Easy Penne Arrabbiata (Spicy Marinara Sauce)

My undying love of carbs and affinity for anything spicy meant that this Easy Penne Arrabbiata was bound to happen sooner or later. This marinara sauce with a kick is perfect for the hot-sauce-obsessed like myself!

I don’t know about you, but this weekend flew by WAY too fast. I had such a busy week last week (while fighting off the tail end of a cold!) that I devoted Saturday to rest and recovery (aka binge-watching Netflix and comfy pants), and despite the extra hour today, I’ve been moving slowwww. I need just *one more* weekend day so I can feel a little better about my lack of productivity, is that too much to ask??

But, sometimes a relaxing weekend is 100% necessary, and the perfect excuse to eat some quality comfort food.

I was first introduced to arrabbiata sauce at a local restaurant, and I’ve been totally hooked since that first “holy shit that’s spicy, but also AMAZING GIMME MORE” bite.

Arrabbiata literally translates to “angry” in Italian, so it makes sense that the flavors are brazen and in-your-face. As you might have surmised, this sauce is definitely not for those sensitive to spice (though you could certainly tone it down by leaving out some or all of the peppers).

Last week I got a shipment of Banza pasta, and I’ve been dying to put it to good use (read: shovel it into my face). Guys, it is so good. It’s made from chickpeas so the nutritional specs are significantly more impressive than standard pasta (all of the protein and fiber!), and unlike some brown rice pastas I’ve tried in the past, it doesn’t sacrifice texture at all.

To bulk up this Easy Penne Arrabbiata, I added some kale and some Aidell’s Garlic & Artichoke chicken sausage. And olives, because I’m one of those weirdos who loves black olives in pasta and on pizza.

As you can probably tell, you can customize this pretty much however you’d like. Use different veggies, use different pasta, do whatever. The arrabbiata sauce is the real star here!

Easy Penne Arrabbiata (Spicy Marinara Sauce)

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: Sarah

Serves: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 small white onion, finely diced
• 2 fresno peppers, finely diced
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• a splash of red wine (optional)
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, minced
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• ½ tsp sugar
• salt & pepper
• 1 box Banza penne
• 5 cups kale, chopped
• 4 chicken sausage links, sliced and browned
• ½ cup sliced olives

Instructions

1. To make the sauce, begin by heating one tbsp olive oil over medium heat, and adding the onion, garlic and fresno peppers. Cook until onions begin to turn translucent and the peppers soften.
2. If you're feeling fancy, add a splash of red wine for some depth of flavor (and because: wine).
3. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, vinegar and sugar. Stir well to combine, and bring to a simmer. Let simmer, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes.
4. Add salt & pepper to taste.
5. In a separate pan, bring 8-10 cups of water to a boil, and add the pasta and kale. Let cook for 6-8 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and return to the pot with a light drizzle of olive oil.
6. Add the cooked sausage and olives and stir well to combine.
7. Top with arrabbiata sauce and freshly grated parmesan. Enjoy!

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