Easy Rigatoni Arrabbiata Recipe (Spicy Tomato Pasta) 

Rigatoni Arrabbiata is a classic Italian pasta dish known for its spicy tomato sauce and effortless simplicity. The word “arrabbiata” translates to “angry” in Italian and refers to the heat that comes from the use of peperoncino and garlic in the sauce. Even though it’s made with only a handful of basic pantry ingredients, this pasta dish is anything but boring. It’s a super quick and low effort recipe that’s popular for its bold and spicy flavors. 

Rigatoni all'arrabbiata on a silver plate with a fork and spoon to serve it.

Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need

  • Rigatoni –  Rigatoni are large, ridged pasta tubes that are perfect for holding on to the flavorful sauce. You can use store-bought pasta or make fresh rigatoni from scratch
  • Extra virgin olive oil – for sautéing the garlic and red pepper flakes. This helps release their aromatic compounds and flavors. This step infuses the oil with the spiciness from the peperoncino and ensures that it’s evenly distributed throughout the sauce.
  • Garlic – it provides the base flavor for the sauce, adding complexity and a bit of heat. 
  • Peperoncino – you can use red pepper flakes or dried and crushed peperoncino. It adds a characteristic spiciness and a slightly smoky aroma to the sauce.  
  • Tomatoes – it’s best to use high-quality whole and peeled tomatoes such as San Marzano. They are known for their sweet, low-acid flavor and tender texture. Make sure to use canned tomatoes without any added sugars or flavorings. 
  • Parsley – finely chopped fresh parsley not only adds a fresh and herbal aroma, but also a visual appeal to the final dish. 
  • Parmesan cheese – add a sprinkle of finely grated Parmesan cheese to your pasta arrabbiata before serving. 

Step-by-Step Instructions to Make Rigatoni Arrabbiata

Step 1

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, start to prepare the sauce. 

Step 2

Remove the parsley leaves from the stems and reserve the stems for later. Finely chop the garlic cloves and parsley. 

Step 3

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the reserved parsley stems and sauté them for a few minutes. Then, discard the stems. This step is optional to infuse the oil with extra flavor. 

Step 4

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes. Make sure not to burn the garlic, or it will become bitter. 

Step 5

Next, add the canned tomatoes and crush them with the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce gently simmer over low-medium  for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta is ready. 

Step 6

Once the water is boiling, add a generous amount of salt and cook the rigatoni according to package instructions, or for about 2 minutes if you are using fresh pasta. Avoid overcooking the pasta, and drain it as soon as it’s tender but still has a nice bite to it. Once the pasta is “al dente”, drain it with a skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer it directly to the saucepan. Toss and stir the pasta until it’s evenly coated with sauce. Lastly, stir in the chopped parsley. Serve the Rigatoni Arrabbiata with a sprinkle of fresh Parmesan cheese. Enjoy! 

More Pasta Recipes You May Like:

Rigatoni arrabbiata on a silver tray with a fork and spoon next to it.

Easy Rigatoni Arrabbiata Recipe (Spicy Tomato Pasta)  


published by: Julia
Rigatoni Arrabbiata is a classic Italian pasta dish known for its spicy tomato sauce and effortless simplicity. The word “arrabbiata” translates to “angry” in Italian and refers to the heat that comes from the use of peperoncino and garlic in the sauce. Even though it’s made with only a handful of basic pantry ingredients, this pasta dish is anything but boring. It’s a super quick and low effort recipe that’s popular for its bold and spicy flavors. 

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 15 minutes
Total 25 minutes
Course Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine Italian
Servings 2 people
Calories 692 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 200 g Rigatoni pasta (dried) OR about 300g fresh pasta – for handmade rigatoni you will need about 200 g of flour and 2 eggs.
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves – finely chopped
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes or dried and crushed peperoncino – this will yield a sauce with medium spiciness. For a milder sauce or more heat, please adjust the amount to your liking.
  • 400 g canned tomatoes – whole and peeled
  • 1 bunch of fresh parsley (about 40 g)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Parmesan cheese to serve

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, start to prepare the sauce.
  • Remove the parsley leaves from the stems and reserve the stems for later. Finely chop the garlic cloves and parsley.
  • Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the reserved parsley stems and sauté them for a few minutes. Then, discard the stems. This step is optional to infuse the oil with extra flavor.
  • Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes. Make sure not to burn the garlic, or it will become bitter.
  • Add the canned tomatoes and crush them with the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce gently simmer over low-medium  for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta is ready.
  • Once the water is boiling, add a generous amount of salt and cook the rigatoni according to package instructions, or for about 2 minutes if you are using fresh pasta. Avoid overcooking the pasta, and drain it as soon as it’s tender but still has a nice bite to it. Once the pasta is “al dente”, drain it with a skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer it directly to the saucepan. Toss and stir the pasta until it’s evenly coated with sauce. Lastly, stir in the chopped parsley. Serve the Rigatoni Arrabbiata with a sprinkle of fresh Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 692kcalCarbohydrates: 91gProtein: 17gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gSodium: 288mgPotassium: 850mgFiber: 7gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 769IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 4mg
Keywords easy pasta recipe, Pasta all’Arrabbiata, quick pasta recipe, Rigatoni Arrabbiata, spicy tomato pasta, vegetarian pasta dish
Close up picture of homemade rigatoni arrabbiata.

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