Vegan Classic Arrabbiata Sauce
Few sauces hit as hard as a well-made arrabbiata — fiery, garlicky, and deeply savory in a way that feels far more complex than its short ingredient list suggests. This version leans on San Marzano tomatoes for their bright, low-acid sweetness, which balances the heat from the red pepper flakes beautifully. Thinly sliced garlic is coaxed slowly in olive oil until just golden, building a fragrant base that carries the whole sauce. The real magic happens during that uncovered simmer, when everything reduces into a glossy, spoon-coating sauce that clings to pasta like it was made for it — because it was. Every single ingredient here is naturally plant-based, so there's nothing to swap or second-guess; this is just clean, honest cooking. Finish it with a handful of fresh parsley if you have it, or skip it entirely — the sauce is bold enough to stand on its own.
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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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