20-Minute Homemade Arrabbiata Sauce

This spicy, homemade arrabbiata sauce is super easy to make: all you need is 6 ingredients and 20 minutes to cook! My secret is adding a handful fresh cherry tomatoes (in addition canned tomatoes), to lighten & brighten the sauce.

Arrabbiata sauce (sugo all’Arrabbiata) is a spicy, Italian pasta sauce made with 5 simple ingredients: crushed canned tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes and fresh parsley. Originating from Rome, arrabbiata literally means “angry” in Italian; the spicy red peppers give justice to the name.

Like most simple Italian pasta sauces, arrabbiata sauce is quick to cook, about 20 minutes while the pasta boils away. Paired with a crunchy green salad and garlic bread on the side, dinner is done in under 30 minutes. I serve arrabbiata sauce with fresh homemade pasta or dried penne pasta, and when the mood strikes: homemade gnocchi. It’s spicy and delicious.

Understanding Arrabbiata Sauce.

When first testing arrabbiata sauce recipes, I was surprisingly underwhelmed. It tasted like normal tomato sauce… with a spicy kick. Yes, arrabbiata is a simple sauce. And yes, I used good-quality San Marzano canned tomatoes to make it stand out. But still, was I missing something?

According to acclaimed chef and restauranteur Lidia Bastianich, there are countless versions of arrabbiata sauce all over Italy. Some recipes include meat like bacon or prosciutto, but always hot peppers (she adds pickled pepperoncini to hers. yum). Giada’s all’Arrabbiata recipe features briny capers and olives to deepen the heat. Ina Garten adds a whopping 24 cloves of garlic! With all of these recipe variations, I couldn’t help but wonder: what is true, authentic arrabbiata sauce then?

Here’s How I See It.

The classic recipe, in its simplest form is a spicy, 5-ingredient tomato sauce made with canned tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes and parsley. When additional ingredients join the party, like olives, capers, prosciutto etc., it becomes more “arrabbiata-style.”

For my version, I wanted to give traditional arrabbiata sauce an upgrade without changing the entire dish. Focusing solely on the tomatoes (not adding extra ingredients or more heat) was exactly what I needed to do.

Putting It All Together.

So, I tested arrabbiata sauce 3 ways: with canned tomatoes, with fresh whole tomatoes and a combo of both. My favorite version was arrabbiata with fresh tomatoes. The taste was light, bright and unexpected. So good! There was no fiery, acidic aftertaste either.

However, fresh whole tomatoes are highly seasonal and not always available. The workaround? Use a combination of both canned tomatoes and fresh tomatoes. More specifically: cherry tomatoes. They are accessible all year long. About 2 cups (320 g) will instantly lighten and brighten the dish with minimal effort.

What About The Heat?

Arrabbiata sauce is typically made with dried red pepper flakes, a convenient pantry ingredient most people have on hand. However, you can use fresh red chili peppers or a dollop of Calabrian chili paste instead. There is no hard and fast rule about quantity. The amount of heat is up to you!

Arrabbiata Sauce Ingredients (You Will Need):

• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Red pepper flakes (or fresh red chili peppers)
• Canned tomatoes
• Fresh cherry tomatoes
• Parsley
• Penne pasta, to serve

How To Make Arrabbiata Sauce (At A Glance)

Warm the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat; add the red pepper flakes and garlic. Sauté briefly, about 1 minute- do not brown the garlic. Add the canned tomatoes and cherry tomatoes; season with salt. Simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add lots of fresh parsley, to serve.

Tip: Crush the tomatoes yourself. The convenience crushed canned tomatoes makes this sauce come together fast. However, the quality is often lacking. As an alternative, use canned whole-peeled plum tomatoes instead, and crush them yourself. To do so: remove the tomatoes from the can (leave the juice behind- it’s messy) and roughly chop them on a cutting board. Add the tomatoes and the reserved juice to your sauce. This will take you less than 1 minute.

Arrabbiata Sauce Tips.

• Use a wide 12-inch pan or braiser (instead of a high sided pot). The sauce will reduce faster.
• Add sugar (optional). If your canned tomatoes are very acidic, just a pinch of sugar will balance out the flavors.
• Play with fire. Fresh red chili peppers add fruity heat; dried red pepper flakes add fiery heat; a dollop of Calabrian chili paste (which is extremely spicy) adds acidity because it’s made with vinegar.
• Use it for other recipes. Can you imagine spicy arrabbiata sauce on sourdough pizza? Focaccia? With meatballs? As a dipping sauce with fresh homemade ricotta? There are many creative possibilities to explore.
• Make it ahead. Arrabbiata sauce can be chilled in an airtight container, up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Freeze up to 3 months.

Recipe Variations

Shallots, onions, fresh basil and bay leaf are not traditional ingredients in arrabbiata sauce. However, sometimes I’ll add them for extra flavor because I like the taste, especially the basil! See what you like best. Just remember to keep it simple.

More Pasta Sauce Recipes To Try!

• Ragù Bolognese Sauce
• Aglio e Olio (Garlic and Oil)
• Homemade Italian Sausage Ragù
• Authentic Pomodoro Sauce (Fresh or Canned)
• Quick Sicilian-Style Tomato Sauce
• Pesto alla Trapanese (Sicilian Pesto)
• Classic Italian Basil Pesto (Pesto alla Genovese)
• 6-Ingredient Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
• Easy Golden Butter & Sage Pasta Sauce

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