Description
This Delicious Spicy Rigatoni Pasta is a quick and flavorful Italian-inspired dish featuring al dente rigatoni pasta tossed in a creamy, mildly spicy tomato sauce. Enhanced with garlic, red chili flakes, fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese, it’s perfect for a satisfying weeknight meal ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 oz rigatoni pasta
Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp red chili flakes (adjust to taste)
Garnish
- Fresh basil for garnish
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni pasta and cook until al dente, usually about 10-12 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté Garlic: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn it.
- Add Tomatoes: Pour the crushed tomatoes into the skillet, stirring to combine with the garlic. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes to develop the flavors.
- Incorporate Cream: Reduce the heat to low, stir in the heavy cream, and cook the sauce for an additional 2 minutes until creamy and well blended.
- Add Spice: Mix in the red chili flakes according to your preferred heat level, then let the sauce simmer for another 2 minutes to meld the flavors together.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked rigatoni to the skillet and toss thoroughly to coat each piece with the creamy spicy tomato sauce evenly.
- Serve: Plate the pasta hot, garnished generously with fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese for added aroma and flavor.
Notes
- You can adjust the amount of red chili flakes to make the pasta more or less spicy.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or a plant-based cream alternative.
- Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining to loosen the sauce if needed.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for the best flavor and texture.
- Fresh basil can be replaced by dried basil if fresh is not available.
