Walnut Free Classic Arrabbiata Sauce

Total time35 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time25 min

4.7

(13)

Few sauces hit as hard as a good arrabbiata — fiery, garlicky, and deeply savory in a way that makes a simple bowl of pasta feel like a proper meal. This version keeps things beautifully stripped back, leaning on San Marzano tomatoes, slowly coaxed garlic, and a generous pinch of red pepper flakes to build real depth without any fuss. The technique matters here: letting the garlic turn pale golden before the chili goes in, then giving the sauce a long, unhurried simmer until it thickens and turns glossy, is what separates this from a rushed weeknight pour-from-the-jar situation. Because the ingredient list is so clean — olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper — there's no need to scan labels or worry about unexpected add-ins sneaking into your bowl. A scatter of fresh flat-leaf parsley at the end brightens everything up and adds a little color, though the sauce is absolutely worth eating without it. Make a big batch, because it stores beautifully and only gets better the next day.

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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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