Ina Garten Arrabbiata Sauce

Ina Garten arrabbiata sauce is a bold, garlicky tomato sauce with fennel seeds, red pepper flakes and fresh basil that comes together in 50 minutes. This easy weeknight dinner sauce fits family dinner, cozy Sunday supper, holiday pasta night and make-ahead meal prep, since it keeps for a week.

Cook the garlic slowly over medium-low heat until it turns soft and lightly browned, and keep your eye on it the whole time. Let it go dark and it turns bitter, which would spoil the whole pot.

Ina Garten based this sauce on one of chef Missy Robbins' pasta sauces from her Brooklyn restaurants, Lilia and Misi. A full cup of garlic sounds like too much, but it mellows into something sweet and rich as it cooks, as she shares in Modern Comfort Food (2020).

Source: Modern Comfort Food (2020)

Ina Garten Arrabbiata Sauce

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Course: DinnerCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Calories

380

kcal

Slowly cooked garlic, crushed tomatoes and a splash of red wine simmer into a thick, rustic sauce with a gentle kick. Fennel seeds add a subtle sweetness, and fresh basil goes in right at the end.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup good olive oil
  

• 1 cup whole peeled garlic cloves (2 to 3 heads of garlic)
  

• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, drained
  

• 2 teaspoons whole fennel seeds, chopped
  

• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  

• 1/3 cup dry Italian red wine, such as Chianti
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

• 1/4 cup julienned fresh basil leaves
  

Directions

• Soften the garlic: Warm 2/3 cup olive oil in a 10 to 11-inch pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat, then add 1 cup whole peeled garlic cloves. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, tossing now and then, until the garlic is soft and lightly browned.
• Chop the tomatoes: While the garlic cooks, pulse 2 drained cans of whole peeled plum tomatoes in a food processor until roughly chopped. Then lift the garlic out with a slotted spoon and pulse it in with the tomatoes just to chop it.
• Add the flavorings: Pour the tomato mixture into the pot with the oil. Then add 2 teaspoons chopped fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/3 cup red wine, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
• Simmer the sauce: Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring now and then. It should thicken and darken as the flavors come together.
• Finish with basil: Take the pot off the heat and stir in 1/4 cup julienned fresh basil. Then taste and adjust the salt and pepper.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, Cuisinart 14-cup food processor, OXO stainless slotted spoon, Cento certified San Marzano tomatoes, 3 cans. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

How long does arrabbiata sauce keep in the fridge?

Store it covered in the fridge for up to a week, which makes it a great sauce to prepare ahead. Reheat it gently in a saucepan over low heat.

Can I make this sauce less spicy?

Cut the red pepper flakes to 1/2 teaspoon, or leave them out and add a pinch at the table. The garlic and fennel still give the sauce plenty of flavor.

Is a whole cup of garlic really too much?

It looks like a lot, but slow cooking in the oil turns the garlic sweet and mellow instead of sharp. Just keep the heat at medium-low so it never burns.

What can I use instead of the red wine?

A splash of chicken stock or water works if you want to skip the wine. You lose a little depth, so taste the sauce at the end and add salt if it needs it.

What is the most common mistake with this sauce?

Burning the garlic is the big one, since scorched garlic turns the sauce bitter. Watch it closely and pull it out as soon as it is soft and lightly golden.