Spaghetti Arrabiata (Spicy 30 Minute Pasta Recipe)

Name: Spaghetti Arrabiata
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 16 ounce package of spaghetti, or any pasta you have on hand; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 shallot, minced; 3 cloves of garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 1 (28 ounce) can of Crushed San Marzano Tomatoes; 1/2 teaspoon sugar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon oregano; 1/2 cup fresh basil, cut into thin slices (chiffonade); Optional topping: 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

This Spaghetti Arrabiata is blasting with flavor and spice. It's a Spicy Pasta Recipe that is ready in 30 minutes and will be one of your favorite weeknight dinners.

overhead view of two bowls full of pasta with small bowl of red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese

This pasta sauce is honestly the best flavor I've ever tasted from a sauce made in such little time. I was incredibly impressed with this recipe and couldn't wait to share it with you.

Arrabiata means angry in Italian. This sauce isn't at all angry, maybe just a little irritated. It is packed with that good heat that just burns your lips a tiny bit and is super flavorful.

If you love Italian food, make sure to try my Rose Pasta, Penne Primavera and Creamy Pesto Gnocchi.

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe:
Ingredients:
Substitutions & Variations:
How to Make Spaghetti Arrabiata:
Expert Tips:
Recipe FAQs:
Storing Leftovers:
More Pasta Recipes You'll Love:
Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe:

Spicy Flavors. It has heat and a bold garlicky taste that will make the taste buds sing.
Quick. This recipe from start to finish is less than 30 minutes and great for busy weeknights.
Easy and Great for Beginners. It's super simple to make even for beginner cooks.

If you want to pair this pasta with protein, try my Parma Ham Chicken, Crispy Chicken Fritta and Crusted Chicken Romano.

Ingredients:

Olive Oil, Garlic, Shallot and Crushed Red Pepper- These create the beginning of the sauce, which give a spicy infusion into the olive oil. The instant flavor comes from this amazing pairing.

Crushed San Marzano Tomatoes- Added to form the actual sauce. Crushed tomatoes will give you a chunkier textured sauce. The SMT brand of San Marzano tomatoes pictured were ranked highly by Wirecutter and NYT Cooking for their buttery richness in an article titled Best Canned Tomatoes. I will usually pay a higher price for San Marzano tomatoes, because I can tell the difference in the complexity of the flavor.

Spaghetti-Let's face it, spaghetti is a classic and sometimes tradition just feels right. Give me a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs on a bad day, and the comfort of the dish will cheer me up. I love how food can do that. Try this Ground Chicken Spaghetti Recipe too.

Dried Oregano and Fresh Basil-Traditional Italian seasonings that add incredible taste.

Sugar-Adds a tiny bit of sweetness to balance out the heat.

Parmesan-(Optional) Used for topping for it's delicious, nutty taste.

*Full recipe ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.

Substitutions & Variations:

If you want the flavor with less heat, add in a ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes, instead of 1 full teaspoon. If you are looking for a lot of heat, add in an extra ½ teaspoon and add more to taste.

This recipe would pair perfectly with a nice salad, like my peach and burrata salad. Also, this air fryer garlic bread would serve as a great side dish.

How to Make Spaghetti Arrabiata:

Step 1: Into a dutch oven or deep enameled skillet, heat the olive oil over medium low. Once oil is hot, add in shallot and cook until softened, about two to three minutes. Don't let it burn.

Red pepper flakes in skillet with onion and garlic.

Step 2: Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute.

Step 3: Pour in crushed tomatoes and stir. If the sauce is popping, lower heat a tiny bit. Stir in the sugar, salt and oregano. If it starts to boil, lower the heat a little bit.

Step 4: Start the pasta water in a large pot and boil. Cook spaghetti (or whatever pasta you are using) until al dente according to directions on the package. Keep an eye on the sauce while you are cooking the pasta, stirring it every few minutes.

Arrabiata sauce topped with fresh basil in skillet.

Step 5: Once the pasta is finished, add in the basil to the sauce and stir.

Serving of Spaghetti Arrabiata topped with parmesan on white plate.

Step 6: Serve the spicy sauce over the spaghetti and top with parmesan cheese, if desired. I desire it every time! Enjoy!

Expert Tips:

Cook the shallot just until translucent or see through. Do not brown or it will get a bitter flavor.
If you want to add more heat, you can add more red pepper flakes at the end when the sauce is complete. I don't suggest adding more in with the original amount because it could get way too spicy.

For more quick and easy pasta recipes, check out Four Cheese Pasta, Meatless Baked Ziti, Shrimp Scampi without Wine.

Recipe FAQs:

What is a good spice to add to spaghetti sauce?

My favorite way to add heat to sauce is with crushed red pepper flakes. That creates the heat in this Arrabiata sauce and it has an excellent flavor!

What type of pasta is good with Arrabiata sauce?

In this recipe, I used spaghetti, which is fantastic. You can use any kind of pasta. Rigatoni, bucatini, or penne would all be great choices for this Italian fiery sauce.

Difference between Marinara and Arrabiata Sauce:

The base of the sauce is extremely similar, but a lot of red pepper flakes are added into the Arrabiata sauce to increase the spice levels. Otherwise, they are very similar.

Storing Leftovers:

Store the leftover sauce and pasta in separate containers with lids in the fridge. These are perfect to heat up over the next few days for a quick meal. Use within 3 days.

More Pasta Recipes You'll Love:

If you tried this Spaghetti Arrabiata Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!

Recipe