Best Italian Arrabbiata Sauce Recipe With Fresh Tomatoes – Kannamma Cooks (2024)

Best Italian Arrabbiata Sauce Recipe made with fresh tomatoes and crushed red pepper flakes. Recipe adapted from Mario Batali. Served with Penne pasta.

Home made pasta sauce is so easy to make and more tastier than the jarred versions. Arrabbiata Sauce, called as all’arrabbiata in Italian, is a spicy sauce. The word Arrabbiata means “angry” in Italian. Arrabbiata Sauce is a traditional Southern Italian sauce originating from the Campania region. Arrabbiata Sauce or “Angry” sauce refers to the flavor of this sauce made with crushed red pepper to add spicy flavor. We will be making this Arrabbiata Sauce with fresh tomatoes today. Arrabbiata Sauce is usually served with penne pasta. I have minimally adapted Mario Batali’s Arrabbiata Sauce recipe for making this recipe today.

Lets make an awesome Arrabbiata Sauce. Traditionally this Arrabbiata Sauce is made with San Marzano tomatoes. As I am far far faaaaar away from San Marzano, I will be using regular tomatoes for our Arrabbiata Sauce.

The tomatoes need to be peeled, de-seeded and juiced before making the Arrabbiata Sauce.

Bring a lot of water to boil in a kettle. Drop in the tomatoes and let it cook for 2-3 minutes until the skin of the tomatoes starts to crack. Remove from heat and let it cool. Peel the skin of the tomatoes.

Cut the tomatoes into half and remove the seeds.

Keep a strainer below while removing seeds to catch the juices. Add in the strained juices to the tomato meat and blend in a mixer to a puree.

Home made tomato puree is ready for our Arrabbiata Sauce.

Heat Extra virgin olive oil in a pan and add in the finely chopped garlic and chopped onion. Fry till the onions are soft.

Add in the pureed tomatoes, salt, pepper and red chilli flakes.

Now we add the secret ingredients to this Arrabbiata Sauce. This is not a very traditional step, but I think it boosts the flavor of the sauce a lot. Adding a teaspoon of sugar to tomato sauce really rounds out the flavor. So add in a little sugar. Also add a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar. If you do not have balsamic vinegar, use apple cider vinegar. The vinegar just boosts the tang in the tomatoes.

Simmer the Arrabbiata Sauce for 10 minutes. Add in some chopped basil to the Arrabbiata Sauce and switch off the flame.

Your Arrabbiata Sauce is now ready. You can store this Arrabbiata Sauce for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Putting together pasta and Arrabbiata Sauce:

Add some cooked pasta in a pan and set the stove on medium heat. Add in some of the pasta sauce and a teaspoon of olive oil. Briefly saute the mixture for a minute. The pasta sauce needs to adhere and coat the pasta. If the pasta is too dry, add in some drained leftover pasta water and cook till desired consistency.

Remove off heat. Serve the pasta with some grated parmesan cheese or any aged cheese of your choice. Serve hot.

Enjoy your pasta. Buon appetito.

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