This is a classic Italian pasta dish. Use fresh basil when it's in season; at other times, use fresh flat-leaf parsley.
I recently had this dish at a local pasta restraunt and wanted to duplicate it. Based on my dinner and previous reviews, I made some changes and it turned out great! While sauting the onions and garlic, I added 1/2 chopped green bell pepper and after adding the diced tomatoes, I added apprx 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried oregano and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. I also sprinkled dry parsley over all when the meal was served. In the future, I may try adding some Italian sausage (but to do this, I may have to add an additional can of tomatoes to cover the pasta adequately). The bacon gives this dish a subtle smokey flavor and what's great is that you can adjust the heat by adding more red pepper flakes. Thanks Elizabeth...for great dining at home!
Read MoreThis recipe is about right. The only things that should be noted is that, after tomatoes are added, they should cook for more than 10 minutes. You need about 20 minutes of simmering or the sauce won't be cooked. Remember also to add salt and pepper to taste before finishing.
Read MoreThis recipe is about right. The only things that should be noted is that, after tomatoes are added, they should cook for more than 10 minutes. You need about 20 minutes of simmering or the sauce won't be cooked. Remember also to add salt and pepper to taste before finishing.
I recently had this dish at a local pasta restraunt and wanted to duplicate it. Based on my dinner and previous reviews, I made some changes and it turned out great! While sauting the onions and garlic, I added 1/2 chopped green bell pepper and after adding the diced tomatoes, I added apprx 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried oregano and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. I also sprinkled dry parsley over all when the meal was served. In the future, I may try adding some Italian sausage (but to do this, I may have to add an additional can of tomatoes to cover the pasta adequately). The bacon gives this dish a subtle smokey flavor and what's great is that you can adjust the heat by adding more red pepper flakes. Thanks Elizabeth...for great dining at home!
This recipe is really good, a perfect example of something being greater than the sum of its parts. I've since found out it has been around since Roman times, now I know why! I have made this dish dozens of times and have experimented with it a bit, the only change that I felt was an improvement was to double the red pepper flakes. I've also tried adding more bacon and it does not make it better in my opinion. The beauty of this recipe is it's simplicity and the delicate balance of flavors.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I finally made a good sauce. As always I tweaked this a little per other reviewers. I used 7 slices of bacon (my lucky #), used red onion and let it get slightly brown, added 1 tsp. dried oregeno & 1/2 tsp. dried basil when adding garlic (which I doubled) and red pepper flakes. I used 1 can tomato sauce & I can diced tomatoes w/roasted garlic (Contadina is my fav brand). I let it cook for 20-30 minutes & stirred in fresh basil. FABULOUS. My boyfriend even said he liked it better than Francesco Rinaldi (which was our fav).
This is a great pasta sauce! I sweat the onions and garlic in a little olive oil first, then add smoked bacon. When the bacon is cooked, I add 1/2 C dry white wine and let it reduce. Then I add the tomatoes and herbs/spices, and let it simmer to blend all the flavors together. Yum!
I recently had this dish at a local pasta restraunt and wanted to duplicate it. Based on my dinner and previous reviews, I made some changes and it turned out great! While sauting the onions and garlic, I added 1/2 chopped green bell pepper and after adding the diced tomatoes, I added apprx 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried oregano and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. I also sprinkled dry parsley over all when the meal was served. In the future, I may try adding some Italian sausage (but to do this, I may have to add an additional can of tomatoes to cover the pasta adequately). The bacon gives this dish a subtle smokey flavor and what's great is that you can adjust the heat by adding more red pepper flakes. Thanks Elizabeth...for great dining at home!
Delicioso! Definitely a five-star meal! I used pancetta (Italian bacon, found in your deli counter) in place of bacon and added hot Italian turkey sausage. I grew up on pasta and red sauce. We had it so much I grew sick of it. I was a little leary of all the tomatoes but I am trying to eat healthier so I gave it a go. My grandfather never made red sauce like this! Very good.
This recipe is excellent. It is a simple dish, yet wonderfully rich with flavor. It's not often that I follow a recipe to the letter -- I am always changing a little something here or there. But I followed this one almost to the T (I did use diced tomatoes instead of the called for) and it was perfect! I will definitely be making this again and again!
Wow! This is an awesome recipe. My husband travels quite a bit and has eaten at a lot of nice restaurants. He LOVED this. He told me it was restaurant quality. It is going under our "favorites" file. I've made it with turkey bacon and wheat pasta and gotten the same great results
Didn't have bacon, used a small amount of smoked hickory salt. Really enjoyed the kick in this dish.
Excellent dish. Served this as the "primo or first course" of a traditional Italian dinner with pancetta vs bacon as that's what I had and it needed to be used. It was simply delicious and our dinner guests loved it. Followed it with Porchetta (Italian roast) and Asparagus Parmesan also from AR. Many bottles of a good red wine completed a wonderful meal. Thank you Christine L for expanding my repertoire.
I froze tomato sauce from my daughters birthday party last month, so I used that as my base. The bacon and pepper flakes gave the sauce a wonderful flavor which I used with my stuffed shells for our dinner tonight. I'll definitely use this delicious and spicey recipe the next time I make mussels along with some good Italian bread to sop up the sauce! Very good Christine!!
This recipe was so much more than I expected! The flavors really explode in your mouth as-is. I added a little more bacon, garlic and onions, but that is my habit. Do not overcook the pasta as it loses its flavor and texture. Really cheap, too.
I have made this dish twice now, and everyone always loves it........though I have made some additions. The last time I made this it was fo rmy Mom on Mothers day and added more bacon, more garlic, and after cooking the onions and garlic, but before adding the tomatoes, I add some chopped yellow and orange bell pepper, asparagas and cut heirloom tomatoes. Saute them for a moment, then add the canned tomatoes. Then add some oregano, and just before finishing I throw in some shredded chicken. It never lasts long when it hits the table. Top notch dish!
Delicious & easy. The bacon adds a nice depth to the flavor. I also tossed in some shrimp when the sauce was simmering. Mmmm.
I thought this recipe was fantastic! I used 8 pieces of turkey bacon and two hot sausage links. I also stewed the tomatoes for 20 minutes instead of 10. I have never made anything so easy and so delicious. My husband ended up making it cause I was not feeling good and he did a fantastic job with this recipe, he claims he is an Italian chef now! LOL
I scaled this recipe down for 2 servings. Sometimes this causes some difficulty with some dishes. I am happy to say it wasn't the case this time. This recipe is very straight forward and very tasty. It will make an interesting possibility for Italian night! Great side dish. Thanks Liz L.
Absolutely delicious and easy - my 2 favorite words when trying a new recipe. Normally the first time I try a new recipe, I always make it as written so that I can rate the recipe on the "actual" recipe (I think that's the way it should be done), then if I think that the recipe could use a little bit of this or a little bit of that to make it better, then I'll make it a 2nd time making changes. But I've gotta say, this recipe is great as is. Everybody loved it. The only thing I'd change would be to add a pinch of Italian Seasoning, a dash of salt & pepper and maybe oregano - but trust me, this recipe is just fine without any changes.
My husband said this was "the best spaghetti sauce he's had in his life." It was too sweet for me, but amatriciana usually is. Thanks for the great recipe!
This was really tasty, especially considering how low in fat it is. Really loved this!!
This recipe was easy,easy and quick, I did add 1/3 of a cup of white wine, delish. will make again.
I added 2 extra pieces of bacon and extra red pepper flakes, but other than that I made it as written. It was delicious and dinner was done before I knew it! Simple simple simple.
Great dish! This traditional Italian dish is usually made with bucatini pasta and panchetta (Italian bacon). Crushed tomatoes is a good alternative to stewed and fresh, grated cheese really brings flavors out. Simmer for an hour or two if possible. :-)
Really good dish! I'd add small can of tomato sauce, and more bacon, other than that easy and delicious.
This was very simple...I thought too simple to be that great, but i had all the ingredients and so I tried it...it was SO GOOD!! My husband said he had to stop himself from licking the bowl school the next day :) I did add some salt and pepper and used fresh parsley instead of basil (that's all I had) and it turned out awesome!
This recipe was good but lost the bacon flavor after cooking with the tomatoes. I will try it again by making some adjustments. Thanks for the recipe!
I think the pasta could have used more sauce, and I ended up having to add more. Nice and tasty though. Will use again!
It takes longer than 5 min to cook the bacon. Make sure all the fat is crispy before you add the sauce or the browning seems to disappear and it returns to a white soft mushy fat (I don't like that) Even after your bacon is crispy it will soften in the tomato suace! Yummy dish
This dish was absolutely amazing! Thank you for sharing! I couldn't wait to get home the next day to eat the leftovers.
I make this often. It is one of my go-to meals. I usually sub dried basil, because then it is a recipe I can count on having all of the ingredients. Sometimes I use crushed tomatoes for a thicker sauce.
Didn't expect It to taste that good! After I fried the bacon I took it out and out it back at the end and simmer for a minute or so so that there is a little crunchy things! I followed the recipe exactly and it is good by itself, but a little more bacon would make it better I guess. The little red pepper is good enough for me.
It's a flavorful spaghetti sauce, light and tasty. Although if you want more of a sauce, you have to work a bit with breaking up the tomatoes. Next time, I'll use more bacon, and 1 can of tomato sauce, and 1 can of stewed tomatoes for a smoother sauce.
Flavorful and different! I used one canned stewed tomatoes with celery, green pepper, and onion and one can diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic. This let me skip the fresh basil. I added a little dried parsley. Also added a little more onion. A nice change of pace!
I tried this tonight and it was a hit! All I changed was to add more bacon (I love bacon) and the taste was nice and smokey. Very very tasty and the fastest and easiest pasta and sauce I have ever made. Even my husband was surprised how fast I had dinner on the table. 15 mins tops!
I didn't find anything particularly special about this recipe. I wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either.
it's okay, but i will not be making it again. I did not care for the texture with the parmesan.
Amazing. Here are my revisions - I think these revisions made this meal go from good to fantastic. I used diced pancetta instead of bacon. I used diced fresh cherry tomatoes instead of the canned tomatoes. I used two cloves of garlic. Then, I simply used this mixture to top angel hair noodles. So good. I think I'll make this again this week!
This is such an easy and delicious recipe to make. Its a very simple recipe, but the flavors go together nicely. I sauteed about 1/2 cup extra onions than the recipe calls for. The bacon is awesome in this! Great recipe for a poor college student.
Amazing! I used one can stewed tomatoes with basil and oregano, one can diced tomatoes with garlic, one small can regular tomato sauce and one small can tomato sauce with basil, oregano and garlic. I tripled the rest of the recipe, and it was great!
I didn't like this sauce at all. Maybe it was the pancetta, but it felt like it left a strange film in my mouth. I didn't find the flavor all that great either. I suggest adding some cream if you try this...I won't make it again however.
yum! I subbed out one can of stewed tomatoes for some fresh ones from my garden, which I "stewed" a bit ahead of time. delicious!
I thought this was a little sweet, but my hubby loved it. Next time I will add a little more bacon and maybe used diced tomotoes.
This was simple and delicious; with ingredients that most have in the pantry. We enjoyed as is, but I think I'll add fresh mushrooms next time when the onions are added. Thanks for sharing!
EXCELLENT recipe! Very simple ingredients come together for great flavor. I will definitely be making this again!
This is a great change from the normal spaghetti sauce. My family eats it often. I use two cans of diced tomatoes (always in my pantry) that have been thrown through the food processor. Just under 1/4 tsp. of pepper flakes is great for my kids. I always add a bit of salt to taste.
I am completely puzzled as to why this recipe is rated so high. The bacon doesn't really go with the tomato sauce. I followed the recipe completely and all I tasted was bacon with a can of tomatoes on some pasta. Nothing spectacular.
This was very good. I used diced tomatos, red onion and fresh garlic. I also added red pepper. I didn't have any fresh herbs so I used basil and oregino. I sprinkled pasil on top at the end. I also added a 1/4 a cup of white wine to give it a little more flavor. I had some canned mushrooms leftover from another meal and through those in at the end. Very good.
Wow, was this good! It's surprising how flavorful it is based on the limited ingredients. Will definitely be making this again. Thank you!
Amatriciana should have an onion to tomato ratio of about 3 to 1; this recipe has too much tomato and not enough onion. Also, basil isn't normally used but a sprinkle of nutmeg is. This recipe is fine but is too much like 'regular' tomato sauce to be a true amatriciana. Also you will get better flavor if you leave all the bacon grease in to cook the onions with (you will need it if you have the proper proportion of onions anyway). I prefer using fresh to canned tomatoes but that's a personal preference.
We tried your recipe awhile ago and thought this recipe was very good tasting. Thank you.
I only gave this four stars because it tasted okay but it was not exceptional. It needs more flavor. I added chicken and double the garlic plus some other seasonings I had on hand and it was still kind of bland. Maybe too many noodles and not enough sauce.
My husband and I enjoyed this dish. It's fast and simple with a nice flavor and the red pepper flakes gave it a good kick. As others suggested, I cooked the sauce for a bit longer and it was just right. Next time I will add more bacon and maybe a touch more garlic and basil.
This was so easy and very delicious. I only made a half batch and it turned out perfect. I didn't make any substitutions.
Really good basis to start an Amatriciana sauce from - needed some creamed tomatoes for a smoother sauce and some nice chilli for a bit of zing, but apart from that was superb
Very tasty! I added more bacon, more garlic and some dried basil. I served it with garlic bread and Spinach Salad with Pepper Jelly Dressing (from this site). It fed 6 people with enough leftovers for another meal! Next time I'll use a little more red pepper.
Very good...quick, and easy. But not to be used as an entree. There wasn't much bacon versus tomatoes and linguini. But overall...a good recipe.
Great dinner. I made it slightly different by using 1.5 cans of tomato sauce and then 1/2 a can of stewed tomatoes because my family isn't fond of large tomato pieces. I used a bit more bacon, but the recipe is a major hit.
OK, so my husband moaned all throughout dinner exclaiming the deliciousness of this dish. I doubled the crushed red pepper (thanks Conari!) and upped the garlic to 1 TBSP. I'll be honest though, and I'll probably never say this about anything again, but that might have been too much garlic. Perhaps just 2 tsp next time. Still, it had a really rich flavor, and wasn't overpowered by the tomatoes as I feared it would be when I saw two whole cans go into the skillet.
This recipe took me back to a meal I had in Rome during my honeymoon. Props to Christine for a wonderful recipe.
I followed another reviewer's advise and added some basil and oregano to this sauce. I also threw in some chopped bell pepper. It was fantastic!
This one's going into the regular rotation. Everyone was unanimous in a 5-star rating. The only changes I made to this recipe were to add diced tomatoes instead of the stewed tomatoes, and to add half a can of tomato sauce. I served it with garlic bread to sop up the juice. Yum. Thanks Christine.
The Amatriciana is pork cheek not bacon sauteed in olive oil. The original recipe doesn't have onion, but it could be used, tomatoes and Roman pecorino not parmigiano and no garlic . Hot chili as much as you can take. For the pasta, it's usually bucatini.
So, I saw this and knew I had to make it. Then I realized I didn't have onions...or even dehydrated onions GRRR. Then I had an "aha" moment. I substituted the onion and canned tomatoes with Aylmers Accents diced tomatoes with onion/celery/green peppers. Delicious! Thanks for the inspiration!!
This was good, quick, easy, and inexpensive. I added fresh cracked pepper and more garlic. If I make this again I would use quite a bit more basil and maybe a squeeze of lemon or lemon pepper. I served with garlic bread for a nice quick lunch.
I love this recipe!!! I actually don't like much meat in my meals, but this was the perfect amount. It added a great flavor to the pasta. I added just a touch of red wine and let it simmer with the tomatoes for about 15 minutes and it was excellent. Make sure it is a wine with a flavor that you actually enjoy :)
For a twist try Ricotta Salata instead of Parmigiano-Reggiano. It is salty with a noticeable tang that stands up well to the amatriciana. Look for Ricotta Salata at a specialty (Italian) store. Some Whole Food Markets carry it.
The Amatriciana is one of the fastest and easiest recipes that can be done, and one of my favourites, but I must correct: there shouldn't be any garlic, only onion :) I can also be made without tomato and it's called Gricia. I know it's almost impossible to find, but if you can use the pork cheek instead of the bacon (guanciale)
I thought it was great! Easy to prepare, I did it while I was baking cookies! My boyfriend added garlic, but other than that, it's a new favorite!
The simple flavors of this dish really stand out with great ingredients. I loved it with just a couple tweaks. I splurged a little on ingredients and used pancetta instead of bacon slices and pecorino romano instead of parmesan. I also added about 1/2 a cup of grated romano to the sauce and allowed it to melt in right before tossing in the pasta. Also for the first time, I went to an italian deli to get imported tomatoes. I never really thought there would be a big difference in flavor, but I was wrong. If you can get them, I highly recommend it.
Pretty dang good. Next time I would like to add more bacon and maybe some shrimp. But it was a simple recipe that turned out surprisingly flavorful. We didn't add any salt or pepper either.
Loved it. Easy quick and simple. Loved the spicyness of the red pepper flakes. Perfect with cheessy garlic bread and salad. Will make often. Cant wait to eat it again.
very good recipe...I added mushrooms and added a few more red pepper flakes and a dash of black pepper...I will have it again...
Made as directed, except with a bit more garlic. Hubby and I both think it is absolutely delicious. Very flavorful and so easy and fast to make. We have made this several times.
My daughter picked this recipe out and we all loved it! I added extra garlic, thyme, oregano, basil and bacon. The bacon went unnoticed, but so DELICIOUS anyway! I also cooked Italian sausage and continued to cook it in the sauce until I was ready to serve. An easy recipe to keep on the stove until all the family can gather. Enjoy!!!
Good pasta diner. I was looking for a pasta recipe, that's light and flavorful, this was it. I made some manor changes , tu use what I had on hand, turkey bacon, diced tomatoes and Romano cheese. Looking forward to the leftovers.
This is a classic italian pasta recipe, one of my favourites. I should tell you that the orginal italian recipe calls for "guanciale" instead of bacon (i found it can translate to "jawls"). I don't use the garlic as I don't like it very much, I use fresh tomatoes in it and later add some tomato sauce to finish. Salt and pepper to taste are missing from this recipe. When the pasta is cooked I always add some butter to it and mix throughly before stirring in the sauce, it gives more flavour and lets the sauce stick more to the pasta.
Made this on Sat. but halved the amount of pasta , and used one can of stewed tomatoes . Kept every thing else as written . The flavor of the bacon and onion disappeared , and we thought it was too sweet ,maybe from the stewed tomatoes . Will try again , doubling the bacon and onion . Will try with either whole tomatoes or diced instead of the stewed .
This was yummy. We used it as a side dish. I will make it again. I used a little more bacon than called for and added a teaspoon of parsley and oregano but those were the only changes I made.
Fantastic, I crave this dish on a monthly basis. Very flavorful from the bacon, but not too heavy. It's fast and easy, and I always seem to have the ingredients in my cupboard so it's a quick and easy go-to dish.
i used parsley for this and made it exactly as stated. a simple dinner for my son and i. i really liked this with a tomato/onion/balsamic dressing salad and a slice of bread.
This is a good weeknight meal: quick, satisfying and not a lot of fuss. I like using canned tomatoes instead of pasta sauce from a jar; the taste is fresher and there aren't a lot of mystery ingredients.
I rated This a 4 for now. I made this the other night. I made some changes, I added alot more bacon. Also added chicken, spinach, mushrooms, kalamata olives, and capers. I also used bowtie pasta and topped with blue cheese. Came out great. It is a good starter recipe just have an imagination and it will come out great. Will make again and try it with other veggies.
I don't know what everyone is talking about--this recipe is NOT very good. Pasta in the can is better than this...
Very good. I substitued farfalle pasta as my husband does not like the stringy pasta. The entire family loves this dish!
We love this. It is one of those rare meals that everyone in my family actually likes. I do follow the recipe as stated. One piece of advice when using canned sauces is to add a little sugar to remove the bitter/acidic flavor. I also added just a touch of salt. The bacon is the key to making this sauce super yummy. This is definitely going into our rotation.
