Pasta arrabbiata
A quick, fiery tomato pasta for 2 that uses garlic, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes for a glossy sauce that clings to spaghetti. The pasta is cooked just shy of tender, then tossed in the skillet with reserved cooking water so the sauce emulsifies instead of pooling. Finish with parsley for a bright, weeknight bowl.
Estimated calories and US ingredient costs.
For 4 servings, use a 12-inch skillet with high sides or a Dutch oven and a 6-quart pasta pot so the noodles can be tossed without crowding. Keep the sauce simmer time about the same, but expect to use a bit more reserved pasta water to maintain a glossy coating rather than a thick paste.
Your whole cook, in one place.
Ingredients, steps and a live timeline. Ready for 2 people.
Step timeline
Cooking order
7 leftBoil the pasta
~1 minBoil the pasta.
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.
Add 2 teaspoons of the fine salt, then add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, usually 1 minute less than the package time.
Before draining, scoop out 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water.
Drain well and do not rinse, since the surface starch helps the sauce cling.
Ingredients
- 8 oz total for recipeDried spaghetti
- 1/2 cup total for recipeReserved pasta cooking water
- 2 teaspoonsFine salt
Bloom the garlic and chile
~1 minBloom the garlic and chile.
While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat.
Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for 20 to 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Keep the garlic pale; if it starts to brown, lower the heat immediately so the chile stays bright instead of bitter.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp total for recipeOlive oil
- 1 tspGarlic
- 1 tspRed pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup total for recipeReserved pasta cooking water
Cook down the tomato paste
~1 minCook down the tomato paste.
Stir the tomato paste into the hot oil and cook for 1 minute, pressing it into the pan so it darkens from bright red to a deeper brick color.
This quick fry removes the raw edge and gives the sauce a fuller, sweeter tomato base before the crushed tomatoes go in.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp total for recipeTomato paste
- 1 3/4 cups total for recipeCanned crushed tomatoes
Simmer the sauce
~12 minSimmer the sauce.
Add the canned crushed tomatoes and the remaining 1 teaspoon fine salt, scraping up anything stuck to the skillet.
Bring the sauce to a lively simmer, then reduce to medium-low.
Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it looks thicker, shinier, and slightly reduced.
If it starts to stick before it has thickened, lower the heat and add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups total for recipeCanned crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup total for recipeReserved pasta cooking water
- 1 teaspoonFine salt
Toss pasta and sauce together
~2 minToss pasta and sauce together.
Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet with 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water.
Toss over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the noodles are evenly coated and the sauce clings instead of sliding off.
Add a little more reserved water, a tablespoon at a time, only if the pan looks dry or the sauce tightens too quickly.
Ingredients
- 8 oz total for recipeDried spaghetti
Finish and serve
~8 minFinish
Remove the skillet from the heat and toss in the chopped parsley.
Ingredients
- 2 tbspFresh parsley
Serve meal
~1 minOnce all dishes are cooked and ready, plate and serve the meal together.
Pasta arrabbiata: serve.
Pasta arrabbiata: Divide the pasta between warm bowls and spoon any extra sauce from the pan over the top.
Pasta arrabbiata: Serve immediately while the sauce is glossy and loose enough to coat the noodles without pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
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Ingredients
For 2 people
- 8 oz dried spaghetti
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 3/4 cups canned crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water
- 1 tbsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Method
- Boil the pastaBring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 2 teaspoons of the fine salt, then add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, usually 1 minute less than the package time. Before draining, scoop out 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water. Drain well and do not rinse, since the surface starch helps the sauce cling.
- Bloom the garlic and chileWhile the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for 20 to 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Keep the garlic pale; if it starts to brown, lower the heat immediately so the chile stays bright instead of bitter.
- Cook down the tomato pasteStir the tomato paste into the hot oil and cook for 1 minute, pressing it into the pan so it darkens from bright red to a deeper brick color. This quick fry removes the raw edge and gives the sauce a fuller, sweeter tomato base before the crushed tomatoes go in.
- Simmer the sauceAdd the canned crushed tomatoes and the remaining 1 teaspoon fine salt, scraping up anything stuck to the skillet. Bring the sauce to a lively simmer, then reduce to medium-low. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it looks thicker, shinier, and slightly reduced. If it starts to stick before it has thickened, lower the heat and add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
- Toss pasta and sauce togetherAdd the drained spaghetti to the skillet with 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Toss over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the noodles are evenly coated and the sauce clings instead of sliding off. Add a little more reserved water, a tablespoon at a time, only if the pan looks dry or the sauce tightens too quickly.
- Finish and serveRemove the skillet from the heat and toss in the chopped parsley. Divide the pasta between warm bowls and spoon any extra sauce from the pan over the top. Serve immediately while the sauce is glossy and loose enough to coat the noodles without pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
Before you cook
What to get ready
Large pasta pot, colander, wide sauce pan, tongs and a mug for reserved cooking water.
Measure chili flakes before warming the oil and reserve some pasta cooking water.
If something needs adjusting
Sauce is hotter than expected
Dilute with extra plain tomatoes, then adjust the pasta quantity; brands of chili differ in heat.
Sauce tightens after tossing
Add reserved pasta water a spoonful at a time while tossing. Serve promptly because pasta continues absorbing liquid.
Store for later
Refrigerate pasta promptly in shallow containers. Reheat to 165°F with a small splash of water; keep uncooked cheese or herb toppings separate when possible.
Refrigerate perishables within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Keep the fridge at 40°F or below; use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days. USDA storage and reheating guidance.
Make the ingredients go further
Freeze remaining tomato paste in small portions for another sauce.
Next use for your ingredients: Spaghetti bolognese →
Calculate this meal with your own prices →
Cooking notes updated October 24, 2026. How we create recipes.
Tips, swaps and questions
A little kitchen know-how
Keep the garlic just pale and the sauce at a steady simmer, not a hard boil. That keeps the chile flavor sharp and prevents the tomato from tasting flat. If the pasta finishes before the sauce, hold it with a spoonful of olive oil only if necessary, but the better fix is to loosen the sauce with more reserved pasta water when you toss.
Make it work for you
Rigatoni or penne work well if you want a chunkier sauce in the ridges, but switch only if you keep the same reduction and toss it in a wide skillet. For milder heat, reduce the red pepper flakes to 0.5 tsp; for a sharper, more traditional bite, keep the tomato paste step and do not replace the chile with smoked paprika.
Use more of your spaghetti and garlic in spaghetti bolognese.
Can I make arrabbiata ahead?
Yes. Make the sauce up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it. Rewarm it gently in a skillet with a splash of water, then cook the pasta fresh and toss everything together right before serving so the noodles stay springy and the sauce stays glossy.
Times are estimates. Check ingredients for allergens. For safe temperatures and storage, see FoodSafety.gov.