Search This Blog

Search This Blog

Quick & Easy Homemade Arrabbiata Pasta (no onion)

 This quick and easy homemade arrabbiata pasta or penne arrabbiata as it is also known is quick to make for weeknight dinners, with no onion.

Quick & Easy Homemade Arrabbiata Pasta (no onion).

Quick & Easy Homemade Arrabbiata Pasta (no onion)



I love a fresh tomato sauce for pasta, but my regular tomato and basil sauce takes time, time to soften the onions, and then to let the sauce cook down until it's really rich.

But sometimes, I want something fresher and quicker and that's when this penne arrabbiata comes in.

The sauce is quick to make while the pasta cooks, so dinner is on the table in under 20 minutes from start to finish.

And no chopping!

Boy, sometimes it's a relief not to chop vegetables.

I seem to spend so much of my life chopping vegetables, but not when I make this delicious pasta sauce.


What is penne arrabbiata?



Penne all'arrabbiata or penne arriabbiata is a classic Italian pasta dish.

It originated in Rome (the capital city of Italy), which is in the Lazio region of Italy.

Chefs there would make this quick and simple pasta dish with a spicy kick after they had finished a long shift cooking for customers.

They needed something quick and easy after an exhausting dinner service.

The name arrabbiata means 'angry' in Italian, which refers to the hot chilli peppers used in the tomato sauce.


Is arrabbiata sauce the same as marinara sauce?



No marinara is a different sauce, which originates in Naples.

They are both tomato-based sauces, but the marinara sauce is cooked longer and it includes onions and red wine.

Marinara sauce is flavoured with oregano, rather than basil.

It's also used for American Italian dishes like spaghetti and meatballs (try my vegan 'meatballs) or a meatball sub (here's a vegan 'meatball' sub) and not just for pasta.

Quick Penne Arrabbiata in a shallow casserole pan.

Which type of chilli is used in arrabbiata?


When making arrabbiata, you can use fresh mild or hot chillies.

Alternatively, you can use chilli flakes (sometimes called red pepper flakes).

If you are using fresh chilli, removing the seeds will take away some of the heat, so decide carefully.

Just don't touch your eyes after you have touched those chillies or you'll soon know about it.

For this quick version of arrabbiata (some people spell it arrabiata, but it actually has two letter b's), I use chilli flakes.


How hot is arrabbiata?


The spice level of penne arrabbiata very much depends on the heat of the chillies and how much you add.

I added enough chilli flakes for a bit of heat, but not too overpowering.

Basically, because I am a wuss when it comes to spicy.

So it does leave a tingle in the mouth, but there's lots of flavour.

If you love spicy food, then feel free to add more.


Can you use fresh tomatoes?


Penne arrabbiata is usually made with canned tomatoes.

You could use fresh tomatoes for this Italian classic, if they were ripe and full of flavour, but you would need to remove the skin and chop them finely.


How to skin fresh tomatoes


To remove the skin from tomatoes, cut a large cross across the bottom of the tomato, through the skin, then pop them in a large bowl with boiling water.

Cover with a clean tea towel and leave for a few minutes, until the skin starts to peel away.

Carefully pour away the hot water and cover in cold water to cool, then take the tomatoes out one at a time and the skin should peel off easily.


Mutti finely chopped Italian tomatoes.

Which type of tinned tomatoes are best to use?


For general cooking, when I'm cooking down a sauce or adding other ingredients, I use cheaper supermarket brand of canned tomatoes, or any that are on offer. 

However, if tomato is the star of the show then I want some good quality tomatoes.

For this, I buy cans of Mutti tomatoes, which is a premium Italian brand.

Their best tomatoes are their san marzano tomatoes, but they can be hard to find.

So, I use their solo pomodoro finely chopped Italian tomatoes.

You may see the can says polpa, which translates to pulp, referring to the fact they are finely diced.

I use these when fresh tomatoes are out of season and not good, when I am making pan con tomate (pa amb tomaquet), which is an Italian mezze dish or for this spicy pasta.


Penne arrabbiata in a white pasta bowl.

Do you have to use penne?


Penne is the traditional pasta to use when making an arrabbiata.

However, rigatoni is a good option too as the ridges help hold onto the sauce.

Some people love it with spaghetti.

I have to admit I am a sucker for spaghetti with most sauce, but I do love this homemade tomato sauce the way they serve it in an Italian restaurant, with penne.


What you need to make this spicy sauce


Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this angry pasta, as they call it.

Make it for your next pasta night.

  • Olive oil
  • Chilli flakes
  • Fresh garlic cloves - some people use lots of garlic, but I just use a few cloves
  • Finely chopped tomatoes - tinned tomatoes
  • Sugar - just a little to sweeten the tomatoes
  • Tomato puree - optional, but adds depth of flavour
  • Fresh basil leaves - traditional arrabbiata sauce is often made with fresh parsley, but fresh basil adds a better flavour and is usually paired with tomatoes in Italy
  • Salt and black pepper - to season
  • Penne pasta
The full recipe card is below under the step-by step photos with a full ingredient list, method, notes and calories.


Quick and easy homemade arrabbiata sauce on penne.

How to serve pasta arrabbiata


As soon as the pasta is cooked, drain it and pour it into the sauce and mix well to combine.

Serve topped with vegan parmesan.

It's quite nice to add some shredded fresh basil when you serve it too, but this is optional.

And for an extra special dinner, make a batch of my easy vegan garlic bread

I make it in my air fryer while the pasta cooks, but it can be baked in the oven too, it just takes a little longer

Can you make this spicy tomato sauce ahead?


You could make it ahead, but the joy of this sauce is that it cooks while the pasta cooks.

If you do make it ahead, then you can keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

When you reheat it, you may want to add some of the pasta water (the pasta cooking water near the end of the cooking time) to loosen it up a bit.

Then serve it on freshly cooked al dente pasta.


Can you freeze homemade arrabbiata sauce?



Tomato sauces like arrabbiata freeze really well.

Once cool, freeze it in portions in labelled freezer bags or tubs.

To defrost, pop a portion in the fridge overnight, then reheat before serving.



Save your favourite recipes for free!

grow widget

Hit the heart  (look to the right) to save this and other recipes.

Once logged in, you can save your favourite recipes and access them by hitting the heart on any of my recipes or going to grow.me where they will be stored for you for free.


pin it for later

This quick and easy homemade arrabbiata pasta or penne arrabbiata as it is also known is quick to make for weeknight dinners, with no onion.

Also, join my Facebook group Living on the Veg. It's a very friendly community with lots of recipes and chat. I'm in there every day chatting with group members.

Remember and say hi. I'm always happy to chat and answer questions.


How to make Homemade Arrabbiata Pasta

A step-by-step photo guide followed by a full printable recipe. 


Homemade Arrabbiata Pasta - Step 1.Step 1
  • While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large shallow pan or frying pan.
  • Add the chilli flakes and crushed garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes to allow the chilli and garlic to flavour the oil.
  • Pour in the finely chopped or crushed tomatoes.


Homemade Arrabbiata Pasta - Step 2.

Step 2

  • Give it a good stir.
  • Add the fresh basil and cook for a few minutes.
  • Add the sugar, tomato puree (if you're adding it) and season.
  • Once the pasta is cooked and al dente, drain, then pour into the sauce.


Homemade Arrabbiata Pasta - Step 3.

Step 3

  • Mix the pasta well into the sauce.
  • Serve topped with some more fresh basil and some vegan parmesan.
  • Enjoy!


penne arrabbiata, penne all'arrabbiata, spicy tomato pasta, arribiata pasta,, chilli tomato pasta
Dinner
Italian
Yield: 4
Author: Jacqueline Meldrum
Quick & Easy Homemade Arrabbiata Pasta (no onion)

Quick & Easy Homemade Arrabbiata Pasta (no onion)

This quick and easy homemade arrabbiata pasta or penne arrabbiata as it is also known is quick to make for weeknight dinners, with no onion.
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 12 MinTotal time: 17 Min

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely grated (more if you like)
  • 2 x 400g (14 oz) cans finely chopped (or crushed) tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons tomato puree (tomato paste)
  • 1 large handful fresh basil, shredded or torn
  • 1 pinch salt and black pepper
  • 400g penne

Instructions

  1. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large shallow pan or frying pan.
  2. Add the chilli flakes and crushed garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes to allow the chilli and garlic to flavour the oil.
  3. Pour in the finely chopped or crushed tomatoes.
  4. Give it a good stir.
  5. Add the fresh basil and cook for a few minutes.
  6. Add the sugar, tomato puree (if you're adding it) and season.
  7. Once the pasta is cooked and al dente, drain, then pour into the sauce.
  8. Mix the pasta well into the sauce.
  9. Serve topped with some more fresh basil (optional) and some vegan parmesan.
  10. Enjoy!

Notes

  • If you can't find finely chopped tinned tomatoes, just use chopped.
  • If the tomatoes aren't sweet you can add a little more sugar.
  • You can use fresh chilli instead of flakes, add it when the recipe says to add the flakes.
  • Rigatoni works well instead of penne.
  • The sauce can be chilled for 2-3 days or frozen for 3-4 months.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

507.53

Fat (grams)

9.17 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

1.33 g

Carbs (grams)

91.72 g

Fiber (grams)

7.36 g

Net carbs

84.36 g

Sugar (grams)

12.92 g

Protein (grams)

16.64 g

Sodium (milligrams)

290.56 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

0 mg

This information is approximated using a nutrition and calorie calculator.

16 comments

  1. Easier to make than I thought. Trying this!

    ReplyDelete
  2. That looks so good Jacqs. I am definitely trying it. Jill x

    ReplyDelete
  3. So delicious! Much better than the canned version I'd been using!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Loved this recipe! So flavorful and delish!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tinned Tomatoes' Quick Homemade Arrabbiata Pasta is a weeknight dinner delight! With its bold flavors and quick prep time, this dish is perfect for busy evenings. Plus, the no-onion recipe makes it a breeze to whip up. Say goodbye to takeout and hello to homemade deliciousness with this easy and satisfying meal! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love this, looks very delicious. Will try this soon. thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are very welcome. I hope you enjoy the arrabbiata.

      Delete
  7. Love how easy this recipe is! Way better than jarred sauce!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oh yes much more flavour and fresher than jarred sauce.

      Delete
  8. I really loved this recipe! I have a friend that doesn't like onions so this was the perfect recipe. Thank you for this awesome option!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes I thought the lack of onion would be appreciated by quite a few people

      Delete

I love reading comments, so thank you for taking the time to leave one. Unfortunately, I'm bombarded with spam, so I've turned on comment moderation. I'll publish your comments as soon as I can and respond to them. Don't panic, they will disappear when you hit publish. Jac x