This rigatoni arrabbiata always brings me back to my time in Rome, where I learned just how good simple, spicy pasta could be. This version keeps all the classic flavors—fresh tomatoes, garlic, and a kick of red pepper—while being quick enough for any weeknight. It’s the perfect blend of bold Italian flavor with an effortless prep that makes me feel like I’m back at a cozy Roman trattoria!
Make restaurant-quality rigatoni arrabbiata at home!
I fell in love with this dish from a tiny trattoria near Campo de’ Fiori, where the waiter scolded me (lovingly) for asking for cheese on top. In Rome, this “angry pasta” is all about the chili, not the cream. Over the years, I’ve tested and tweaked it for real life—less about rigid tradition, more about that perfect weeknight heat hit.
What makes this version work? Two things: layering the flavor and trusting restraint. Starting garlic in cold oil lets it infuse deeply without burning. And stopping the pasta just shy of done means it soaks up every drop of sauce instead of swimming in it. The result: silky, spicy, unapologetically vibrant.
P.S., If you love great pasta dishes with minimal ingredients, also check out my authentic cacio e pepe, inspired by Anthony Bourdain’s favorite restaurant in Rome or my penne pomodoro, both classics!
Key ingredients and why they matter
To make rigatoni arrabbiata, you will need rigatoni pasta, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, dried thyme, red pepper flakes, whole peeled canned tomatoes, black pepper, salt, parmesan cheese, butter, and basil.
Full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the recipe card.
- Garlic: Start it in cold oil so the flavor blooms without bitterness. If you toss it into hot oil, you’ll miss that depth.
- Red pepper flakes: The soul of arrabbiata—adjust to your mood, not your tolerance. I go heavy-handed for that “angry” heat.
- Canned whole tomatoes: Skip diced. Whole tomatoes break down naturally and give a sauce that’s silky, not watery. If you want to can your own tomatoes, check out my post on the best types of canning tomatoes.
- Rigatoni: Those ridges catch the sauce like it’s their job (because it is). Penne works, but rigatoni wins on texture.
- Butter: This is optional, but just a tablespoon softens the acidity and gives the sauce that restaurant gloss—use plant-based if vegan.
- Fresh basil or parsley: Traditionalists use parsley; I reach for basil when I want freshness and fragrance.
TIPS & TRICKS
Shruthi’s top tips
- Start garlic in cold oil, and gradually heat it up to help release more flavor without burning
- Cook pasta a minute or two under package time. Let it finish in the sauce for that perfect cling.
- Use less sauce than you think you need. It can be tempting to want to drench your pasta in sauce, but resist the urge. You want just enough sauce to coat the pasta without making the dish too wet or soupy.
- Reserve pasta water: Adding a splash of starchy pasta water to the sauce helps it cling to the rigatoni and gives the sauce a creamier texture.
- Finish with butter for richness: A little butter stirred in at the end gives the sauce a luscious finish without overpowering the spice.
How to make the best rigatoni arrabbiata!
- Cook the pasta 2 to 3 minutes less than the package directions in salted boiling water, saving some pasta water. Meanwhile, in a skillet, warm olive oil with garlic, then stir in red pepper flakes and thyme. Let everything sizzle gently so the garlic softens without burning.
- Add the peeled whole tomatoes and cook until the sauce thickens, gently crushing the tomatoes as they break down.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese, then season with salt and black pepper.
- Toss the pasta and butter into the sauce, and loosen with pasta water as needed.
- Finish with fresh basil and serve hot!
How to serve rigatoni arrabbiata
Serve the rigatoni hot, straight from the skillet, topped with fresh basil and extra parmesan if you like. Pair it with something simple on the side, like this garlic bread with sliced bread and a fresh Italian chopped salad for a complete meal.
The arrabbiata sauce for this dish can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days! Reheat in a pan before adding the cooked pasta. For the best experience, eat it hot! (I eat it straight from the pot).
Storage and reheating suggestions
Store leftover cooked pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for no longer than 24 hours. Then, heat it back up in a skillet with some olive oil and fresh basil and parmesan sprinkled on top. Serve and enjoy!
More delicious Italian pasta recipes
Check out these other delicious Italian pasta dishes:
Lemon Butter Pasta (Pasta al Limone)
Fresh Tomato Pasta
Authentic Cacio e Pepe
Pasta e Piselli (Pasta with Peas)
Rigatoni Arrabbiata
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 2 tablespoon s olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tablespoon s red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 pounds canned peeled whole tomato
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, substitute with vegan parmesan of choice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter, optional, for finishing sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Salt a large pot of water like the ocean! Cook the pasta following the box instructions but stop short of 2-3 minutes (packages typically list 10 to 15 minutes, so if it says 10 minutes, stop cooking at 7 minutes). Reserve some pasta water for later, about 1⁄2 cup. Set aside.
- Add minced garlic while the oil is still cold, when the garlic starts to sizzle, add red pepper flakes, and dried thyme. Fry on low heat for about 2 minutes. Stir constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn.
- Add a can of peeled whole tomatoes and stir on medium heat for about 8 minutes until the sauce thickens. You can use a wooden spoon to crush the tomatoes a bit (but not too much) to release the juices.
- Add the parmesan cheese, and stir for about 1 minute. You can use vegan parmesan instead as well. Taste, and then add salt / black pepper to taste.
- Add the pasta and butter to the sauce. Stir until just combined. If the sauce looks too dry, you can add a bit of the pasta water. Note: If you're going vegan, you can skip the butter step, or swap with plant-based butter.
- Serve immediately with fresh basil!
Notes
- Salt the pasta water generously! It should taste briny. For 1 pound of rigatoni, I recommend 2 tablespoons of salt to 1 gallon of water.
- I recommend cooking the pasta 2 to 3 minutes under package directions since you’ll finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. If you cook to package directions, it might be too mushy!
- Arrabbiata literally means “angry pasta” so it’s definitely got a kick to it. Make sure to adjust the spice levels to suit your taste.
- Rigatoni can be substituted with any short, tubular pasta (e.g., penne, shells, ziti, cavatappi, etc.)
- The traditional recipe calls for parsley, but I’ve used basil (mostly because the batch of parsley I had in my fridge the day I shot this recipe was all wilted, and I wanted something fresh instead). So if you want to go a more traditional route, make sure to garnish with parsley, not basil!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Such a great family dinner! We loved this comfort food and the leftovers were great for lunch.
So simple but so good. The well salted water really brings out the flavor. I could eat this every day! Actually, I seriously could because we have a bunch of home grown tomatoes from our green house!