This vegan pasta arrabbiata is one of those staple recipes that’s great for days when you’re too busy to think about what to make for dinner and just need something you can throw together now. ‘Arrabbiata’ means ‘angry’ in Italian, and this chilli-spiked tomato sauce does have a kick, but not one that will blow your head off. Native to Rome, it’s something I used to eat a lot when I lived in Italy many years ago.
These days, we have a lovely Italian neighbour who often brings us fresh tomatoes from his greenhouse that I use to make this sauce. Make a batch for now, and a batch to freeze, so you’ve always got some of this zingy sauce ready to go.
Ingredients
4 tbsp olive oil
1 kg fresh tomatoes
1-2 tsp chilli flakes, depending on how hot you like it.
Handful basil leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 white onion, chopped finely
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Handful sliced black olives
You’ll also need a blender.
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees(fan)
Place the tomatoes in a baking dish and toss in 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme and oregano. Roast for 15-20 minutes.
Once the tomatoes are ready, heat the other 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan or wok over a medium heat and fry the onions and garlic for five minutes.
Then blend the tomatoes with the onion and garlic, plus the balsamic vinegar, in your blender, to make a sauce. Serve with your favourite pasta – we like this with penne or rigatoni – and garnish with the fresh basil and sliced black olives.
If you like this, try our lemon spaghetti with chickpeas and sage!