Pasta arrabbiata

Ingredients

• 2 canschopped tomatoes
• 1onion, finely diced
• 3 clovesgarlic, sliced
• 2chillies, deseeded if preferred
• 1 handfulfresh basil, roughly chopped
• 20 mlolive oil
• 1 tspsalt
• to tasteblack pepper
• a pinchsugar
• to tasteParmesan, freshly grated
• not specifiedspaghetti

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the vegetables

   Finely dice the onion and slice the garlic.

2. 2

   Chop the basil

   Roughly chop the fresh basil.

3. 3

   Prepare the chillies

   Deseed the chillies if you prefer a milder sauce, then cut them into small pieces. Wear gloves if handling very hot chillies; for more heat, leave the seeds in.

4. 4

   Fry the aromatics

   Fry the onion, garlic and chilli in the olive oil.

5. 5

   Add the tomatoes

   Once the ingredients have taken on a little colour, stir in the chopped tomatoes.

6. 6

   Season the sauce

   Season with salt and pepper.

7. 7

   Add basil and sugar

   Stir in a pinch of sugar and the roughly chopped basil.

8. 8

   Reduce the sauce

   Simmer for 30 minutes with the saucepan lid resting loosely on top, allowing the sauce to reduce.

9. 9

   Cook the spaghetti

   Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions.

10. 10

    Serve with Parmesan

    Serve the spaghetti with the arrabbiata sauce and finish with freshly grated Parmesan.

What is pasta arrabbiata?

Arrabbiata is an Italian tomato sauce known for its heat from chilli. Its name is often translated as “angry”, a nod to the sauce’s lively kick.

This version builds flavour with onion, garlic and olive oil, then simmers canned tomatoes with basil. Adjusting the chilli makes it easy to set the heat level at the table.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 480 calories, 17g protein, 77g carbs, 13g fat.

Most of the carbohydrates come from the spaghetti, while olive oil and Parmesan contribute much of the fat; Parmesan also adds some protein. The amount of spaghetti is not specified, so use a measured portion and add a salad or vegetables alongside if you want more variety on the plate.

Build flavour with the aromatics

Onion: dice it small so it softens evenly in the oil.

Garlic and chilli: slice or chop them before frying, and keep an eye on the pan so they colour without scorching.

Choose your chilli heat

Seeds: remove them for a gentler sauce, or leave them in for more heat as the recipe suggests.

Handling: wear gloves if the chillies are very hot, and avoid touching your eyes while preparing them.

Let the sauce reduce

The 30-minute simmer gives the tomatoes time to reduce into a more concentrated sauce. Keep the lid loose rather than sealing the pan, as the recipe calls for the sauce to cook down.

Stir from time to time and check that the sauce is not catching on the bottom of the pan.

Cook the spaghetti to suit

Cook the spaghetti according to its packet instructions while the sauce simmers. Since the recipe does not give a pasta quantity, use an amount appropriate for two people.

Drain the pasta when it reaches the texture you like, then serve it with the sauce rather than letting it sit and soften.

Finish and serve

Basil: it goes into the sauce before the simmer, giving its flavour time to mingle with the tomatoes.

Parmesan: grate it freshly over the finished pasta. A green salad or steamed vegetables alongside can make the meal more balanced.

Recipe notes & tips

• Deseed the chillies before chopping if you want to keep the sauce milder.
• Wear gloves when handling very hot chillies.
• Let the onion, garlic and chilli take on a little colour before adding the tomatoes.
• Keep the saucepan lid loose while the sauce reduces for 30 minutes.
• Cook the spaghetti to the packet timing and your preferred texture.
• Grate the Parmesan just before serving.

Variations

• Adjust the heat: remove the chilli seeds for a milder sauce or leave them in for more bite.
• Add extra basil: stir in a little more chopped basil if you have some to hand.
• Use another pasta shape: serve the sauce with a different pasta shape if spaghetti is unavailable.
• Add vegetables: serve with cooked vegetables on the side for a more varied plate.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Burning the garlic: fry it with the onion and chilli only until the ingredients take on a little colour.
• Too much heat: deseed the chillies before chopping, and add less if needed.
• Skipping the reduction: simmer the sauce for the full 30 minutes so it can cook down.
• Sealing the lid: rest it loosely on the pan so the sauce can reduce.
• Overcooking the pasta: follow the packet instructions and check the texture as it cooks.

How to store

Store leftover sauce in a covered container in the fridge and use within 3 days. Reheat it gently in a saucepan until piping hot; freshly cooked spaghetti is best, though cooked leftovers can be reheated separately.

Frequently asked questions