Spicy Rigatoni
This Spicy Rigatoni is everything I love about a good pasta dish, with tender noodles, a creamy tomato sauce, and just enough spice to keep things interesting. Everything comes together in one pot, which makes it especially nice for busy weeknights.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 581kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 medium shallots diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper more to taste
- 16 oz rigatoni pasta uncooked
- 3 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 32 oz marinara sauce good quality
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt more to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated plus more for serving
- ¼ cup basil chopped
Instructions
- Place the butter and olive oil in a pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. As the butter is melting, add the shallots into the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until softened.
- Add the garlic and red chili flakes, mix together and cook for 1 minute. Be sure to mix often so that the garlic and shallots don’t stick to the pan or burn.
- Add the pasta to the hot pan, followed by the marinara sauce, broth, and salt.
- Mix it all together and bring it up to a soft boil to cook the pasta. Cover and reduce the heat to medium low for about 12-13 minutes.
- When the rigatoni is cooked to perfection, add the heavy cream and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Mix it together over medium heat until the sauce comes together for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh basil and an extra sprinkle of parmesan
Notes
- Use good-quality marinara. Since the tomato sauce is one of the main ingredients, choose a marinara you already love. A flavorful sauce makes a big difference in the finished pasta.
- Don't burn the garlic. Cook the garlic and red pepper flakes for just 1 minute, stirring frequently. Burnt garlic can make the entire sauce taste bitter.
- Adjust the spice level. Start with ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes for a milder pasta, or increase to 1½ teaspoons if you like extra heat. You can always add more when serving.
- Use a large, heavy-bottomed pot. A Dutch oven works perfectly because it distributes heat evenly and gives the pasta plenty of room to cook without sticking.
- Stir the pasta occasionally. Since the rigatoni cooks directly in the sauce, give it a good stir every few minutes. This prevents sticking and helps the pasta cook evenly.
- Keep the heat gentle. Once the sauce reaches a soft boil, reduce the heat to medium-low. A gentle simmer allows the pasta to cook without the sauce reducing too quickly.
- Check the pasta early. Start testing the rigatoni around the 12-minute mark. You want it tender with a slight bite, especially since it cooks for another 2-3 minutes after adding the cream.
- Watch the sauce consistency. If the sauce gets too thick before the pasta finishes cooking, add a splash of warm broth. The pasta will continue absorbing liquid as it cooks.
- Grate your own Parmesan. Freshly grated Parmesan melts more smoothly into the warm sauce than pre-shredded cheese. Add it gradually while stirring to prevent clumping.
- Add the cream at the end. Wait until the rigatoni is cooked before stirring in the heavy cream and Parmesan. This keeps the sauce smooth and prevents the cream from cooking too long.
- Taste before adding more salt. Marinara, broth, and Parmesan already contain salt, so taste the finished sauce before adjusting the seasoning.
Nutrition
Calories: 581kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 1697mg | Potassium: 749mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1574IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 3mg