Equipment
Ingredients
Sofrito and Aromatics
- 150 g yellow onion, finely brunoised (1-2mm dice)
- 100 g carrot, finely brunoised
- 100 g celery, finely brunoised
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 5 g red chili flakes
Sauce Base
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 g tomato paste
- 800 g crushed tomatoes, canned, high quality
- 120 ml vegetable broth
Pasta and Finishing
- 400 g dried spaghetti
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- 10 g fresh basil, torn
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 590 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbohydrates
- 101 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 16 g
- Sodium
- 698 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 1179 mg
- Calcium
- 140 mg
- Iron
- 8.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 109 mg
- Phosphorus
- 292 mg
- Zinc
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 275 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 29 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 29 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.95 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.45 mg
- Niacin
- 7.6 mg
- Folate
- 260 mcg
- Water
- 129 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using a chef's knife and cutting board, finely mince the yellow onion, carrot, and celery into uniform 1-2mm pieces.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat (around 160C/320F). Add the minced onion, carrot, and celery. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon until the vegetables are completely softened and deeply golden, but not burnt.
Clear a small space in the center of the Dutch oven. Add the minced garlic, red chili flakes, and tomato paste. Cook until the tomato paste darkens to a rust color and the aromatics are highly fragrant.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Season lightly with kosher salt and black pepper. Bring to a gentle bubbling state, then lower the heat to maintain a slow, steady bubble (around 90C/195F). Cook uncovered.
While the sauce simmers, bring heavily salted water to a rolling boil (100C/212F) in a large pasta pot. Add the dried spaghetti and cook until just shy of al dente, usually 1 minute less than package directions. Reserve 120ml of the starchy pasta water before proceeding.
Using tongs, transfer the slightly undercooked spaghetti directly from the water into the simmering tomato sauce. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water. Vigorously toss the pasta in the sauce over medium heat until the sauce clings tightly to the noodles.
Remove the Dutch oven from the heat. Fold in the torn fresh basil and adjust final seasoning with salt and black pepper if necessary. Portion immediately into warm bowls.
Chef's Notes
- The secret to a complex vegetarian sauce is the 'sofrito' or 'battuto'. By chopping the onion, carrot, and celery extremely fine and taking the time to slowly caramelize them, you build a foundation of deep, savory sweetness that mimics the richness of meat.
- Do not rinse your pasta after boiling. The surface starches are essential for helping the tomato sauce emulsify and adhere to the noodles.
- If you prefer a perfectly smooth sauce rather than a rustic texture, you can use an immersion blender to puree the simmering sauce right before dropping the pasta in.
- The heat of red chili flakes blooms best in fat. Adding them during the toasting phase with the tomato paste ensures the spicy oils are evenly distributed throughout the entire dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store pasta and sauce separately if possible to prevent the spaghetti from absorbing too much liquid and becoming mushy.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze the sauce only. Cook fresh pasta when ready to serve.
Reheating: Gently warm the sauce in a pan over medium heat, adding a splash of water if it has thickened too much.
Troubleshooting
Sauce tastes too acidic or sharp
Cause: Tomatoes were picked under-ripe or the tomato paste was not toasted sufficiently
Fix: Stir in 2g of baking soda or 5g of granulated sugar and simmer for 5 more minutes
Prevention: Ensure tomato paste is toasted to a brick red color before adding liquids
Vegetables remain crunchy in the final sauce
Cause: Vegetables were chopped too large or not sauteed long enough initially
Fix: Use an immersion blender to partially puree the sauce before adding the pasta
Prevention: Mince vegetables into 1-2mm pieces and cook until completely softened before adding liquids
Sauce is watery and pooling at the bottom of the plate
Cause: Pasta was not finished in the sauce, or too much pasta water was added
Fix: Return to heat and simmer vigorously while tossing until the liquid reduces and emulsifies
Prevention: Always finish cooking the pasta in the sauce for the last 1-2 minutes to release starches
Cultural Context
Arrabbiata literally translates to angry in Italian, referring to the fiery heat of the chili peppers characteristic of this Roman classic. While traditional Arrabbiata is often a minimalist blend of garlic, tomatoes, and chili, introducing a finely minced vegetable sofrito pays homage to the broader Italian tradition of building slow, sweet, aromatic bases to balance intense spice.
