Delish Creamy Penne Arrabbiata Recipes
A velvety, spicy spin on classic penne arrabbiata. Silky cream tames the heat from red pepper flakes while garlic, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes build bold flavor. Finished with Parmesan and basil for a fast weeknight favorite.
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Servings:
Calories: 120kcal
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt for pasta water, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 0.75 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter optional, for extra silkiness
- 0.75 cup Parmesan cheese, grated plus more for serving
- 0.5 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.5 cup reserved pasta water use as needed to loosen sauce
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar optional, to balance acidity
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the kosher salt and the penne. Cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 0.5 cup pasta water, then drain.
- While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; sauté until fragrant, 0.5 to 1 minute.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it darkens slightly and caramelizes, about 2 minutes.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes. Add a pinch of salt, black pepper, and sugar if using. Simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes to thicken.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream and butter until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Add the drained penne to the skillet and toss to coat. Sprinkle in Parmesan and a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to create a glossy, silky sauce.
- Fold in most of the chopped basil. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and heat with more red pepper flakes if desired.
- Serve hot, topped with remaining basil and extra Parmesan.
Notes
For extra heat, bloom additional red pepper flakes in olive oil before adding the garlic. Use high-quality crushed tomatoes for the best flavor, and reserve enough pasta water to adjust the sauce to your preferred consistency.