This spicy Calabrian chili pasta is a delicious weeknight meal with notes of sweet fennel, tangy tomato, garlic, onion, and spicy Calabrian chilies. The sauce clings to the spicy pasta as the soft and sweet aromatics nestle in its nooks and crannies; it's addictive!
I first developed this pasta recipe in 2020, and it's STILL a huge hit in my household. The recipe was loosely inspired by a few different dishes: (1) Alison Roman's caramelized shallot pasta, (2) Biang Biang noodles, and (3) "Szechuan-style" Indian chili paneer.
With ten five-star reviews, you know it's a good one! Here's what reader Jet said:
"This was truly one of the best pastas we have ever made! Even the leftovers were just as amazing!" ★★★★★
Key Ingredients
- Fennel: Fennel adds a sweet flavor; when cooked down, it provides subtle notes of caramelized anise flavor. Can't find fresh fennel? You can use 1 stalk of celery plus 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds.
- Calabrian chili paste: I like Tutto Calabria, which you can find online and Delallo's chili paste (often found at Wegman's or Whole Foods in the US). Any Calabrian chili paste will do; Trader Joe's Bomba sauce is another good option, but keep in mind that they all have slightly different heat levels, so add a bit at a time and adjust as needed! You can also use red chili flakes if you can't find this condiment.
- Dried pasta: You can use whatever type of pasta you like, but I prefer a ridged tubular cut like mezzi rigatoni or rigatoni. It's also delicious with mafaldine or fusilli lunghi.
For a full list of ingredients and their quantities, please refer to the recipe card.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1 - Add the oil, onion, fennel, and minced garlic cloves to a large skillet. A cold pan prevents the aromatics from burning too quickly. We want to build flavor through a slower caramelization process!
Step 2 - Set over medium-low heat, and saute the aromatics until they're soft, jammy, and translucent about 15 minutes.
Step 3 - Stir in the chili flakes, let those sizzle for a minute, then add the tomato paste and honey.
Step 4 - Cook down the paste for a few minutes until it starts caramelizing at the bottom of the pan and the oil turns bright red.
Step 5 - Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until just before al dente according to package instructions. Save a cup of pasta water to make the sauce nice and glossy!
Step 6 - Transfer the pasta to the pan, along with some of the reserved pasta water. Over low heat, stir everything together until the tomato sauce clings to the noodles.
Step 7: Taste and season with a good pinch of salt! If you feel the dish needs something, go through the list of flavors and ask yourself if it needs more salt. Then add more parmesan cheese. Sweetness? Try a bit of honey. Acidity? Add a splash of vinegar.
Adjust and serve immediately.
Recipe FAQs
This pasta sauce is thick and jammy so you can use it in various applications! Mix it with softened butter and spread it on toast, or use it in a sandwich as a spread. It's also great in my roasted branzino recipe, where I make a 'chili crisp' topping!
You definitely can, and the pasta will still be good. But the fennel adds a bit of complexity and sweetness to bring this dish to the next level. If you do omit it, I recommend using 1 ½ onions.
On it's own, it's a decently spicy sauce, so it's great mixed in sauces and spreads. It does have more fruitiness than a typical hot sauce, though!
Did you try this recipe?
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Calabrian Chili Pasta
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- ½ medium fennel bulb, finely diced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon Calabrian chili paste, or ¾ teaspoon red chili flakes | plus more if desired
- Salt
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 8 ounces dried pasta, I like either like a long cut, like fusilli longhi, or mafaldine, or a tubular pasta, like mezzi rigatoni, rigatoni, or casarecce
- ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
Instructions
- Set a large pot of water to boil.
- Saute the aromatics: In a cold dutch oven or heavy-bottomed skillet, add ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 medium onion, finely diced, ½ medium fennel bulb, and 6 garlic cloves, finely diced.Set over medium-low heat, and saute the aromatics for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Don't go further than golden brown, lowering the heat if necessary.
- Add the chili paste: Stir in 1 tablespoon Calabrian chili paste (or red pepper flakes), and season the vegetables with salt. Saute for 1 - 2 minutes on medium-low until the chili begins to smell aromatic.
- Finish the sauce: Add ¼ cup tomato paste and 1 tablespoon honey to the vegetables, and stir to incorporate. Saute for another 4 - 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste starts to caramelize on the pan and the oil turns bright red. Stir in 1 teaspoon white vinegar, then turn the heat off. Note: At this point, you’ve made the base of your sauce. The sauce will eventually get mixed into your pasta, so it should taste slightly more pungent than you want it to be. It may feel spicier, more acidic, and saltier than desired.
- Cook the pasta: Once the water is boiling, salt the water and add 8 ounces dried pasta. Cook according to package instructions, until the pasta is just barely al dente. Reserve ¾ cup of pasta water.
- Finish the dish: To finish the pasta, transfer the pasta to the skillet with a slotted spoon, and stir to combine, loosening the sauce with a bit of pasta water at a time. Set the dutch oven over medium heat, and reduce sauce for 1 - 2 minutes. Add pasta water to reach desired consistency. The sauce should nicely cling to the pasta but still feel saucy. Season again with salt and add additional chili paste or red pepper if desired.
- Serve: Garnish with ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Use whatever combination of onions you have here — I’ve used yellow onions, red onions, and shallots
- Calabrian chili paste adds a fiery layer of flavor to this pasta. I like Tutto Calabria, which you can find online, and Delallo's chili paste. Any Calabrian chili paste will do but keep in mind that they all have slightly different heat levels, so start small!
- This dish is about your taste preference. I’ve built the flavor profile such that it has a nice mix of sweet, salty, acidic, and spicy flavors — but ultimately you should season it as you like it. If you like it less spicy, add less chili. If you like it very sweet, add more honey.
- Storage and Reheating: This pasta is best served immediately, but you may make the sauce up to 2 days ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Just before serving, boil the pasta and finish the dish.
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Delicious! I doubled the recipe in case it was yummy and I’m So glad I did 💕 We love fennel and I needed a vessel for Calabrian chilies and this was the ticket 🙌
Ahh, so happy to hear you enjoyed and glad doubling the recipe was a good move!!
This was truly one of the best pastas we have ever made! Even the leftovers were just as amazing!
Thank you so much, I'm so happy to hear that!!
I found a Calabrian spicy chili sauce at Trader Joe’s and am planning a one pot meal with chicken mushrooms and spinach
Will they disturb the fast too much?
Hi Lygia,
Just so I'm understanding correctly, are you asking if the chickens, mushrooms, and spinach will disturb the flavor too much? If so, I don't think so! It sounds delicious 🙂 But you may want to make 1 1/2 to 2 times the amount of sauce just to make sure there's enough to coat everything.
Best,
Karishma
Another crowd pleaser! My guests loved this recipe and I personally loved it too! I am always looking for a pasta sauce that is a little different from the garden variety marinara sauce and this one fit the bill! I was also able to make the sauce a couple of days ahead of time before my company arrived, and it was still just as good! Thank you!
Thanks so much for your feedback! Really great to hear it's a good make-ahead dish!
I made this with shallots and chili flakes and it was so comforting. I love recipes that minimize prep steps and this was minimal and quick! A well developed recipe that we’ll add to our rotation!
Hi Anthony, thanks so much for your review! Really happy to hear it was easy + quick!