An epicurean adventure to: Italy
We absolutely love, LOVE this Spaghetti Arrabiata for a super speedy meal with minimal ingredients that still leaves you wondering smugly, "Did I really just pull off a gourmet-level meal in 20 minutes?!" Every. Single. Time.
This 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 tinned, chopped tomatoes, all balanced with the sweetness of onions and the freshness of basil.
Don’t forget to finish it off with a mountain of parmesan cheese for the perfect final touch!

Jump to:
- Fast facts - Italy
- What's to love about this recipe?
- Angry spaghetti! 😡
- Key ingredient notes and substitutions
- Step-by-step instructions
- Top Tips
- Serving suggestions
- Variations
- Storage and reheating
- What else can Arrabiata sauce be used for?
- More easy weekday dinners that take less than 30 minutes to make
- Recipe
- Top Tips
- More pasta recipes for you to try
Fast facts - Italy
Location | Italy is located in Southern Europe, bordering France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. |
Language | Italian is the official language of Italy and it's spoken by the majority of the population. However, there are also many regional dialects and languages spoken throughout the country. |
Population | Circa 60 million people. |
Trivia | Italian opera has a rich heritage, with composers such as Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini and Vincenzo Bellini producing timeless works. The Teatro alla Scala in Milan is one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world. |
What's to love about this recipe?
- Bold, vibrant flavours with customisable spice levels.
- Quick and effortless - ready in under 20 minutes.
- Perfect for a speedy weeknight dinner.
- Versatile - add your favourite protein or veggies.
- Relatively healthy, especially with wholegrain spaghetti.
- Budget-friendly, made with simple, inexpensive ingredients.
- Easy to make vegan-friendly with a vegan parmesan substitute.
Angry spaghetti! 😡
"Arrabiata" is an Italian word that translates to "angry" or "furious." In the case of Spaghetti Arrabiata, the name reflects the pasta's bold and intense flavours.
So there you have it, angry spaghetti.
Please note that the correct spelling is "Arrabbiata" with two Bs, but most people have commonly adopted the single B version.
Key ingredient notes and substitutions
**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe and list of ingredients.
Spaghetti
Whenever possible, go for high-quality spaghetti - it’s the star of the show and can make a big difference in your meal.
Feel free to use a different type of pasta like penne.
And for a healthy twist, use this Arrabbiata sauce over courgette (zucchini) noodles. It’s a delicious, low-calorie alternative that still packs all the flavour!
Red onion
Can be replaced with white onion, brown onion, yellow onion or even shallots.
Garlic
Plenty of it!
The instructions suggest four garlic cloves but if your garlic bulbs are on the small side, you might want to consider adding 5-6 cloves instead - or more!
Chopped, tinned tomatoes
Traditional Arrabiata sauce often calls for Italian tinned San Marzano tomatoes, including their juices.
If you can get your hands on these, they're ideal! If not, don’t worry - just use any high-quality tinned tomatoes instead.
Fresh, ripe tomatoes are also a great choice for this recipe. Just remember to peel them first and chop them finely before adding them to the pan.
Chilli flakes and basil
Feel free to tweak the amount of red chili flakes and basil to suit your taste preferences.
Sugar
We add a touch of sugar to balance the acidity from the tomatoes but don’t worry - it won’t make the dish sweet. The natural sweetness comes from the onions and tomatoes themselves.
Salt and pepper
As a guide, we tend to salt three times,
- When cooking the spaghetti. Add a generous amount of salt to the pasta water. As a guide, you'll need just under a tablespoon for this amount of pasta.
- Add more salt to the spaghetti after rinsing it under cold water. Have a taste and salt accordingly.
- ½ - 1 teaspoon of salt for the sauce. Be generous, the sauce can handle it.
Parmesan
You can substitute Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano for parmesan cheese.
If you're looking for a budget-friendly option, try "grated hard cheese" from the supermarket. It won’t be exactly the same, but it will still add a similar flavour.
Step-by-step instructions
1. Cook 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. Drain 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. Check the seasoning and add more salt if needed, as rinsing the pasta might have washed some of it away.
4. Add the olive oil to a large frying pan and heat.
5. Gently sauté the garlic and onions 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. Next, add the tomatoes, basil, chilli flakes, sugar and salt and pepper to the fried onions.
7. Simmer 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. Add 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. Generously 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.
Top Tips
Use high-quality ingredients
Using top-notch tomatoes and olive oil makes all the difference in Spaghetti Arrabiata.
With so few ingredients, you want each one to shine and be the best it can be. Quality ingredients ensure a richer, more flavourful sauce.
Don't overcook the pasta
To check if your spaghetti is cooked al dente, consider the following factors:
- Texture - Al dente pasta should have a firm, slightly chewy texture. It shouldn't be soft or mushy.
- Visual clues - When you break a strand of al dente spaghetti in half, it should have a white, starchy core. If the pasta is uniformly translucent, it's overcooked. If it's opaque or hard in the centre, it's undercooked.
The thickness of the sauce
To see if your sauce is thick enough, keep an eye on the sides of the pan.
At first, there'll be a lot of bubbling around the edges. As it cooks down, the bubbles will get smaller and less frequent, and the liquid will reduce.
You should also be able to draw a clear line through the sauce with a spoon. That’s when you know it’s just right!
Serving suggestions
- Top with your favourite meats, like chicken, prawns, mince or shrimp.
- Top with grilled vegetables like aubergine, courgette, red peppers or mushrooms.
- Serve with garlic bread.
- Serve with a Panzanella Toscana salad.
- Add additional fresh herbs like oregano.
Variations
- Add anchovies for an extra savoury kick.
- Add finely chopped-up pepadews.
Storage and reheating
Store leftover spaghetti in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let it cool to room temperature before sealing.
To reheat, use a saucepan with a splash of water or microwave it in short bursts, stirring in between.
You can freeze the pasta, though it might be a bit mushy. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating.
What else can Arrabiata sauce be used for?
- A pizza base topping.
- Meatball sauce.
- Marinade for chicken and shrimp.
- Use as a spread in wraps for a spicy kick.
- Shakshuka base.
- As a dip.
- On top of bruschetta.
More easy weekday dinners that take less than 30 minutes to make
Recipe
Spaghetti Arrabiata
Equipment
- 1 large saucepan for cooking the spaghetti
- 1 large frying pan or saucepan for cooking the sauce
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
- ½-1 teaspoon salt - or to taste
- freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- grated parmesan for finishing
Instructions
- Cook 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.350 grams (12 oz) spaghetti
- Drain 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.
- Check the seasoning and add more salt if needed, as rinsing the pasta might have washed some of it away.
- Add the olive oil to a large frying pan and heat.2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
- Gently 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.1 medium red onion, 4 fat cloves of garlic (or more)
- Next, add the choped tomatoes, chopped basil, chilli flakes, sugar and salt and pepper to the fried onions.400 grams (14oz) good quality tinned tomatoes, 3 tablespoons basil leaves, 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½-1 teaspoon salt, freshly ground black pepper
- Simmer 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.
- Add 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.
- Generously 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.grated parmesan for finishing
Notes
Top Tips
Use high-quality ingredients
Using top-notch tomatoes and olive oil makes all the difference in Spaghetti Arrabiata. With so few ingredients, you want each one to shine and be the best it can be. Quality ingredients ensure a richer, more flavourful sauce.Don't overcook the pasta
To check if your spaghetti is cooked al dente, consider the following factors:- Texture - Al dente pasta should have a firm, slightly chewy texture. It shouldn't be soft or mushy.
- Visual clues - When you break a strand of al dente spaghetti in half, it should have a white, starchy core. If the pasta is uniformly translucent, it's overcooked. If it's opaque or hard in the centre, it's undercooked.
The thickness of the sauce
To see if your sauce is thick enough, keep an eye on the sides of the pan. At first, there'll be a lot of bubbling around the edges. As it cooks down, the bubbles will get smaller and less frequent, and the liquid will reduce. You should also be able to draw a clear line thro**Nutritional data disclaimer**
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.
Nutrition
For food safety advice, including guidance on food allergies
More pasta recipes for you to try
Creamy Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
Pasta Fredda - Cold Italian salad
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