Penne Arrabbiata is an easy and delicious Italian pasta dish made from simple ingredients including olive oil, garlic, dried red chili flakes, and tomatoes. Enjoy this irresistible, homemade Penne Arrabbiata Recipe with juicy baked chicken or meatballs for a complete, protein-packed dinner.

Penne Arrabbiata Recipe

Spicy, saucy, and so easy to make right at home, this delicious penne arrabbiata recipe is so much better than paying for overpriced restaurant pasta. Seriously though – when did restaurant and take-out pasta get so expensive?

Fresh and healthy, the best part about penne arrabbiata (and all homemade pasta sauce) is that you can make it exactly how you like. Want it to burn your face off (please don’t)? Add more dried red chili peppers. Planning on serving it to the kiddos? Add less. Or, better yet, try my homemade marinara sauce (they’re pretty much the same thing, only one means “angry” in Italian). Hate the shape of penne pasta? Use your favorite like ziti, bowtie, or even spaghetti.

What is arrabbiata sauce?

Sauce all’arrabbiata, or arrabbiata sauce, is a simple, flavor-filled pasta sauce traditionally made from garlic, tomatoes, and dried red chili peppers cooked in olive oil. From the Lazio region of Italy, arrabbiata literally translates to “angry” in Italian, thanks to the fiery heat from the chili peppers. Traditionally, arrabbiata sauce is served with penne pasta.

Penne Arrabbiata Ingredients

All it takes to make this delicious penne pasta are a handful of simple ingredients,

Penne pasta – or other favorite pasta like ziti, spaghetti, angel hair (one of my favs), or even macaroni noodles. Trying to eat fewer carbs, try replacing the penne for zucchini noodles or even cauliflower mashed potatoes (trust me, so good!)
Olive oil – or butter.
Crushed red pepper flakes – the kind of red pepper flakes you sprinkle on pizza. If you know you’re sensitive to spicy food, please only add a small amount to start. You can always add more later.
Yellow onion – or shallots. Of course, you can also skip the onion and leave it out.
Garlic – Unlike the onion, please don’t skip the garlic.
Tomato paste and Canned whole tomatoes – You want the whole peeled tomatoes. Canned tomatoes work great and are super cost-effective, but you can also use fresh tomatoes if preferred.
Salt + Pepper – As much or as little as you like.
Fresh Basil – Some people like to add a little fresh basil. It’s not entirely authentic, but a little adds nice flavor.

How to make penne arrabbiata

Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions, subtracting at least 1-2 minutes from the total cook time. Drain and rinse (reserving at least 1 cup of starchy pasta water). Do not overcook.

Cook the red pepper flakes. Add the olive oil and butter to a large, deep sauté set over medium heat. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring continuously, for approximately 2 minutes. Cooking the red pepper flakes in olive oil and butter will deepen and distribute the flavor so much better than simply dumping them over the tomatoes.

Make the sauce. Add the onions and cook for 4-6 minutes, or until soft and translucent, stirring often. Add the minced garlic. Cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and tomatoes. Increase heat to medium-high. Mix in the tomato paste and cook, stirring continuously for approximately 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice and sugar and mix well to combine. Cook the sauce, mashing the tomatoes with a potato masher or wooden spoon. Allow the sauce to come to a low simmer. Reduce heat and allow the sauce to cook, uncovered, for approximately 25 minutes.

Season to taste. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and additional crushed red pepper flakes, if desired (see notes). Stir in the basil.

Combine pasta and serve. Add the cooked penne to the prepared pasta sauce and mix well to combine. If the sauce is too thick, slowly add the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce until desired consistency is reached. Serve with additional basil, if desired.

Can I make Penne Arrabbiata ahead of time

Yes. Absolutely.

To make penne arrabbiata ahead of time successfully I recommend making the sauce as desired and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. If you do decide to mix your premade sauce with precooked noodles,

Do not overcook the pasta. Cook just until al dente (or maybe a little less).
Wait for the sauce to cool before mixing with the penne. If the pasta and pasta sauce is still hot, the pasta will continue to cook after mixing which will ultimately result in soggy pasta noodles.

Premade sauce will store well in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding additional water or broth to thin the sauce as needed.

You can also freeze leftover or premade arrabbiata – although I do recommend waiting to add the penne until ready to serve. Simply transfer the sauce to freezer-safe containers and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

What to serve with Penne all’Arrabbiata

I love serving penne arrabbiata with a light salad like this Balsamic Tomato Salad or easy Spinach Salad. If salad isn’t your thing, there’s always room for Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Asparagus, or yummy cooked Beets (which happen to be my personal favorite).

Need more protein you can always serve a bowl with,

Garlic Butter Steak Bites (reader favorite!)
Roast Chicken Recipe
Easy Baked Chicken Breasts (taste great with everything!)
Garlic Herb Lamb Chops (delicious alternative to beef or chicken)
Garlic Butter Pork Chops

More pasta recipes,

If you try making this Penne all’Arrabbiata Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.

Penne Arrabbiata Recipe