Arrabbiata or Pomodoro Sauce

Introduction

What’s the difference between Arrabbiata and Pomodoro sauces? The red pepper! ‘Arrabbiata’ means angry. Leave out the red pepper to make a more friendly Pomodoro sauce. These sauces are easy to make, and taste great with pasta, seafood, chicken, or sandwiches.

For ideas on how to use these versatile and delicious sauces, see my recipes for Chicken Pomodoro, Chicken Parmigiana, Frutti di Mare, and The Godfather Meatball Sub,

Recipe

Arrabbiata or Pomodoro Sauce

Scott James Gaspard

A spicy sauce for pasta made from garlic, tomatoes, and dried red pepper flakes, cooked in olive oil.

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Print Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4 people

Calories 131 kcal

Equipment

• heavy saucepan
• kitchen knife
• cutting board
• large spoon

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 tbsp olive oil – extra virgin
• ½ cup yellow onion – minced
• 1 tsp sea salt – more to taste
• 3 clove garlic – minced
• ½ cup basil leaves – torn, divided
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes – leave out for Pomodoro Sauce
• 28 ounce stewed whole tomatoes – San Marzano tomatoes make the best sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup beef broth – only use if necessary to thin the sauce

Instructions

 

• In a large, heavy bottom cast iron sauce pan, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chopped onion with a pinch of salt, and sauté until translucent.
  2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 cup yellow onion, 1 tsp sea salt
  
• Chop together the garlic, half of the basil, and the red pepper flakes, then add them to the pot, and sauté until aromatic.
  3 clove garlic, 1/2 cup basil leaves, 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  
• Empty the can of stewed whole tomatoes into a large bowl. Crush the tomatoes with your clean hands, but leave some chunks.
  28 ounce stewed whole tomatoes
  
• Add the tomatoes to the pot, and bring to a simmer. Add the bay leaf, and partially cover with a lid. Allow the sauce to simmer for about 1 hour to thicken and concentrate the flavors. Make sure to stir every 10 minutes or so to keep from burning. Add a splash of beef broth if necessary if the sauce is getting too thick to manage.
  1 bay leaf, 1 cup beef broth
  
• Turn off the flame, and adjust seasonings to your taste. Stir in the remaining basil leaves, and a drizzle of olive oil.
  
• Serve with pasta or meats or some fresh crusty Italian bread.
  

Notes

The main difference between Arrabbiata and Pomodoro sauces is the addition of red pepper flakes. ‘Arrabbiata’ means angry. Leave out the red pepper to make a more friendly Pomodoro sauce.

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Nutrition

Calories: 131kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 1253mg | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 650IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 3mg

More Information

Best tomatoes

The best canned tomatoes to use in this recipe are San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes, such as the Cento brand. They have just the right sweetness and acidity to make a delicious Pomodoro or Arrabbiata sauce.

Other Italian sauces

To learn about some of the differences between various Italian sauces, check out A Guide To Pasta Sauce on Paesana.com.

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Frutti Di Mare

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Chicken Pomodoro

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Chicken Parmigiana

Lightly fried, breaded chicken cutlets topped with Mozzarella, Parmesan, and Pomodoro sauce.

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The Godfather

Spicy meatball sub

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