Spaghetti Arrabiata

Spaghetti Arrabiata is a classic Italian dish is a quick and satisfying meal that’s downright delicious, packed with bold, spicy flavours, a touch of sweetness and plenty of depth. It features copious amounts of garlic, red chilli flakes for a fiery kick and high-quality chopped tomatoes, all balanced with the sweetness of onions and the freshness of basil.

📝 Ingredients

• 350 grams (12 oz) spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons virgin olive oil (plus an extra glug for the spaghetti)
• 1 medium red onion (finely chopped)
• 4 fat cloves of garlic (or more) (chopped)
• 400 grams (14oz) good quality tinned tomatoes (chopped)
• 3 tablespoons basil leaves (chopped, heaped spoons)
• 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2-1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• grated parmesan for finishing

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Cook the spaghetti al dente according to the package instructions. Use plenty of water for cooking and generously salt the water. You'll need roughly just under a tablespoon for this amount of pasta.
2. 2Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse it with cold water. Then, put the pasta back into the pan and toss it with a splash of oil to prevent it from sticking together.
3. 3Check the seasoning and add more salt if needed, as rinsing the pasta might have washed some of it away.
4. 4Add the olive oil to a large frying pan and heat.
5. 5Gently sauté the chopped onions and garlic over medium-low heat until the onions are soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. If the onions start to brown too quickly, turn the heat down slightly.
6. 6Next, add the choped tomatoes, chopped basil, chilli flakes, sugar and salt and pepper to the fried onions.
7. 7Simmer the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly. This can take up to 5 minutes, depending on the surface area of your pan.
8. 8Add the cooked spaghetti to the pan and toss it in the spicy tomato sauce. Continue tossing over low heat for about 4 minutes, until the pasta is heated through.
9. 9Generously top with fresh Parmesan cheese, add a few extra grinds of black pepper and top with more fresh basil leaves. Spoon into bowls and serve.