Arrabbiata Sauce

This is a really awesome sauce... and for those of you who don't know, Arrabbiata Sauce is SUPPOSED to be spicy... so make basic spaghetti sauce if you don't like spicy foods to spare this recipe the bad reviews. Anyway, this recipe was great with some extras thrown in like chopped spinach and kalamata olives... I'll definitely make this again!

Too chunky- I was looking for a smoother arrabbiata sauce. So after ingredients were combined, I put them in the blender to puree them into a smooth consistency. I then added a splash of milk to make it a bit more creamy,and simmered as directed. Without these modifications I would give this recipe 3-4 stars, but after making the creamy version, I definitely give it 5 stars! Spicy, creamy. and even better the next day! Thanks!

This is the first homemade sauce I've ever made - and man, did it turn out great!!! I made it for the first time a coupla weeks ago, and we have it at least once a week... We've tried plenty of vatiations, italian sausage, chunks of chicken, ham, etc. We've also spiced it up as well, with more red pepper flakes... A+ awesome recipe! thanks for sharing!!!

Sugar?? The way I learned how to make Arrabbiata down in southern Italy was sautee a 1/2 lb chopped bacon, 1/4 C olive oil, 1 small onion-chopped, 4 cloves of garlic minced [or more :-) ]; then add 4 T chopped black olives, 1 tsp capers, tsp each basil and Italian seasoning; 16 oz can tomatoe sauce, 1 large can of whole tomatoes chopped, and a few (to your taste) red chili peppers halved (the long, thin, dried kind). Simmer for about an hour.

We have been looking for a good Italian restaurant since we moved, but none of them make Arrabiata like they do back home. Now we know how to make it ourselves! I added Proscuitti (a gourmet Italian meat), and salami when frying the onion and garlic. It was gooooooood!

Easy and very spicy. I added a little heavy cream to tone it down a bit.

Wonderful recipe! I was worried because some reviews said it was too hot, so I was careful with the spices, and it was great. The wine you use can make a difference.

I thought this recipe was great. I did a few things different. Instead of using oil, i just used cooking spray. I also added chopped red and green bell peppers to it. Delicious!!

A great sauce with a spicy kick. I loved it on penne pasta and the next day as a pizza sauce.

This sauce was amazing. My boyfriend and I made this last night, and I still cannot get over how great it turned out. It was very quick, and very easy to make. I served it over whole grain penne and mushrooms, and I was very very pleased. Since we like things hot, I added a dash of cayenne pepper to the sauce and that made it super super spicy! Next time I wont add the fresh parsley though! ^-^ Great for my first homemade sauce!

I have made this many times now and tweak it to our taste. Instead of red pepper flakes, I use ground chili garlic paste (Tuong Ot Toi) found in the Asian food aisle. I find it adds the lovely spice and a mellow heat rather than the sharp heat of the pepper flakes. I've added all kinds of left over meats, olives, even finely diced veggies. This sauce is exceptionally adaptable. It's served at least twice a month at our house and more often if we are entertaining a crowd. Tip - try it with Asiago cheese on top...to die for - trust me. ;)

Very good sauce, also very spicy. If you don't like your sauce hot, cut the red pepper flakes in half.

This dish is very, very yummy! It had the right amount of spiciness (I don't like SUPER spicy dishes). The fresh basil and parsley makes a HUGE difference (you MUST use fresh). I subbed crushed tomatoes (in my opinion it just tastes better with crushed - or a mixture of crushed / petite diced). Top servings of pasta with crumbled feta or goat cheese (yum!). If you want, omit the red pepper flakes alltogether for a more basic marinara sauce. The sauce pairs well with penne and warm bread (I like Pepperidge Farm's rosemary olive oil bread served with a little olive oil for dipping). Yummy!!!

I thought the recipe was great, but i added more pepper flakes (double) and used a bit less sugar and 1/2 c. of wine.

It has potential to me but as others have said it was VERY spicy. My boyfriend couldn't eat it. Also I accidentally put in cinnamon instead of Italian Season. I would not suggest that.

amazing sauce with a definite bite to it! i made this for my parents with garlic cheese bread and a salad for dinner one night and they loved it. i gave my mom the recipe and she made it using a different wine and it didn't turn out nearly as well. Make sure you use a nice italian wine for it. I always use Chianti Ruffino, which is also great to have a glass of while cooking!

Spicy & delicious! I love spicy foods, especially a good red sauce and this fit the bill. Simple to make and it freezes very well. I always use one 28 oz. can of chunky crushed tomatoes, because that's the consistency I like. Some kosher salt and fresh parsley added, too. A favorite of mine!

This one was too sweet for me.

Excellent! Very easy to make, and very good. I added some chopped Kalamata olives.

I love this recipe. I too only use 1/2 the amount of crushed red pepper. But I used cream instead of wine and I added chicken and green peppers to it and sauteed them with the onions and garlic. The wife and kids just love it! And so does my family and friends who have also had it.

I made this sauce with tiny tube pasta, and it was a hit with my boyfriend who loves spicy foods. My family found it too spicy for their taste, but i think the sauce was delicious. we ate at an Italian restaurant last night, and the sauce we got with out bread tasted just like this sauce according to my bf. Will def use this recipe again, thank you

I loved this sauce -- tastes like it was cooked all day long. Turns out fairly chunky. I did add a little salt and some more sugar (maybe 1 TB. more). Delicious! I served it with stuffed cheese shells and it was a hit. Next time I might cut back on the red pepper if this were for guests, but for my husband and myself, it was perfect!

I like a couple of things about this sauce, it is healthy and tasty. The red pepper makes a basic marinara sauce pop a bit and it is tasty over pasta and/or a broiled chicken breast. For those of us who watch calorie/carb/protien and fat ratios this sauce is a great addition to our food arsenal.

I probably did something wrong, because this didn't turn out at all like I expected. It was really sweet, and even after cooking it for a while I could taste the wine. I think next time I'll use chicken stock instead of the wine, and less sugar.

My wife and I are very impressed. We both like Arrabbiata sauce. This version seems to linger on your taste buds with a scrumptious sweet heat that totally delights the senses. In my next attempt at this recipe, I will add a bit more wine and tomato paste, and include a dash of salt. I believe this will improve it somewhat.

This recipe is GREAT! Everyone loved it and asked me to cook it again. I added a can of sliced olives for more flavor.

I found this recipe on this site a number of years ago and it is my favourite quick sauce recipe. I also make it in big batches and can it. It is awesome! I've added shrimp on occasion which makes a nice change. I also use this sauce on my homemade pizza.

This was tasty and definately spicy! I will try adding some italian sausage next time, like someone else suggested.

This is a great sauce, and I think it is perfect as described. Sometimes I like to add some slices of italian sausage links that I grill to the sauce for flavor and to give it some meatiness.

Great flavor! I add a pint of heavy cream to thicken up the sauce, softens the spice too. Flaked Tuna filets works well in this for added protein.

This recipe was awesome. We also added some spicy Italian sausage and some shrimp. We served it over Angel Hair Pasta and it was delicious. It was also fairly simple.

I really liked this. All I did was add a bit more red pepper flakes. I like it spicy! Thank you for sharing!

We have just finished eating this and I must say that it was a bit of a disappointment. With these ingredients I was expecting something at the same time fresh and spicy and a little out of the ordinary but it tasted just like a standard pasta sauce although this was a little more sour. It's good/okay but it's not brilliant in any way and I don't think that I will be making this again. It was fun to try though.

This was a little spicier than I normally go for but it is easily fixed by reducing the amount of red pepper flakes. Overall this is very easy to make and was a huge success

I really loved this recipe !! The only change I made was to add some freshly ground sea salt to it, I found it a bit flat without it. I found the red pepper proportion perfect, but I can imagine some might not want that much heat. I had it over some fini linguine...delicioso !!

This was good. I think it would be better with crushed tomatoes instead of diced. I didn't have any fresh herbs, but it still tasted fine (just not quite as fresh/flavorful). I used whole wheat penne and added black olives, green and red bell peppers, and mild italian sausage. My husband loved this, and said it was similar to one of his favorites at a local restaurant.

Great recipe. I've yet to have this sauce in a restautant that is better.

this sauce was delicious. i added more red pepper flakes for extra hot. i also added fresh parmesan in while the sauce was simmering instead of sprinkling it on later, just to thicken the sauce a bit. i also let it simmer for longer to really let the flavours mix. lovely! it is especially delicious over spaghetti squash.

This recipe was good however we found it a bit on the spicy side, next time just a pinch of red pepper flakes, also I would do a slow cook in the crock pot to let all the flavors soak in. It was still a tasty recipe.

Good and spicy. But too chunky for me. I zapped it in the blender. The leftovers freeze wonderfully.

I'm always on the lookout for lowfat recipes. Bonus if it's spicy because I know my husband will eat it. It was too spicy for me, but he liked it. Next time there will be a compromise and I'm going to cut the amount of red pepper flakes in half.

:-) It is great! I decided to double the amount of red pepper because we LOVE spicy food. haha That was a bit too spicy for me. My hubby thought it was great that way. Next time I will do 1 1/2 teaspoons. I think it will be a nice in between. OH I also put it in a food processor when it was done cooking to make it smooth. We prefer smooth sauces. It worked out wonderfully! I definitely recommend this recipe. I cannot wait to make it again. It is going to be a common dinner night in our house!

I worked at a Italian restaurant & this was one of my favorites. I was real shcoked on how perfect it tasted. I do not really like (chunky) red sauce, I like smooth red sauce, so I used crushed tomato sauce instead!!!Perfecto!!!!!!!

Wow! This recipe is so easy and the ingredient amounts are perfect. The only thing I add more of is the wine (eyeball it) because it really gives the sauce a different flavour. I sometimes add spinach (frozen will do) and/or diced black olives near the end to vary the sauce. Thanks for such a great and low fat recipe Ellen!

We loved this Arrabbiata Sauce, just the right amount of kick, and very hearty. My boyfriend loves mushrooms, so of course I had to put some fresh chopped mushrooms in... They fit in well with the other ingredients, but I am sure that the sauce is just as good without mushrooms!

I thought this sauce was fantastic. I added a pound of seasoned, browned lean ground beef to make it a meat sauce as well as a diced green pepper. I enjoy a nice, chunky sauce, so this fit the bill. I served over whole wheat spaghetti with a cucumber-tomato salad and some red wine. Super and healthy Italian meal. Thanks so much for the recipe

Excellent recipe and easy to can. I no longer need to buy pasta sauce from the store!

This was an awesome sauce!!!!! I added extra crushed red pepper and onions (because I love those two ingredients and I love heat) and added about a teaspoon and a half of salt. I had this in Italy and was searching for the right copy. This recipe was spot on!!!!

We like spicy foods and this recipe is definitely SPICY! If you cannot handle spice then do not make this! This dish is so simple to make and offers up a lot of flavor. No need to make any changes, it is great as is!

This is a great sauce as is, I didn't have lemon juice or parsley so I just made do with what I did have. It is inexpensive and really tasty. It is pretty spicy so if you are not that into the heat, maybe cut it down to 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. I used this as the sauce for my seafood spaghetti and it was fantastic. I will be making this one again.

This was okay. My daughter thought it was too spicy, but she is young. Did not knock my socks off. I think better use for this would be to scale to 1 cup-- Then, First butter some sourdough rolls an broil until brown, top with this recipe, top with mozeralla cheese and broil again until cheese is melted. Sorry know this is a whole new take, but asa a pasta topper it just is not worth the time. No one was impressed.

This was really good! I made mine really spicy by increasing the amount of red pepper.I tossed the sauce with mini penne pasta and it was a great meal. Easy too. A keeper!

Think it needed less sugar, and more red pepper. Too much sugar in my opinion. Don't think I'd try to make it again even with adjustments.

This sauce is delicious. I found it to be way too spicy though. Next time I will cut the red pepper by half. Otherwise, it was very easy to prepare and I recommend it.

This is a great sauce -- I use just 1 can of diced tomatoes rather than 2. I also use the petit diced tomatoes rather than the regular kind, which is too chunky. I would also recommend blending some of the sauce in a blender so it's a bit thicker. It definitely packs a spicy kick.

This sauce is delicious and easy! I added some hot salami to increase the chilli factor.

Very good sauce. I did add some chopped sun dried tomatoes and mushrooms to add texture. I also didn't have tomato paste but it was good on vermicelli pasta.

Really great sauce recipe--as written, it made enough sauce to cover a whole 16 oz. box of rigatoni. I used 1 teaspoon dried basil instead of fresh and crushed tomatoes instead of diced. Also, the first time I ever had arrabbiata, it was made with pancetta, which was phenomenal. I made a somewhat bastardized version using bacon--I cooked six pieces of bacon until crispy and then sautéed the garlic and onion in the bacon grease. After about 10 minutes of simmering the sauce, I crumbled the bacon back in. This added a great salty note to the dish.

I tried cream instead of wine and it was very good. I also halved the amount of red pepper and it was still QUITE tangy.

Fabulous recipe! This sauce is light and delicious. I ended up doubling the sugar simply because I like a sweeter sauce. I also added a a TBSP of olive oil. My family enjoyed this recipe and I will make it often in the future.

It's sweet and spicy. Excellent dish! And I'm not usually a sweet fan but it came out delicious!

AMAZING sauce! I added an additional Tbsp of tomato paste and let it simmer for 25 minutes so it had time to thicken up, then served it w/penne and parm cheese. My guests raved. Thanks for the recipe!

Wonderful recipe. It's got a great kick. So much better than just using a canned spagetti sauce. I used it along with the Braciola recipe submitted by Michele O. Excellent!!!!!!

very spicy - we loved it. it didn't make much, though, so i would double. thanks!

Delicious. added sliced black olives and a pound of Italian sausage. It is a bit thin so next time I'll thicken it up

incredible sauce, i added a lil' more sugar to mine and it was insane! the best ive ever had.

This recipe was awesome. It was great for a quick dinner during the week and would also be great for company. I will decrease the red pepper just a bit next time.

1 can tomato paste, 3/4 cup red wine (pinot noir preferred) Browned sausage in the pan with garlic and onion; I would use more heat but my husband is iffy with spice. All in all a great Arrabbiata sauce!

Awesome. Just awesome. I'm a BIG fan of arrabbiata, and this is definitely going in my keeper pile! I loved it!

Wonderful over fresh pasta! I often use 1 can rotel tomatoes in place of one of the cans of diced tomatoes, and cut down on the amount of red pepper flakes. I also add sliced mushrooms and cooked lean ground beef/turkey to make a heartier sauce for my hungry husband.

We really enjoyed this one. It was just enough for the three of us. And the nice thing about this recipe is, if you choose, you can add other ingredients and it doesn't take away from the original recipe.

I love this recipe. It's one of the best sauces I've made and it has a nice little kick to it from the red pepper. Delicious!

Quick, easy and delicious! I'm not a fan of cooked tomato pieces, so used my stick blender to blend it smooth right in the saucepan. Then I added homemade meatballs and let the whole thing simmer for a while. Delicious! I've had spicier arrabiatta sauce before, but I think the meatballs mellowed it a bit. Very good, and so quick and easy. A keeper!

this sauce is great, and low fat to boot! lots of flavor. i didn't change a thing!

Delicious and easy to make. I love hot spicy food and I know Arrabbiata is supposed to be hot, but my sauce was borderline volcanic, so the chillis I used must have been super hot? Next time I'll cut it to 1/2 tsp. I took previous advice and used a good quality wine (a lovely Montepulciano). I also used Italian olive oil from Puglia and while I am loathe to add sugar to anything, I did add it as the olive oil is strong and fragrant, but a tad on the bitter side. I simmered it on super low for about an hour. All in all an excellent recipe.

My husband will give this 5 stars he loves it so much. I serve it over pasta and or even green beans sometime. It is a little spicy for me which is why only the 4 stars but still it is very good.

I absolutely LoVeD this sauce with penne pasta! Personally, I give it a 5, but my husband only rated it a 3 (something about heartburn, I think). So my rating is an average of his opinion and mine. Followed the directions to a T and it came out very well. Was fairly simple and quick, too. Great for a weeknight vegetarian meal.

Excellent sauce. I made it as written and it was fantastic. The next day I stirred in a little sour cream and discovered that it also works very well as a lightly-creamy sauce. Make sure that you use penne or a similar noodle. I was short on penne so I used what I had left and threw in some linguine to make up the difference. Due to the chunkiness of the sauce, it doesn't cling very well therefore it is unsuitable for a long, thin noodle. I will probably use fusilli the next time I make this.

Changes I made: more tomato paste, added in oregano, used fresh tomatoes from my garden, fresh basil and parsley is a must. Very versatile: you can add pretty much anything to it.

My first introduction to Arrabbiata sauce was Wegmans handing out free samples of a sauce made for them and sold in their refrigerator section. It was surprisingly good for a supermarket sauce. I started ordering it at Italian restaurants but those in my area leave something to be desired. So I started looking to make my own. I came across this recipe and it knocked my socks off. Even better with spinach over cheese filled pastas. I tone it down a bit for guests who don't care for spicy but they still love it. Can't wait till I get back to Little Italy in NYC to see how their Arrabbiata stacks up. This is so good it will be hard to beat except maybe if they start with fresh tomatoes from their own gardens. We've got some great farm stands out here in the country so I'll be giving them a try. Can't get any fresher than that! If the worst any of the other reviewers can say is that it's too spicy then don't bother reviewing it. This is the way this sauce is supposed to be. In fact, don't make this sauce in the first place if you don't like it hot.

This is one terrific sauce. I adjusted the seasonings, used crushed tomatos and skipped the sugar. Thank you Ellen!

Excellent. I love it! It's not too spicy and the fresh herbs really make the difference. I have tried several recipes for arrabiata sauce and the others all left something lacking. This one is perfect because you can still taste everything else! I loved it and so did my husband. One small tip: to prevent heartburn add extra sugar!

I loved this sauce! I added red bell pepper, extra garlic, extra italian seasoning, and extra basil. It turned out fantastic! I also used whole wheat penne pasta. Yum will make again for my sister who is a vegetarian. Thanks so much!

We loved this. I used beef broth instead of the red wine and used one can red pepper tomatoes and once can of spicy red pepper tomatoes. I also added some green and red pepper and instead of tomato paste added some canned spaghetti meat flavored sauce. I browned garlic and veggies in oil and then cooked in the crockpot. Great!

fast to prepare and tasty and spicy I added extra spice and olives.

I made this for my brother and sister, and being only 13, its really easy and delicious.

I have made this recipe at least 5 times and followed it to a T each time. I wouldn't change a thing, it's delicious! I served it on top of Parmesan crusted chicken and angel hair pasta and it is my husbands favorite dish. A+

This sauce was very good with just enough spicy flavor. The only thing that I would add next time is some salt.

This is a simple and tasty sauce that benefits from the addition of the red wine. I found it to be particularly good over whole wheat pasta - the slightly nutty flavour of the pasta complements the spiciness of the sauce quite nicely!

This wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be. It tasted sugary, and needed salt.

Excellent - easy and very tasty even for someone who is not too keen on tomatoes.

Good base. Pretty versatile sauce. Served over stuffed zucchini and pasta.

This turned out really well. I did add extra spice and a hot pepper because we like our food hot. I also used fresh tomatoes instead of canned.

We enjoyed this recipe but the sauce was a little sweet. The next time I make it I will probably reduce the sugar.

Very good, quick and easy. One of the first sauces I have made that didn't come out too watery. The only things I would change are to add less red pepper flakes (I like spicy but I thought it masked the other good flavors in the sauce), and I would use maybe half the sugar. It was a little too sweet. But otherwise, a great sauce.

Hubby enjoyed this more than me. I added a little extra red pepper flakes because we like spicy foods but I think that was a mistake - it was overpowering to me. Served over cheese tortellini.

This recipe has a fantastic flavor and is as spicy as the name suggests. I've made it several times and it never fails to impress. It may not be the traditional preparation but it's excellent as it is.

Excellent and easy to make! Will make this often!

Delicious! I diced the tomatoes smaller and used less onion, but added a "few" more shakes of red pepper. Great for spicy food lovers!!