Spicy Arrabiata Penne
Kick up your pasta game with Valerie Bertinelli’s Spicy Arrabiata Pasta—a tantalizing blend of tomatoes, garlic, and red pepper flakes for a fiery flavor experience. This Italian classic takes simple ingredients and transforms them into something bold, rich, and deeply satisfying. Each bite of penne is coated in a garlicky tomato sauce with just the right amount of heat, making it a dish that’s sure to spice up your dinner routine.
This spicy Arrabiata Penne is the perfect dish to make any night of the week. It’s quick, easy, and delicious! You can serve it with some crusty bread and a green salad for an easy dinner that will please everyone in your family. Or you can take this dish to your next potluck or party – people are sure to love it!
What is Arrabiata?
If you are an angry Italian, then you know just what that word means, but what it really refers to is the spiciness of red chili peppers. Arrabiata sauce is a spicy Italian sauce – an angry sauce at that. Valerie’s spicy sauce recipe contains ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper (hence the arrabbiata) – just enough to give it a little kick.
Let’s take a look at how to make this pasta dinner.
Ingredients
For this spicy Italian dish, you need the following ingredients:
- 16 ounces uncooked penne rigate
- ¼ cup olive oil (I like to use Virgin Olive Oil)
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 26.46–ounce package of chopped tomatoes (such as Pomi)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
- Shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for garnish
How To Make Arrabiata
- You begin by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. (It helps to add salt to the pot.) Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the garlic; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Next, add the tomatoes, salt, crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then cook for 5 minutes. Remove it from the heat, and stir in the ¼ cup chopped basil.
- Stir the cooked pasta and reserved pasta water into the tomato mixture. Garnish with the Parmigiano-Reggiano and additional basil, if desired, and serve warm.
If you can’t get enough hearty, cheesy pasta dishes, don’t miss my Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs for a family favorite, Julie’s Cheesy Lasagna for a comforting classic, and Southern Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini for a creamy twist that always hits the spot.
Spicy Arrabiata Penne
Ingredients
- 16 ounces uncooked penne rigate
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 26.46 ounces chopped tomatoes such as Pomi
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil plus more for garnish
- Shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook according to the package; drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add the garlic; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, and cook 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the ¼ cup chopped basil.
- Stir the cooked pasta and reserved pasta water into the tomato mixture. Garnish with the Parmigiano-Reggiano and additional basil, if desired, and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Tip
If you have an aversion to spicy foods, cut it in half to ¼ teaspoon. If you love spicy foods, add more at your own risk.
What Kind Of Pasta Is Used in Pasta Arrabiata?
This recipe calls for penne rigate, a ridged, tube-shaped pasta. If you cannot find it, you can substitute any tube-shaped pasta, such as rigatoni or ziti.
Valerie’s Home Cooking: More than 100 Delicious Recipes to Share with Friends and Family
Valerie’s Home Cooking is a beautiful, full-color book by actress and Food Network star Valerie Bertinelli. There are more than 100 recipes, each with a story. The chapters are divided into the following sections:
- Rise & Shine
- Getting Through the Day
- Happy Hour
- Around the Table
- A Side Note
- Finishing Sweet
Valerie’s recipes are easy to replicate at home and are suitable for sharing with friends and family. Flipping through the pages, you will be enticed by mouthwatering photographs included with each recipe.
Valerie takes on classic recipes and adds her spin, such as Dutch Baby with Lemon Curd and Tuna Noodle Casserole with Potato Chip Topping. She includes several dessert recipes for those with a sweet tooth—be sure to check out her Chocolate Peppermint Ice-Cream Sandwiches and Neapolitan Tacos.
If your goal is to eat more plant-based foods, then her recipes for Roasted Radishes, Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms with Chile-Lemon Salt, and Vegetarian Minestrone will be right down your alley.
Look for Valerie’s Home Cooking: More than 100 Delicious Recipes to Share with Friends and Family at your local bookstore or at Amazon.com.
Last Bite
Turn up the heat on pasta night! Leave a comment below and tell me how spicy you made your Arrabiata—or if you paired it with extra Parmesan or a side of garlic bread.
Quick, easy and delicious!