Description
A vibrant, spicy rigatoni tossed in a creamy tomato‑basil sauce with a kick of heat.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 12 oz rigatoni
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking water
Instructions
- Cook the rigatoni in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water, then drain.
- While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Add garlic, jalapeño, and red pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to deepen flavor.
- Add crushed tomatoes, stir well, and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan; cook until sauce is creamy and well combined, about 2 minutes.
- Add drained rigatoni and reserved pasta water, tossing to coat. Cook for 1–2 more minutes to marry flavors.
- Remove from heat, stir in fresh basil, taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve immediately, garnishing with extra basil and Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Reserve some pasta water to loosen the sauce and help it cling.
- Use fresh basil for best flavor; stir in at the end to preserve its aroma.
- Adjust spice level by increasing or decreasing jalapeño and red pepper flakes.
- Grating your own Parmesan gives better texture and flavor than pre‑grated.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 500 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg