Penne all’Arrabbiata is a classic, quick and easy Italian pasta dish. Although this recipe originated in the Lazio region, near Rome, it is popular throughout Italy. I must confess that it was one of my favorite pasta dishes when I was a student, as it was simple and ready in no time!
But what is arrabbiata? Arrabiata means angry in Italian and refers to the spiciness of the dried red chillies used in the sauce. The ingredients for the arrabbiata sauce or sugo all’arrabbiata – as we call it in Italian – are simple and easy. You have already learned that there are red chilies, and you will need tomatoes (canned or fresh), garlic, EVOO, parsley, fresh basil and pasta.
As with many Italian recipes, a few basic ingredients are all it takes to create a delicious dish that will fill your home with a delicious blend of flavors.
On an Italian language note, the correct spelling of Arrabbiata is as written, often is misspelled as Arrabiata or Arabbiata, which refers anyway to the same preparation.
Why you will love this dish
– You only need 7 ingredients and 20 minutes of time. While the water is boiling and the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce and you have a meal ready to serve.
– This spicy pasta sauce recipe is a go-to recipe when you don’t have a lot of time.
– You can make it with ingredients from your pantry.
– Spicy tomato sauce arrabbiata is a year-round recipe: swap out fresh tomatoes in the summer and use high-quality canned tomatoes in the winter.
– It’s a vegan meal, with healthy Mediterranean ingredients.
Penne all’Arrabbiata recipe ingredients
Arrabbiata pasta recipe is based on using simple and poor ingredients like:
Tomatoes: Use ripe tomatoes for this recipe. San Marzano are the best to use. If not in season, use good quality canned tomatoes. I personally recommend MUTTI.
Dried red chillies or as we call them peperoncino:: 1 dried red chili is enough for a whole lot. I like spicy, so I use 2 when making it for us. If you don’t like spicy food that much, just use 1 dry chili for 1 can of tomatoes. Italians crush the dried red chillies by hand, just make sure you don’t grab your eyes afterwards and wash your hands very well. The fragrant sound of the chili cracking is very satisfying to me!
Garlic: Fresh, finely chopped it gives the aroma typical of many Italian dishes.
EVOO: A healthy twist to start with, it’s the essential pantry ingredient in my kitchen.
Pasta: The format for this recipe is penne rigate. What does penne mean in Italian? Penne is a cylinder shape of pasta. Translated as pencils, its tips resemble those of a pencil. It usually has an indentation (rigate) to better catch the sauce, and its round shape ensures that more sauce is caught with each bite. In this recipe I used whole-wheat penne for a more wholesome taste.
Fresh basil: Sprinkle some basil leaves as soon as you have dressed the dish, they add some freshness to the dish.
Pecorino Romano: It is a salty sheep’s milk cheese available in many regions of central Italy, including Sardinia. Sprinkling Pecorino Romano on top is optional. I personally don’t like a spicy sauce with cheese, but you can try!
How to make Penne all’Arrabbiata
Bring a pot of water to a boil. And now let’s focus on how to make angry sauce! Add a healthy swirl of EVOO to a pan on medium heat, and when the oil shimmers, add the minced garlic and then 2 red chillies. Break the chilies with your hands. Coat them with the oil and then add the tomatoes. Crush them with a wooden spoon until you get a sauce.
At this point the water will be boiling, add 2 teaspoons of salt to the water. Add the pasta. While the pasta is cooking, simmer the spicy tomato sauce. When the pasta is al dente, add the penne to the pan. Add a little bit of the pasta cooking water. Mix well, transfer to a plate and add some basil. This is the best arrabiata recipe as it is that simple and quick!
Substitutions for Penne Arrabiata Recipe
The substitutions you can make for this spicy penne pasta recipes are very simple and depend mainly on the ingredients you have available:
Fresh tomatoes: San Marzano tomatoes are the best to use. Follow the steps in my Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce, to get a thick and fresh sugo that you can use for this recipe and many others.
Dried red chili pepper: If you can’t find the small Italian chili pepper, use red pepper flakes. This is how I dry red chili with ½ teaspoon of chili flakes.
Penne pasta: you could use other pasta shapes as Spaghetti. Spaghetti Arrabbiata is also very popular in Italy.
For the rest of the ingredients, I would stay true to the original sauce. So no onions, no parmesan instead of pecorino.
For the pasta, you can use regular dry pasta or gluten-free if you have a gluten intolerance.
How to serve pasta all’arrabbiata
This dish is great as a main, followed by a side salad and maybe some Focaccia to dip the delicious sauce.
You can also serve it as a side dish with Easy Italian Meatballs, grilled meat or grilled fish.
It is always a great dish for a last minute invitation to friends or for a gathering.
Looking for more Pasta dishes?
Spicy Pasta with Roasted Bell Peppers and Bacon : for a hint of spiciness.
Red Pepper Pesto Macaroni : a creamy and spicy dish with the classic red pepper pesto
Paccheri with Tomatoes, Capers and Breadcrumbs : a vegan recipe, made with simple ingredients from my pantry.
Which wine to pair with Penne all’ Arrabbiata
You can pair Arrabbiata pasta with a red wine like Lambrusco from Emilia Romangna with this recipe. The Lambrusco is slightly bubbly and balances the acidity of the tomato sauce.
If you don’t like bubbly wines, go for Valpolicella from the Veneto region.
If you want to enhance the flavors of garlic, olive oil and basil, a glass of white wine is ideal. A crisp Verdicchio from the Marche region is perfect with Penne all’ Arrabiata, as its herbal notes go well with this sauce.
I hope you like this recipe and please, if you make it, just leave a comment! I would love to hear from you!
Ingredients
- 1/3 pound pasta penne (see notes)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 unit chili dry red (see notes)
- 1 can tomatoes san marzano, pelati (see notes)
- 2 tbsp basil
- 1 tbsp parsley chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil.
- Add 2 tbsp of EVOO to a pan. When the oil shimmers, add minced garlic and break the red chili pepper with your hands. Let the ingredients to be coated with the oil on low heat.
- At this pont, add the canned tomato and chop them with a wooden spoon.
- When the water boils, add 2 tsp kosher salt, and once dissolved add the pasta.
- Keep on simmering the arrabbiata sauce while the pasta is cooking. When the pasta is al dente, remove it from the water with a slotted spoon and add to the sauce.
- Add a bit of the cooking pasta water. Mix well, sprinkle with basil and plate it. MANGIA! ( See notes ).
Notes
- I used whole wheat pasta for a more wholesome flavor, but you are free to use the classic dry pasta. The classic shape to use is penne, a tube-shaped pasta whose tips resemble those of a pencil.
- Dry red chili are peppers dry, used a lot in South Italy. One small pepper gives enough heat to 1 can of tomatoes, but if you like spicy food go for 2. If you cannot find dry red chili, sub them with chili flakes.
- For the tomatoes, use Pelati or Tinned San Marzano. It is the best quality for this sauce.
- You can sprinkle on top Pecorino cheese, I usually like spicy food without cheese, but you should try to get your own opinion about it.
Nutrition
Recipe cards powered by WP Recipe Maker.
Leggendo la ricetta mi è venuta voglia di farla subito!