Spicy Rigatoni Pasta (Printable)

Creamy pasta with mildly spicy tomato sauce, garlic, and Parmesan. Ready in 35 minutes for four servings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz rigatoni pasta
02 - Salt for boiling water

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
09 - ½ cup heavy cream
10 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh basil leaves, chopped
13 - Extra Parmesan cheese for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water and drain pasta.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until soft and translucent.
03 - Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes to develop depth.
05 - Pour in crushed tomatoes. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens.
06 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Gently simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until creamy.
07 - Add drained rigatoni to sauce and toss to coat. Add reserved pasta water gradually if sauce is too thick until desired consistency is achieved.
08 - Transfer to serving dishes immediately. Garnish with fresh basil and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been simmering sauce all day, but it's done in under 40 minutes.
  • The creamy tomato sauce clings to every ridged piece of rigatoni like it was designed for it.
  • You can dial the heat up or down without losing any of the richness.
  • It uses simple ingredients you probably already have, no specialty store required.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it's the only thing that will loosen the sauce without breaking the creaminess.
  • Let the tomato paste cook long enough to lose its raw edge, those two minutes make a massive difference in depth of flavor.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pasta, it should be slightly over-seasoned on its own because the pasta will dilute it.
03 -
  • Use a skillet large enough to toss the pasta directly in the sauce, it coats better than pouring sauce over pasta in a bowl.
  • If you want extra body, stir in a tablespoon of butter at the very end for a glossy, restaurant-style finish.
  • Always cook your pasta one minute less than the package says if you're tossing it in the sauce, it finishes cooking in the skillet and soaks up more flavor.
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