Gluten Free Classic Arrabbiata Sauce
Few sauces hit as hard as a good arrabbiata — fiery, garlicky, and deeply savory in a way that makes you want to eat it straight from the pan. This one is built on just a handful of real ingredients: good olive oil, thinly sliced garlic coaxed to golden, red pepper flakes bloomed in the heat, and crushed San Marzano tomatoes that simmer down into something glossy and thick. Every single ingredient here is naturally free of gluten, so there's no label-reading anxiety or ingredient swaps required — just honest, pantry-staple cooking. The technique is simple but intentional: slow garlic, a quick bloom of heat from the chili flakes, then a steady uncovered simmer until the sauce tightens and the oil rises to the surface in that telltale sheen. That final texture is the goal — thick enough to coat a spoon and cling to whatever you serve it over. A scatter of fresh parsley at the end keeps it bright and a little herbaceous without competing with the heat. Whether you're spooning it over your favorite gluten-free pasta or using it as a bold base for other dishes, this sauce delivers serious restaurant-level flavor with almost no effort.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste
- 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled san marzano tomatoes
- ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pour the olive oil into a large saucepan or skillet and set over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the slices are pale golden at the edges and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes. Watch closely — garlic can go from golden to bitter quickly.
- 2
Add the red pepper flakes and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
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