Arrabiata Sauce, also known as Arrabbiata Sauce, is a traditional Italian pasta dish made with tomato sauce, garlic, chili pepper, and olive oil. The dish's name means "angry sauce" in Italian and originated in Rome.
The sauce is typically spicy but can be milder using fewer chili peppers.
This recipe uses spaghetti noodles tossed in a spicy tomato-based sauce flavored with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, onion, white wine, red pepper flakes, and pickled peppers (peperoncini) to bring out the tomato sauce's deeper flavor.
On this site, this dish was inspired by my Penne Alla Vodka, Pasta Amatriciana, and Classic Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce recipes and paired well with Garlic Bread, Cesar salad, or Garden Salad.
How to Make Arrabiata Sauce
Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
Start with a large pot of water, about 4 quarts. Bring it to a rapid boil. Add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, drop in the pasta while the water is at a boil, and gently stir.
Stir it occasionally while it cooks. Use the cooking time on the pasta package as a guide until just al dente (about 10 minutes). Drain the pasta. Just be sure to save about 1-½ cups of pasta water.
If you have a pot with a colander insert, use it to drain the pasta. If not, drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink.
While the pasta is cooking, place the 1 tablespoon of the extra virgin olive oil and the bacon in a 1-quart saucepot over low heat (you don't want too much heat, or you'll scorch the bacon), and render the fat out for 10 to 25 minutes.
When the fat is rendered out, place the bacon on paper towels, reserve it, and put it aside. Heat the ¾ cup of extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in a 7-quart pot over medium heat.
When hot, add the onion, garlic, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper and cook, stirring until the onion begins to caramelize for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Add 1 teaspoon of red pepper, swirl the pan to combine, and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits of the pan until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes.
Next, add the canned tomatoes, rinse the can with 1 cup of pasta water, and add the water to the pan—add ½ teaspoon sugar, Hot Chili peppers, and 1 tablespoon vinegar from the jar, and the bacon back to the pot.
Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened and flavorful, about 20 to 30 minutes. Lift the pasta out of the colander using tongs and add it to the sauce. Toss to coat the pasta in the arrabiata sauce, and add a splash of pasta water if it seems dry.
Stir in the chopped basil or parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more kosher salt and red pepper flakes if needed. Transfer the Pasta Arrabiata Sauce to a large serving bowl and top with grated pecorino cheese.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Arrabiata Sauce
Tools
Ingredients
For Arrabiata Sauce:
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat
- 10 cloves garlic , slivered or minced
- 1 medium onion , finely chopped
- ¼ cup Hot Chili peppers or ½ cup Pepperoncini such as Mezzetta Brand plus 1 tablespoon of the vinegar from the jar , sliced into strips, adjust to taste. (Omit if you have small children)
- 1 28-ounce canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes. (Omit if you have small children)
- ½ to 1 teaspoon kosher salt , adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup torn basil leaves or chopped fresh Italian Parsley
- 1 pound thick-cut bacon , prosciutto, or pancetta, cut into ½-inch pieces or Hot Italian Sausage cut into ½ inch slices
- ⅓ white wine , optional
- 1 cup water
Serving:
- 1 pound linguine or spaghetti
- ½ cup Pecorino or freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano , plus for serving
- ⅓ cup Chopped fresh basil or Italian parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Start with a very large pot of water, about 4 quarts. Bring it to a rapid boil. Add 1 tablespoons of kosher salt and drop in the pasta while the water is at a boil and give it a gentle stir. Stir it occasionally while it cooks. Use the cooking time on the pasta package as a guide to cook until just al dente, (about 10 minutes). Drain the pasta. Just be sure to save about 1-½ cups of pasta water. If you have a pot with a colander insert, use it to drain the pasta. If not, drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink.
- While the pasta is cooking, place the 1 tablespoon of the extra virgin olive oil and the bacon in a 1-quart saucepot over low heat (you don't want too much heat, or you'll scorch the bacon), and render the fat out for 10 to 25 minutes. When the fat is rendered out, place the bacon on paper towels, reserve the fat, and put it aside.
- Heat the ¾ cup of extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in a 7-quart pot over medium heat. When hot, add the onion, garlic, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper and cook stirring until the onion begins to caramelize for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add 1 teaspoon red pepper and swirl the pan to combine and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits of the pan until almost all the liquid evaporates about 3 minutes. Next, add the canned tomatoes, rinse the can with 1 cup of pasta water, add the water to the pan—add ½ teaspoon sugar, Hot Chili peppers along with 1 tablespoon vinegar from the jar, and the bacon back to the pot.
- Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened and flavorful, about 20 minutes to 30 minutes. Using tongs, lift the pasta out of the colander and add it to the sauce. Toss to coat the pasta in the arrabiata sauce, add a splash of pasta water if it seems dry. Stir in the chopped basil or parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more kosher salt and red pepper flakes if needed. Transfer the Pasta Arrabiata Sauce to a large serving bowl and top with grated pecorino cheese.
Notes
- The Heat level of this Arrabiata sauce will vary a bit depending on what type of pepper you use, so adjust as needed.
- Refrigerated Leftover Arrabiata Sauce, covered for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave until hot or on a stovetop over medium heat until heated through (adding a splash of water if needed).
- Prepared the Arrabiata Sauce 3 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated until needed. Combine with the pasta (without the cheese topping ) for up to 2 days, cover, and refrigerate until needed. Reheat Spaghetti with Arrabiata Sauce on a stovetop over medium heat until heated (adding a splash of water if needed). Add the grated cheese and lightly toss. Alternatively, you can heat it in the microwave.
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
