The Ultimate Spaghetti Arrabiata Recipe

Get ready to spice up your dinner routine with this fiery Spaghetti Arrabiata recipe! Perfectly al dente pasta tossed in a bold tomato sauce infused with garlic and red chili pepper flakes. Bring the heat to your plate tonight.

Make this spaghetti arrabbiata pasta recipe with your favorite pasta noodles, traditional, low carb or keto. I will give you all the options down below.

this recipe

Why is it called spaghetti arrabiata or sugo all'arrabiata?

Arrabiata in Italian means "angry". So the transition would be angry spaghetti because the sauce in this dish is spicy (pushed to excess).

In fact, I remember as a child when we would shake a soda can and then open it and it explodes, my mother would use the word "arrabiata" to describe it.

Some spell the word as arrabiata and some spell it with two B's as arrabbiata. I will use them interchangeably.

Why you'll love this spaghetti arrabbiata recipe?

• It's a super quick and easy recipe with only 7 ingredients you can make in 30 minutes.
• You can make it with a variety of pasta noodles including zucchini noodles, edamame and spaghetti squash.
• Like it extra hot or milder? Use more or less of the chili pepper flakes in this recipe.
• A restaurant-style recipe made with simple ingredients. Trust me, you will be surprised how good this spaghetti arrabbiata sauce really is.
• Can easily be made for two or for a crowd, especially those late-night parties.

Ingredients Used in this Recipe

Made with extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, red pepper flakes and basil, this arrabiata sauce will be your go-to recipe when you need something quick yet super delicious in a pinch.

• Crushed Tomatoes: when you want to make a quick fresh flavored sauce, crushed tomatoes are the way to go.
• Spaghetti: Use your favorite noodles, I used a low-carb spaghetti by Ciao Carb, see below for noodle options.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: use the most flavorful and highest quality of olive oil you can afford.
• Fresh Garlic: giving the sauce that mild pungent, soft, sweet buttery flavor you can only get from fresh minced garlic.
• Red Pepper Flakes: the red chili flakes give this arrabiata sauce its fiery kick.
• Fresh Basil: this is a must for this spaghetti arrabbiata recipe or any red pasta sauce. The fresh basil gives it a beautiful aromatic flavor that hits all the flavor notes in this recipe.
• Oregano
• Salt and Black pepper to taste.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Steps by step instructions

How to make spaghetti arrabiata?

STEP 1: First cook pasta according to the package instructions. When straining the noodles, just be sure not to strain the water too much if using dry spaghetti as you want some of that pasta water to remain with the spaghetti.

If you are using zucchini or spaghetti squash you won't need to strain them. Set the noodles aside for now.

STEP 2: In a large skillet over medium heat add the 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and let it warm up a bit. Then add the freshly minced garlic. Stir and saute until the garlic has softened. Reduce the heat if needed, be careful not to burn the garlic as it will become bitter.

Take the skillet off the stove if it becomes too hot and reduce the heat, then place the skillet back on the element.

STEP 3: reduce the heat to medium/low and add the crushed tomatoes. Stir and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

STEP 5: Toss in your spaghetti noodles and mix until the spaghetti is well coated with the sauce.

STEP 5: Top with freshly grated parmesan and more freshly chopped basil. Salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Other pasta recipes you might enjoy

• Baked Goat Cheese Pasta
• Healthy Taco Pasta
• Thai Chicken Curry Pasta
• Low Carb Zucchini Pasta
• Keto Carbonara with Pancetta
• Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash Casserole

What type of pasta can I use for this spaghetti arrabbiata recipe?

Really any noodles, shapes and sizes will do the trick but for this recipe, I enjoy spaghetti-shaped noodles. I am picturing Lady and the Tramp here. Ok, not really but there is something romantic about twirling that spaghetti around a fork and then using the "shovel and slurp" technique just to make it all more enjoyable and fun to eat.

I used a low-carb spaghetti called Ciao Carb which to me is the closest thing to traditional spaghetti but contains fewer carbs.

Here are some different types of spaghetti-style noodles I would use in this recipe.

• Traditional dry spaghetti noodles (if you aren't concerned about the carbs)
• Edamame Noodles
• Great Low Carb Spaghetti Noodles
• Palmini Anger Hair Pasta
• Low carb dry spaghetti noodles like Ciao Carb or P2 EatSmart.
• Zucchini Noodles
• Spaghetti Squash

Recipe tips

Top Tip: allow the sauce to simmer for at least 10 minutes or longer. If you want to get more flavor penetrating the pasta, remove it from boiling a few minutes early and allow it to finish getting to al dente simmering in the sauce.

How to store leftovers?

Store leftover spaghetti in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I prefer to fry the cold leftover pasta when reheating, the spaghetti gets a little crispy and then I top it off with grated parmesan, it's delicious.

You can also reheat it in a microwave-safe dish for 1-2 minutes on high.

What to serve with spaghetti arrabiata?

Here are a few recipes to serve with this arrabiata sauce recipe:

• Panzanella Salad
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Asparagus
• Low Carb Arancini Balls
• Air Fryer Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
• Ricotta Balls

Frequently asked questions