Paleo Classic Arrabbiata Sauce
Few things in Italian cooking are as satisfying as a deeply flavored tomato sauce built from just a handful of honest ingredients. This arrabbiata leans on San Marzano tomatoes, good olive oil, plenty of garlic, and a hit of red pepper flakes — nothing more, nothing less. That simplicity is exactly what makes it such a natural fit for grain-free and ancestral eating, since there are no added sugars, no seed oils, and no fillers hiding in the pot. The technique is straightforward: bloom the garlic low and slow, wake up the chili flakes, then let the tomatoes do their thing at a steady simmer until the sauce thickens and turns glossy. That 18-to-22-minute cook-down concentrates the flavor in a way that no jarred sauce can touch. Spoon it over spiralized zucchini or roasted spaghetti squash and finish with a scatter of fresh parsley for a weeknight dinner that feels genuinely indulgent. Bold, fiery, and completely clean — this one earns a permanent spot in the rotation.
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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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