Spicy Penne Arrabbiata Recipe
This penne arrabbiata recipe brings the classic Italian dish to a whole new level with lots of chili flakes and extra spicy peppers. If you like your pasta spicy, this is for you!
Servings: 4
Calories: 611kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil plus more for serving
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 spicy pepper of your choice chopped (I used a ghost pepper, but use your preferred level, such as a jalapeno, serrano, or habanero pepper)
- 2 red Fresno peppers chopped
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 tsp spicy red pepper flakes plus more for serving (for an even spicier version, use fiery ghost pepper flakes)
- 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 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 (240 mof the pasta water. Stir a half cup (120 mof 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: This recipe brings some serious heat. If you haven’t cooked with ghost peppers, prepare yourself. For a milder version, you can easily swap out ghost peppers for other peppers. Habaneros will bring a very nice level of heat. You can usually find ghost pepper flakes online, though I like to grown my own and dehydrate them at home.
TWEAK THE HEAT: This recipe brings some serious heat. If you haven’t cooked with ghost peppers, prepare yourself. For a milder version, you can easily swap out ghost peppers for other peppers. Habaneros will bring a very nice level of heat. You can usually find ghost pepper flakes online, though I like to grown my own and dehydrate them at home.
Nutrition
Calories: 611kcal | Carbohydrates: 95g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 671mg | Potassium: 720mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 584IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 3mg