Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce | Homemade Spicy Tomato Pasta Sauce

There are some sauces that are always worth making from scratch, and a good Arrabbiata sauce is definitely one of them. It’s simple, full of flavour and made with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

This Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce starts with olive oil, garlic, onion and chilli flakes before plenty of tomatoes are added and slowly simmered until rich and beautifully thick. Fresh basil at the end gives it that lovely freshness that works so well against the heat of the chilli.

I love keeping recipes like this on hand because they make dinner so easy. Toss the sauce through some freshly cooked pasta and you have a comforting meal with very little effort. You can also make a batch ahead of time and keep it in the freezer for those days when you need dinner on the table quickly.

And of course, you can make it as mild or as fiery as you like!

Preparation Time 10 minutes

Cooking Time 30 minutes

Serves 6–8

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

½- 1 teaspoon crushed red chilli flakes- or to taste

1 small onion- finely diced

4 cloves garlic- minced

1.5 kg fresh tomatoes 

½ cup fresh basil leaves- roughly chopped/ roughly torn

1 teaspoon salt- to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Cut a cross in the bottom of each tomato, then blanch them in hot water for 2-3 minutes to make the skin easier to peel off. Peel the skins off and then blend them until smooth. Set them aside until needed.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. 

3. Add the diced onion and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.

4. Add the crushed red chilli flakes and sauté for about 2 minutes to infuse the oil with their flavour and heat.

5. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 1–2 minutes, just until fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic brown.

6. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir everything together well. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat and cook uncovered for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced and thickened.

7. Stir in the fresh basil, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust the chilli or seasoning if needed.

8. Serve immediately tossed through your favourite pasta, or allow the sauce to cool completely before storing.

Storage: Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 4 months.