On those days when even I don’t feel like cooking, I lean on something simple and delicious like this spaghetti arrabbiata. Quick, easy and packed with amazing flavour, it’s an easy weeknight dinner. Vegetarian-friendly too, it’s perfect for a meat-free Monday.
The sauce is rich yet light with natural sweetness from tomatoes and a good kick of garlic and chilli flakes. The spaghetti adds a nice bite and helps make the dish substantial without weighing it down in the slightest. Serve it up with some crusty bread or garlic bread to scoop up any leftover sauce, and it’s the perfect pasta dish. It’s lovely with pangrattato scattered over too.
Arrabbiata is a spicy tomato sauce originating in Rome, in the Lazio region of Italy. It’s made of tomatoes, chilli, garlic, and olive oil, and the term arrabbiata means “angry” in Italian, which we can only assume is a nod to the fiery kick from the chilli. Penne arrabbiata is a popular way to use this sauce but I love spaghetti with it, creating an authentic spaghetti all’arrabbiata recipe.
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Ingredients
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
- Tomatoes: The main ingredient in your arrabbiata sauce. I like whole canned San Marzano tomatoes best if you can find them — if you can’t, just use tinned peeled whole tomatoes. You’ll also need tomato paste.
- Garlic & dried chilli flakes: Your flavour makers. Fresh minced garlic adds a pungent savoury flavour that complements the sweetness of the tomatoes. Dried chilli flakes (crushed red pepper flakes) add the signature spiciness that takes this from a marinara sauce to an arrabiata sauce.
- Olive oil: To cook the garlic and chilli to bring out their natural flavours. I love extra virgin olive oil as it’s here for it’s classic Italian/Mediterranean flavour.
- Balsamic vinegar: My secret ingredient for the sauce. I add a splash of balsamic right at the end of the simmering time to balance out the other flavours. It makes things taste a lot brighter.
- Spaghetti: Your vehicle for all of that yummy sauce. If you don’t feel like spaghetti, you can swap it for penne. In fact, penne all’arrabbiata (penne arrabbiata) is even more common than spaghetti.
- For serving: Everything you usually need for pasta: fresh basil, parmesan cheese, and some crusty bread. You could use some fresh parsley if you prefer it too.
How to make spaghetti arrabbiata
You only need about 20 minutes to make this pasta all arrabbiata — the recipe moves very quickly once you get started.
To make cleanup easier, I recommend using a deep pan and a splatter guard if you have one. Tomato sauces tend to spit all over the stove (and your clothes) as they cook, so it can be helpful to protect your kitchen and yourself.
If you don’t have one, I have a quick tip: use a wire rack topped with just one layer of paper towel. Rest the spoon on top to hold it so it doesn’t blow away, and you shouldn’t encounter such a big mess once you’re finished.
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
1. Cook the garlic & chilli flakes
To start the pasta sauce, add the olive oil to a pan over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and chili pepper flakes and cook for a few minutes until fragrant.
2. Add the tomatoes & simmer
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and salt to the same pan. Use a potato masher to mash and break up the tomatoes a little.
Let the mixture simmer for 15-20 minutes until thickened.
3. Make the pasta
In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook your spaghetti to al dente.
4. Finish the sauce & assemble
When the sauce has thickened, stir in the balsamic vinegar. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
Transfer the spaghetti to the sauce with tongs so that some of the pasta water goes along with it. Toss and stir to combine. Serve your pasta all arrabbiata topped with basil and Parmesan and enjoy!
Tips and tricks
- Use high-quality ingredients. Because spaghetti arrabbiata is so simple, the quality of the ingredients you use is important and will greatly impact the taste of your dish. Always choose good-quality olive oil, fresh garlic, and the best tinned tomatoes.
- Adjust the spice level. Arrabbiata should be spicy, but there are some adjustments you can make for a milder sauce. Reduce the amount of red chili flakes you use, or opt for a milder variety. And if you want an even spicier pasta all arrabbiata, use more.
- Use tongs to transfer the spaghetti from the hot pasta water to the sauce. The starch leftover from the pasta will help with the consistency of the sauce and add a bit more flavour. If you need to loosen the sauce further, add more pasta water.
Storage
You can store leftover spaghetti arrabiata in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. That said, I do find this dish is best served fresh, so try to eat it within the first day or so if you can.
Leftovers reheat quite well slowly in a pan over medium heat. It shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes or so to reheat — add a dash of water if it looks dry.
FAQs
Of course, but that would make this recipe a lot more labour-intensive. You would have to blanche the tomatoes first so you can remove the skin, and then simmer the sauce for a lot longer to reduce the liquid. It’s worth a try if you have the time!
No — as mentioned, you can also use penne to make penne arrabbiata instead. If you want to use a long noodle, try fettuccine, linguine, or angel hair. You could really use any shaped pasta you’d like here to turn this dish into more general arrabiata pasta.
Yes, you can add other vegetables but do keep in mind it wouldn’t be a traditional spaghetti arrabiata recipe anymore. If you’re okay with that, mushrooms, zucchini, or bell peppers would all taste great.
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (notes 1)
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½-1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
- 800 g tinned peeled whole tomatoes (san marzano if you can get them) (28oz)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste (notes 1)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 350 g dried spaghetti
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
TO SERVE
- fresh basil leaves
- Finely grated parmesan
- crusty bread
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
- 2 Large saucepans
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and salt. Mash the tomatoes a little with a potato masher to break them up.
- Simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes until thickened.
- While the sauce cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add your spaghetti. Cook it for 1-2 minutes less than the packet suggests then test for doneness. Cook a little more if needed but make sure to serve it al dente (not mushy).
- Stir the balsamic vinegar into the arrabbiata sauce. Taste and season to taste with more salt and/or pepper.
- Use tongs to transfer the spaghetti straight from the hot pasta water to the sauce so that some of the pasta water goes along with it. Give it a good stir and serve. Add more pasta water if you want to loosen the sauce at all.
- Serve topped with finely grated parmesan and basil leaves.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
- Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons). Check yours before measuring.
- I suggest this as 4 serves but it really depends on how big you like your bowls of pasta. I serve this with crusty bread and it serves 4 well.
- Nutrition details are approximate only – scroll below the recipe to find the full nutritional information.
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2 Comments on “Spaghetti Arrabbiata”
This was fantastic. I added turkey and mushrooms and a touch of sugar! It was a hit
I’m so happy you love it, Nancy. Great way to use up some leftover turkey too.