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Penne Arrabbiata is spicy, saucy, and so easy! The combination of penne noodles, spicy tomato sauce, and parmesan cheese is simply irresistible. But the best part is this Italian pasta recipe is ready in about 20 minutes.
Easy Penne Arrabbiata
Do you love Italian food? It’s basically all we’ve been cooking lately! As you may know, we’re in the middle of moving, so I’ve been seeking out recipes that are quick, easy, cheap, and flavorful! And you know what checks all of those boxes? Pasta!!! We love all varieties, but lately we’ve been extra keen on simple penne with spicy arrabbiata sauce!
We’ve been whipping it at least once a week, and serving it with a simple salad and easy baked meatballs. Extra crushed red pepper and red wine, too! It’s a simple meal that still feels so special!
Ingredients for Penne all’Arrabbiata:
Ingredients for Penne all’Arrabbiata:- Penne Pasta
- Olive Oil
- Red Pepper Flakes (feel free to use a little less than the suggested amount for a less spicy sauce… or more if you love heat!)
- Garlic
- Crushed Tomatoes
- Tomato Paste
- Salt, Pepper, and Sugar
- Fresh Basil
And that’s really it!!! Just 10 simple ingredients!
How to make Pasta Arrabbiata:
Sauce: The first step is making the spicy tomato sauce! Drizzle 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add in the garlic and chili red pepper flakes and cook for a minute or so. Then stir in the tomato paste, then add the tomatoes. Toss in the salt, pepper, and sugar, and simmer on low for at least 15 minutes. While your sauce is simmering, boil your pasta!
Penne: Fill a large pot with water. Season with salt and bring the water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling salted water and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Reserve a 1/4 cup of the salted water, before removing from heat. Drain the pasta.
Garnish: Stir in the cooked penne and serve warm! Garnish with plenty of grated parmigiano reggiano and slivered basil leaves. When it comes to this pasta, you can never have enough cheese and herbs.
Can I add protein to this sauce? Absolutely! Try adding grilled shrimp, chicken, or meatballs!
Can I double this recipe?
This spicy penne arrabbiata recipe is equally perfect for special occasions or just for when company comes over. Because it’s classic comfort food that’s always a crowd-pleaser! Plus, you won’t break the bank feeding a large crowd!
As written, this recipe makes 4 generous servings. So make sure to double this recipe if you’re serving more people. You can even triple it or quadruple it if you’re serving a really big group. And if you have any leftovers, you can always enjoy them for lunch the following the day.
What to serve with Penne all’Arrabbiata
This recipe has plenty of extra sauce (and my family LOVES carbs) so I often serve this some sort of bread. Below are a few favorites:
Spicy, saucy, and so easy… this penne pasta recipe is the full package! So the next time you’re craving pasta, skip the fancy Italian restaurant (or delivery) and whip up this spicy penne recipe instead. You’ll be enjoying restaurant quality Italian comfort food from the comfort of your own home within 30 minutes! If you’re a homebody like me… it doesn’t get much better than that!
More Pasta Recipes:
- Avocado BLT Pasta Salad
- One-Pan Tomato Basil Pasta
- Super Cheesy Kale and Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Bake
IF YOU TRY THIS RECIPE FOR PENNE WITH ARRABBIATA SAUCE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW, AND DON’T FORGET TO SNAP A PIC AND TAG IT #BAKERBYNATURE ON INSTAGRAM! SEEING YOUR CREATIONS SERIOUSLY MAKES MY DAY ♥
Penne Arrabbiata
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, sliced very thin
- 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- (1) 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- (1) 16 ounce box penne
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and chili flakes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until garlic is fragrant and just starting to soften. Stir in the tomato paste.
- Add in the crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar and bring to a steady simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking for 15 minutes - stirring occasionally. In the meantime, make your pasta.
- Fill a large pot with water and a dash of salt. Place over a medium-high heat and bring water to a rolling boil. Add penne and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, or until pasta is al dente. Drain pasta well.
- Stir the cooked pasta into the sauce. Add in the basil and stir well to combine.
- Serve pasta warm, with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese!
Literally the best pasta, I love it so much and I recommend it..
Really easy to make, flavorful and we all enjoyed it. Next time I might add some veggies or chicken.
So glad you enjoyed it, Donna!
My wife just said it was restaurant quality, so I got brownie points. Used a different pasta that we were given from Italy. What a quick and easy meal for how delicious it is. Thank you
Brownie points from the wife are always a win! So happy you both enjoyed this, Sam!
Really enjoyed this easy recipe!
…forgot to give it a rating
Hi Ashley,
Arrabbiata is my favourite sauce when we’re eating out, so I was delighted to find such an easy recipe to make it at home. It was extra easy because I had chopped garlic and red chillies in the freezer (store bought because of pandemic planning ahead lol), so it was just a case of putting everything in the pan and letting it do its thing. My husband doesn’t usually sway from spaghetti bolognese, but even he said how good it was and can’t wait to have it again. Thank you!
Thank you so much, Judith! SO happy this was a hit with you and your husband 🙂
Awesome flavor! Really easy and the family loved it!
Very delicious easy meal! Thank you! I loved it!
In the recipe in one it says to reserve 1/4 cup of the salted boiling water before you remove water from heat.
In the next recipe it doesn’t mention that. If you do reserve the 1/4 cup water do you use it in the sauce?