Description
This Easy Pasta Arrabiata recipe offers a spicy, flavorful Italian classic made with a simple homemade tomato and red pepper flake sauce tossed with penne pasta. Ready in just 30 minutes, it delivers the perfect balance of heat and savory notes, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese for a deliciously satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 (13.5 fluid ounce) cans finely chopped tomatoes with juices
- 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar (optional)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
- 8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
Instructions
- Heat the oil: Add the olive oil to a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat.
- Sauté the garlic: Once the oil is hot, add the minced garlic and cook for about a minute, making sure it doesn’t brown to avoid bitterness.
- Add spices and tomatoes: Stir in the red pepper flakes, canned tomatoes with juices, and brown sugar if using. Reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes to develop flavor.
- Cook the pasta: While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne pasta until al dente according to package directions.
- Season the sauce: Adjust the sauce by seasoning with salt and pepper to taste, adding enough salt to bring out the flavors.
- Combine and serve: Drain the pasta and toss it with the simmered sauce, adding a little pasta water if desired to loosen the sauce. Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Using brown sugar in the sauce is optional but helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Be careful not to burn the garlic as it will turn bitter and affect the sauce’s taste.
- Adding pasta water when tossing the pasta with the sauce helps the sauce cling better to the noodles.
- For a milder flavor, reduce the amount of red pepper flakes or omit them completely.
