Penne all’Arrabbiata with Italian Sausage
A rustic Roman classic with a kick. Spicy tomato sauce, crumbled Italian sausage, and a shower of Parmigiano — this is the kind of pasta that makes people ask for the recipe.
- Total Time25 minutes
- Yield2 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 400g penne rigate
- 300g Italian sausage, casings removed
- 400g crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp dried red chili flakes
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 60ml dry white wine
- 50g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
- 15g fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil.
- Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until deeply browned, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Add garlic and chili flakes and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Deglaze with white wine and let it reduce by half.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and return the sausage to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
- Cook penne until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Transfer pasta into the sauce. Toss over medium heat for 2 minutes, adding pasta water as needed.
- Divide into bowls, top with Parmigiano and parsley, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
Make it vegetarian: swap the sausage for a can of drained white beans. Heat level: 1 tsp chili flakes gives a medium kick — go up to 1½ tsp for extra heat. Pasta water is key: the starchy water emulsifies the sauce into a silky finish. Storage: keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15