Penne Arrabbiata Recipe

Spicy Penne Arrabbiata (Penne all'arrabbiata) in a bowl, ready to serve

4.93 from 40 ratings

Penne Arrabbiata is a spicy Italian pasta with garlic, chili flakes, and a rich tomato sauce, easy to make, bold in flavor, perfect for weeknight dinners.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: pasta, recipe, spicy

Servings:

Calories: 611kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil plus more for serving
1 small onion chopped
2 red Fresno peppers chopped (optional, for extra spicy)
3 cloves garlic crushed
1 tsp spicy red pepper flakes plus more for serving
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes (for a saucier version, use 2-3 cans, or add tomato sauce)
¾ cup cherry tomatoes
4 oz hot soppressata chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb pasta noodles I used penne
Fresh chopped basil for serving

Instructions

Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the olive oil.
Add the onion and peppers. Cook them down for 5 minutes or until soft.
Add the garlic, cayenne, and pepper flakes; stir to coat. Cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add the diced tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and hot soppressata. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
While the sauce is cooking, prepare your noodles according to the packaging instructions. Drain, but reserve about a cup (240m) of the pasta water. Stir a half cup (120m) of the pasta water into the sauce to loosen it up. Stir in more pasta water, if needed.
Stir in the noodles, then garnish with fresh chopped basil and extra crushed red pepper. Drizzle with extra olive oil and serve.

Notes

HOT TIP: This isn’t an overly saucy recipe. If you’d like a saucier version, stir in another can of diced tomatoes or tomato sauce.

TWEAK THE HEAT: For a milder version, dial back on the red chili flakes and cayenne. For spicier, use hotter chilies serrano or habanero pepper (or ghost pepper for serious chiliheads).

Nutrition