A simple tomato pasta sauce that has a kick of heat and plenty of flavour. This Penne Arrabbiata recipe shows that vegan food doesn't have to be boring or complicated. And it's ready in just 15 minutes!
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What is Arrabbiata?
Originating in the Lazio area of Rome in Italy, Arrabbiata sauce, also known as sugo all'arrabbiata, is a spicy sauce for pasta. It is made from garlic, tomatoes, and dried red chilies cooked in olive oil. The word Arrabbiata, literally translates to 'angry', so this is an angry (or spicy) sauce!
Why should you try it?
- Ready in 15 minutes
- Easy to make as spicy or mild as you like
- Simple, natural ingredients that you probably have in your cupboard
Ingredients
- Pasta
- Chilli flakes
- Garlic
- Oil
- Chopped tomaotes
- Tomato puree (tomato paste)
- Fresh basil
- Salt and pepper
- Parmesan
Step by step
One: Add the pasta to a pan of boiling water and simmer for 12 minutes.
Two: Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the chilli and garlic and cook on a low heat for 1-2 minutes.
Three: Add the chopped tomatoes and salt and pepper to the pan and stir well and simmer until the pasta is ready.
Four: Drain the pasta (reserving a little of the water) and add to the sauce along with the basil.
Five: Stir well and serve.
How spicy is it?
You can tell from the translation, 'angry sauce', that this is going to be spicy! Of course, you can adjust the amount of chilies that you put in to make it milder, but then it will only be an 'annoyed sauce', and that sounds silly! If you still want a tomato pasta sauce, without the kick of heat, try our Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce or Marinara recipes.
What to serve it with
This is a light and simple meal, but one with plenty of flavour, so just a sprinkling of grated Parmesan is really all that's needed. If you wanted to bulk it out with something else, or just add some protein, you could add some cooked chicken or prawns (shrimp). Keep it vegetarian by adding some cubes of grilled halloumi or, to keep it vegan, some tofu.
FAQs
Any pasta will work, but pasta is made in different shapes and sizes for a reason. The best is penne as the tube shape holds the sauce well and means you will have a tasty mouthful each time. Other good pastas for Arrabbiata are rigatoni, macaroni or paccheri. You can use fussili too, if that is all you have, but that pasta is better suited to thinner sauces.
This sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, if kept in an airtight container. To freeze, put in an airtight container and leave a gap of about 1cm (0.5 inch), before putting the lid on. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, defrost fully and then heat in a pan on the hob (stove top).
Extra tips
- You could adapt the amount of chilli though to suit more delicate pallets and make it kid friendly, but the whole point of this dish is for it to have a bit of a kick to it.
- A teaspoon of fish sauce in the recipe will add a real savoury depth to the sauce. This will no longer be vegetarian/vegan if you include this.
More Pasta Sauce recipes
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Recipe card
Penne Arrabbiata
Ingredients
- 140 g penne pasta
- 1 tsp dried red chilli flakes
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 pinch sea salt and black pepper
- 4 tbsp fresh basil finely chopped
- 15 g parmesan optional
Instructions
- Add the pasta to a pan of boiling water and simmer for 12 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the chilli and garlic and cook on a low heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree and salt and pepper to the pan and stir well and simmer until the pasta is ready.
- Drain the pasta (reserving a little of the water) and add to the sauce along with the basil.
- Stir well and serve.
Notes
- You could adapt the amount of chilli though to suit more delicate pallets and make it kid friendly, but the whole point of this dish is for it to have a bit of a kick to it.
- A teaspoon of fish sauce in the recipe will add a real savoury depth to the sauce. This will no longer be vegetarian/vegan if you include this.
Liz Mays
This sounds really nice and comforting. I'd love to make this dish. I'd definitely enjoy the spicy tomato flavor.
Rhian Westbury
This is my go to pasta dish when I go out and me and my mum judge restaurants on their standard of this dish x
Ana De- Jesus
Sorry to hear about the food issues :/ I love penne arrabiata it is one of my favourite pasta dishes ever!
Helen @ family-friends-food
Yum yum yum! And just perfect for the weather - we had a thunderstorm today... eek!
Sarah Bailey
Honestly can I come to your dinner for tea - you really manage to make the most delicious looking and sounding dishes. x
kellie@foodtoglow
This is one of my favourite pasta dishes - this and puttanesca. I am not fond of creamy sauces as too much dairy and fat makes me very queasy if not worse (ahem). This looks spot on. And with the help of my favourite tomato brand, you just know it will be fantastic rather than merely good. :-)
Ashley
Penne arrabiata is a favorite of mine - so simple but so delicious! Love the pictures with your cat! Too cute! :)
Melanie Edjourian
This sounds and looks lovely I love dishes with flavour and I am sure this would taste amazing.
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
My mouth is watering just by looking at your photos! And being Italian pasta and I go a long way back. Simple sauces are the best don't you think. I do believe people have a misconception of Italian cooking -- it's not necessarily fattening. Great recipe!
Kelly
We love penne arrabiata and first tried it when we visited Rome a few years back too.It's the perfect comforting dish when it's rainy outside! Wish we had this for dinner tonight!
ellen best
Oh yum! Thank you *sluro*
StressedMum
This looks great and my Daughter would love this, I am not a huge tomato fan but I am fine with passata sauce though and love using tomato puree in dishes x
Rachel
Now this is my idea of comfort food for sure, I just love bowls of pasta x
Tori Gabriel
I love the cat pics!
I noticed you said you think dairy is causing a problem. I have Crohn's Disease and I found that cutting dairy really helped. However, I missed milk so much. I couldn't stand soy milk (bleugghh) so I gave goats milk a go. Turns out it was cows milk rather than dairy that caused the issues. Just thought I'd suggest it (it tastes almost the same too!)
Karina
My all time favourite Italian pasta dish, used to order this and this alone from a local Italian establishment and then I discovered like your good self it's so easy to prepare(more or less the same recipe as yours:). I don't eat a lot of traditional pasta nowadays as I tend to gorge on it, l love your restraint and control of portions! Pasta is the ultimate comfort food, isn't it!
Cassie Wright
Mmm, this looks so good and really easy too. I need quick and easy meals with a new born, so this gets a thumbs up from me.
Kylee
Gorgeous colors in this dish! Love the snaps of the cat too.
Thanks for including the smartpoints - that's SUPER handy to me. Well done!!
Melissa @ My Wife Can Cook
Looks and sounds delicious! I love the idea of adding a little bit of heat! We have had quite a bit of ran this spring also. Perfect pasta weather (although we like pasta so much, any weather is perfect pasta weather)!
Annie @ Annie's Noms
This looks utterly wonderful! I love penne arrabiata; I always order it when I see it on menus! I need to try making my own!
neil@neilshealthymeals.com
Ah, you just can'r beat a simple arrabiata dish can you? Especially when it's made with tomatoes of Cirio quality! :-)