Penne with chili sauce is a quick pasta of penne, fresh red chilies and chopped tomatoes with garlic and parsley, ready in about 25 minutes. It feeds 4 and uses pantry staples, which makes it an easy weeknight dinner.
Why This Recipe Works
The sauce starts with 6 tablespoons of olive oil, and that is a lot on purpose. The oil carries the flavor of the garlic and chilies through the whole pan, so every piece of penne tastes of both.
Fry the garlic and chilies only briefly. Garlic turns bitter if it browns, and the chilies give up their heat quickly in hot oil. Adding the tomatoes right after cools the pan and stops the garlic from burning.
The sauce needs only a few minutes of cooking. Chopped tomatoes stay fresh and bright this way, and the parsley goes in at the end so it keeps its color and its grassy taste.
Penne with Chili Sauce Ingredients
For the sauce
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 red chili peppers, finely chopped
- 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, or 1 pound passata (tomato puree)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Salt, to taste
For the pasta
- 13 ounces dried penne or penne rigate
- Salt, for the cooking water
How To Make Penne with Chili Sauce
Make the sauce
- Fry the garlic and chilies: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and chilies and fry them briefly, just until the oil smells fragrant, so the garlic doesn’t turn bitter.
- Add the tomatoes: Pour in the chopped tomatoes or passata. Cook for a few minutes, until the sauce is hot and slightly thicker.
- Season: Stir in the parsley and add salt to taste. Take the pan off the heat if the pasta isn’t ready yet.
Cook the pasta and toss
- Boil the penne: Cook the penne in a large pot of boiling salted water. Follow the package instructions, or cook until al dente, which means tender with a little bite left in the center.
- Drain: Drain the pasta well, so extra water doesn’t thin the sauce.
- Toss together: Add the penne to the sauce and toss until every piece is coated. Serve right away while it is hot.
Recipe Tips
- Seed the chilies for less heat: Remove the seeds when you chop the chilies for a milder dish. Leave them in if you like it hot.
- Wash your hands: Wash your hands well after chopping chilies, and keep them away from your eyes. The heat stays on your fingers.
- Save some pasta water: Scoop out a small cup of the cooking water before you drain. A splash loosens the sauce if it clings too tightly to the penne.
- Keep the garlic pale: If the garlic starts to brown, add the tomatoes right away. Browned garlic tastes bitter and spoils the whole sauce.
What To Serve With Penne with Chili Sauce
Serve the penne in warm bowls with a green salad and crusty bread to wipe up the sauce. A little grated Parmesan on top is a good fit, but it isn’t needed.
How To Store
- Fridge: Keep leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm the pasta in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water, until hot all the way through.
- Make ahead: Make the sauce up to 2 days ahead and keep it in the fridge. Cook the penne fresh just before you serve.
FAQs
How do I make penne with chili sauce less spicy?
Remove the seeds from the chilies as you chop them, since much of the heat sits in the seeds and the white ribs. You can also use just 1 chili instead of 2.
Can I use canned tomatoes or passata?
Yes, both work. Use one 14-ounce can of chopped tomatoes or 1 pound of passata. Passata gives a smoother sauce, while chopped tomatoes leave small pieces.
Is this pasta vegan?
Yes. The sauce is made of olive oil, garlic, chilies, tomatoes and parsley, and dried penne is usually made of just wheat and water. Check the package to be sure there is no egg.
Why is my sauce bitter?
Browned garlic is the usual cause. Fry it only briefly over medium heat and add the tomatoes right after. If the sauce still tastes sharp, cook it a few minutes longer to mellow it.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving (1 of 4), worked out from the ingredients.
- Calories: about 640 kcal
- Total Fat: 28g
- Total Carbohydrate: 82g
- Dietary Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 14g
Penne with Chili Sauce
4
servings10
minutes15
minutes25
minutesPenne tossed in a fast sauce of olive oil, garlic, red chilies, tomatoes and parsley. A spicy weeknight pasta for 4 that comes together while the water boils.
Ingredients
- For the sauce
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 red chili peppers, finely chopped
1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, or 1 pound passata (tomato puree)
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt, to taste
- For the pasta
13 ounces dried penne or penne rigate
Salt, for the cooking water
Directions
- Fry the garlic and chilies: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and chilies and fry them briefly, just until the oil smells fragrant, so the garlic doesn’t turn bitter.
- Add the tomatoes: Pour in the chopped tomatoes or passata. Cook for a few minutes, until the sauce is hot and slightly thicker.
- Season: Stir in the parsley and add salt to taste. Take the pan off the heat if the pasta isn’t ready yet.
- Boil the penne: Cook the penne in a large pot of boiling salted water. Follow the package instructions, or cook until al dente, which means tender with a little bite left in the center.
- Drain: Drain the pasta well, so extra water doesn’t thin the sauce.
- Toss together: Add the penne to the sauce and toss until every piece is coated. Serve right away while it is hot.
