Description
Quick & Easy Spicy Rigatoni is a creamy, flavorful pasta dish featuring rigatoni cooked directly in a spicy marinara sauce enriched with butter, olive oil, shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Finished with heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil, this one-pot meal combines simplicity and bold taste for an irresistible weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 medium shallots, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more to taste)
Pasta & Liquids
- 16 oz rigatoni pasta (uncooked)
- 3 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 32 oz marinara sauce (good quality)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
Finishing Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (plus more for serving)
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Sauté shallots: Place the butter and olive oil in a pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. As the butter melts, add the diced shallots. Cook for 3-5 minutes until they become soft and translucent.
- Add garlic and chili flakes: Stir in the minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently to prevent burning or sticking.
- Add pasta and liquids: Add the uncooked rigatoni pasta to the hot pot, then pour in the marinara sauce, chicken broth, and kosher salt. Stir everything to combine evenly.
- Cook pasta: Bring the mixture up to a gentle boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let it cook for about 12-13 minutes until the rigatoni is tender and has absorbed much of the liquid.
- Finish sauce: Stir in heavy cream and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce is creamy and well combined.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from heat and sprinkle chopped fresh basil and extra Parmesan cheese on top before serving.
Notes
- Using a good quality marinara sauce significantly enhances the flavor.
- You can substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth to make this recipe vegetarian.
- Adjust the crushed red pepper flakes to control the heat level to your preference.
- Ensure to stir frequently when cooking the garlic and chili flakes to avoid burning.
- This dish is best served immediately to enjoy the creamy sauce at its peak.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: spicy rigatoni, creamy pasta, one pot pasta, easy Italian dinner, spicy pasta recipe
