There are so many reasons why you should have a quick and an easy arrabbiata pasta recipe up your sleeve. It’s an absolute pleasure making this one for dinner, it’s made for the lazy chef which means you (the lazy chef) gets to enjoy all the rewards by eating dinner in almost no time! It’s oh-so-tasty.

I love adding extra garlic and chili to mine… adding the sugar is a personal preference and something frowned upon (i know, I know) but I like it. You can substitute the sugar with a medium carrot, if you prefer. The red wine vinegar just brightens up the whole dish. Grating over a crazy amount of parmesan is also just as rewarding, I mean I don’t need to tell you that.

I love a fiery pasta moment—but I do not love the idea of spending 45 minutes sautéing, simmering, and stirring like I’m auditioning for MasterChef: Exhausted Edition. Enter this glorious little number: the Lazy Chef’s Arrabbiata. It’s spicy. It’s saucy. It’s got just enough garlic to make people think you know what you’re doing. And best of all? It takes zero emotional commitment.

This Ain’t Nonna’s Arrabbiata (And That’s Okay)

Listen, if you’re expecting hand-peeled San Marzano tomatoes and a five-hour simmer—this isn’t that. This arrabbiata pasta is a throw-it-in-the-pan, crank-up-the-heat, and let the chili flakes do the talking kind of vibe. And it works. Like, suspiciously well.

All you need is:
🧄 Garlic (don’t be shy)
🌶️ Chili flakes (as much drama as you can handle)
🍅 A can of tomatoes (because we’re not making sauce from scratch at 7pm on a Tuesday)
🧂 A hit of salt, sugar, and maybe a tiny swirl of olive oil to make it feel fancy
🧀 Optional: a disrespectful amount of cheese on top. Parm, pecorino, or whatever’s hanging around.

Fast, Fiery, and Just a Bit Reckless

You toss it all together, let it bubble for ten-ish minutes while your pasta cooks (any shape works—no gatekeeping here), and then boom: dinner. Spicy, steamy, carb-loaded joy in a bowl. It tastes like you tried. It tastes like passion. It’s got attitude and garlic breath—and honestly, isn’t that what all the best meals have in common?

So no, this arrabbiata pasta won’t win over traditionalists. But it will win your weeknight. It’s the pasta that says, “I care… just not enough to chop onions today.” And that, my friend, is self-care.

Mangia, you glorious lazy genius.

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The Lazy Chef's Arrabbiata Pasta

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: ish, Italian

Keyword: arrabbiata, pasta

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Servings:

Author: The Big Tasty Bite

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
200 g diced bacon or pancetta
400 g Arrabbiata pasta sauce store-bought
2 tbsp fresh basil chopped
6 garlic cloves finely sliced6 garlic cloves, finely sliced
3 tbsp flat leaf parsley diced
2 medium chilies diced *optional
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
300 g pasta of choice
Salt to taste
Garnish with freshly grated parmesan

Instructions

Add the olive oil and diced bacon to a medium saucepan and cook until browned
Add the Arrabbiata sauce to the bacon. Fill the pasta sauce jar with water and add to the pan as well.
Add the basil, garlic, parsley, chilies, sugar and vinegar to the sauce and mix well. Allow to simmer on medium-high heat for 10mins or until the sauce has rediced by 1/3rd. Stir occasionally.
Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling bowl, add a good amount of salt to the water and add your pasta. Bowl until al dente or boil for around 6 mins. Add the pasta to the sauce as well as 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Mix well. Allow to rest for 5-10mins. Add additional salt to the pasta if necessary.
Grate over some fresh parmesan before serving and enjoy!

Video

CategoriesBasil Cheese Chili Dinner Lunch Main Parmesan Pasta Protein Stove Top