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close up photo of a bowl of spaghetti arrabiata with fresh basil and cheese
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Easy Spaghetti Arrabiata

An easy recipe for spicy homemade Arrabiata sauce made with San Marzano tomatoes, fresh garlic, and red pepper flakes.
Course Main
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 100kcal
Author Amee

Equipment

  • Sauté pan

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes more or less, to taste
  • 28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes whole, with juices
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 4 large fresh basil leaves torn into pieces
  • 1 lb spaghetti I use the high protein varieties, but go with your favorite
  • fresh parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat.
  • Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 8-10 minutes (the finer they are chopped the faster they will cook).
  • Add the red pepper flakes and minced garlic. Give it a good stir and simmer for about a minute until fragrant and just turning golden.
  • Add the tomatoes and sugar and cook over medium-low heat, crushing with a large spoon, until starting to thicken (about 30-40 minutes), stirring occasionally.
  • Remove from heat, stir in the fresh basil, and season with salt and pepper.
  • While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to the package directions to your desired texture.
  • Toss with sauce and garnish with fresh parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

  • When heating the EVOO, it should be hot but not so hot that it begins to smoke. If it's too hot, the onion and garlic will cook before the flavors have a chance to intensify.
  • The residual heat from the sauce will cook the pasta a bit further, so it's best to cook it al dente according to the package instructions.
  • Feel free to use a different type of pasta. Shapes that will soak up the yummy sauce like penne, capellini, linguine, and fettuccine are just a few of the many possibilities.
  • Do not toss the pasta with oil. It creates a barrier between the noodle and the sauce, keeping the sauce from clinging to the noodle.
  • Set some of the pasta water aside. After tossing everything together, add about a 1/4 of pasta water to loosen up the sauce if you need to.
*Nutrition information is for sauce only since pasta nutrition information can vary depending on type and brand.

Nutrition

Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 196mg | Potassium: 278mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 268IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg