This is the simplest but most delicious dinner you will ever make for your family. With only a few ingredients it is the ultimate in flavor and comfort. Arrabbiata means "angry" in Italian so you know this one is spicy!

This dinner is simple enough for a weeknight but delicious enough for a full dinner party! Plan to make it right before you plan to eat and serve with red wine, crusty bread, a simple green salad and plenty of fresh grated cheese.

Let's dig in!

Ingredients

You will never see a more simple list of ingredients that come together to make the most delicious and comforting meal that your family will ask for over and over. Pray you have leftovers because you will be taking them with you to lunch the next day.

You may even have all the ingredients in your pantry right now!

Penne Pasta - I have also made this with gluten free pasta and it worked out great. I love how the sauce gets stuck inside the penne pasta for some extra goodness. If you prefer longer pasta you can also use spaghetti or linguine.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - A good quality olive oil really helps here since there are only a few ingredients bringing this sauce together. Brightland is really delicious.
Garlic - I know you have heard me say this before but fresh diced really is best. It adds more flavor than the preminced one.
Chili Crisp - You can easily find this in the international section of any grocery store.
Tomato Paste - I always buy the one in the tube so I can use exactly how much I want without wasting a whole can.
Sesame Seed Oil - Olive oil also works fine.
Whole Peeled Tomatoes - I prefer San Marzano, but you can also use fresh. See the notes below for directions.
Sugar - You can leave this out, but I wouldn't.
Fresh Parsley - Basil also works and they both add a fresh burst of flavor and some color.
Pecorino Romano - Fresh is best or parmesan will also work. Load it up!

Close-up of a wooden spoon lifting penne pasta covered in tomato sauce, garnished with fresh herbs and cheese.

Instructions

This Penne Arrabbiata with Chili Crisp is pretty easy to put together, but follow the directions carefully to get the best result.

In a medium pot, boil 4 cups of water, add 1 tablespoon of salt. Cook penne al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water (you won't use it all).

As the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minute.

Add chili crisp and cook for another 20 seconds.

Add tomato paste and sesame seed oil and cook for 30 more seconds, smashing and stirring the clumps of the tomato paste.

Add the whole tomatoes, salt, and sugar. Crush tomatoes with a wooden spoon carefully and stir to combine.

Simmer on low for 10-15 minutes, occasionally stirring. If the sauce is too thick, add a little bit of the pasta water small amounts at a time. Check the pasta sauce and add salt or sugar to balance the flavor if needed.

Toss the cooked pasta into the sauce and mix well.

Serve and garnish with shaved pecorino romano and roughly chopped parsley.

Substitutions

The recipe is delicious as it is but there are some substitutions and variations you could consider.

Crushed tomatoes - If you can't find whole peeled tomatoes, feel free to substitute crushed tomatoes instead.
Fresh tomatoes - You can also use 1 ½ pounds of whole fresh tomatoes as well, but you will need to remove the peel first. To do so, make an ice bath. Next, lightly put X's on the bottom of each tomato, piercing the skin but not cutting all the way through. Then, boil a pot of water. Place tomatoes in the water for about 1 minute, then place in the ice bath. Once cooled, peel the skin and discard. Chop tomatoes to your preferred size.
Sugars - If you don't want to use sugar, feel free to substitute with either honey, maple syrup, agave, or sweetener of your choice. However, please note that if you choose to use honey or maple syrup, these flavors have the potential to come through the pasta sauce.
Basil - If you want, feel free to use basil as well or in place of the parsley.
Parmesan - If you can't find pecorino romano, you can use parmesan instead.

Variations

Add-ins -Pre-cooked cubed chicken, zucchini, kale, ground pork, ground turkey, sauteed carrots, and peas are a few things you can add to your pasta! The pasta-bilities are endless! Or make these Italian Meatballs.

Equipment

I love using my favorite cast iron skillet for this. You will also need a cutting board, a medium saute pan, a wooden spoon, and a cheese grater.

A bowl of penne pasta with tomato sauce and herbs, topped with falling grated cheese, set on a wooden surface against a dark background.

Storage

If you have leftover pasta and sauce, store them in separate, airtight containers in the fridge for up to five days.

The pasta coated in pasta sauce can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

You can freeze the pasta up to one month in an airtight container, however, it has the potential for frostbite. We recommend to vacuum seal the pasta if possible and thawing it in the refrigerator before reheating it.

Top tip

Because this pasta uses very simple ingredients, we highly recommend investing in higher quality ingredients. It will make a huge difference in your end product. For the tomatoes, we recommend San Marzanos. For the garlic, we recommend cutting it fresh vs. getting pre-minced. Tomato paste we recommend Mutti or Cento brands. We love Kadoya brand sesame seed oil as well.

Looking for other dinner recipes? Try these: