Best Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce
Classic Arrabiata sauce, or "angry sauce", is made with a few ingredients that pack a punch, in a good way! This is made with sweet San Marzano tomatoes, lots of garlic, and red pepper flakes! Make this on a busy weeknight or on a cold winter day.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter or extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or more/less to taste
- 1 small yellow onion finely diced
- 6 large cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 2 28 oz cans whole San Marzano tomatoes
- 2 6 oz cans tomato paste
- ½ cup packed fresh basil leaves torn or roughly-chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp grated pecorino romano cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat butter or olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add crushed red pepper flakes and sauté for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes or until softened and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and sauté for one more minute or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Add in the tomatoes and stir to combine.
- Continue cooking the sauce, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon (or potato masher) as you go, until the sauce reaches a low simmer. Add the bay leaves and stir. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a steady simmer. Let the sauce continue to cook, covered for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally until it has thickened and reached your desired consistency.
- Stir in the basil, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately or allow to cool and store for up to 4 days.
Notes
If the sauce accidentally thickens too much to your liking, you can thin it out with water (ideally some starchy pasta water) either in the pan of the sauce itself, or you can add the water directly to the pasta once it has been mixed with the sauce.
You can add more crushed red pepper flakes if you wish, but I feel 2 tsp is enough to start. If you like the heat, then add more to your liking!