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
20-Minute Homemade Arrabbiata Sauce
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 23
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Pasta Sauce
- Method: Stove-Top
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This spicy, homemade arrabbiata sauce is made with 6 simple ingredients: canned tomatoes, fresh cherry tomatoes (to lighten and brighten the sauce), garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes and parsley. It only takes 20 minutes to cook! Feel free to enhance this dish with non-traditional ingredients including chopped onions, shallots, fresh basil leaves and/or bay leaf.
Ingredients
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
- 2 large garlic cloves, smashed
- 1/4 tsp– 1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes, plus more to taste (see Notes below)
- (1) 794 g (28 oz can) whole-peeled plum tomatoes in purée, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand OR pre-made/frozen pomodoro sauce as a base (see Notes below).
- 320 g (2 cups) fresh cherry tomatoes, halved
- Salt
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 453 g (1 lb.) penne pasta or fresh homemade pasta
Notes, Tips & Substitutions
- Instead of dried red pepper flakes, you can use (1) fresh chili pepper, halved and seeds removed or a dollop of Calabrian chili paste.
- Using already crushed canned tomatoes makes this sauce come together fast. However, the quality is often lacking (even the “good” brands). Use 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 less than 1 minute.
- Use a wide 12-inch pan or braiser (instead of a high sided pot). The sauce will reduce faster.
- Use pre-made/frozen sauce as your base. I like my pomodoro sauce with fresh tomatoes. Just add red pepper flakes and parsley to make it arrabbiata.
- Add sugar. If your canned tomatoes are very acidic, a pinch of sugar will balance out the flavors.
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until it’s al dente. Meanwhile, make the arrabbiata sauce.
- In a large 12-inch pan or braiser, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic cloves and red pepper flakes. Sauté briefly, stirring with a wooden spoon, to gently infuse the olive oil, about 1 minute or so. Do not brown the garlic. The sauce will taste bitter.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and fresh cherry tomatoes to the pan. Season with salt. Increase the heat to medium high and cook for 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Taste and correct with salt and/or sugar if the tomatoes are too acidic. Note: if using a high-sided pan, the sauce will take a little longer to reduce.
- To serve, add the pasta directly to the arrabbiata sauce. Mix well to combine. Shower with chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- Make it ahead. Arrabbiata sauce can be chilled in an airtight container, up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Freeze up to 3 months.
Keywords: arrabbiata, pasta, sauce, easy, recipe, Italian, penne, authentic, fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes
Comments
CMR says
Love, love the simplicity to Emilie’s homemade arrabbiata sauce! Thanks for comparing different recipes. I value your opinion and I plan to make this sauce just as you have outlined.
★★★★★
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I printed out this recipe yesterday as soon as it arrived in my inbox, and made it tonight (I had everything on hand, yay!). Super simple and satisfying – basically comfort in a bowl. Love the freshness from the parsley too. Will make again!
★★★★★
Emilie Raffa says
Laura, it’s so nice to hear from you! Thanks so much for the feedback. I’m thrilled you liked it :) xx