions
Arrabbiata sauce is a spicy marinara sauce that originated in Rome. It gets it's fire from dried chili peppers that are added to a classic tomato base.
Store any in leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Yes, you can! Store it in an airtight container or reusable plastic freezer bag for up to 3 months.
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📖 Recipe
Rigatoni Arrabbiata
Ingredients
- 8 ounces rigatoni pasta
- 28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 onion finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves finely diced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a non-stick pan or Dutch oven over medium low heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and saute until they're soft and translucent - about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and chili pepper flakes and saute for a further minute.
- Add the San Marzano tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a spoon.
- Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring at regular intervals.
- Meanwhile, bring a pan of salted water to a boil, and cook your rigatoni according to the instructions on the packet.
- During the last 5 minutes of cooking time, add the fresh parsley to the arrabbiata sauce.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pasta to the pan with the sauce, and stir until it's evenly coated in sauce.
Notes
- The right pan is essential for making a great tomato based sauce. Choose a non reactive pan. Non stick pans as well as enamel coated pans work well. I like to use an enamel coated Dutch oven to make my tomato based sauces.
- If you use San Marzano tomatoes, you really shouldn't encounter the problem of your sauce being too acidic, but if you feel it is, simply add a tablespoon of sugar or maple syrup.
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