Name: Rigatoni all'Amatriciana
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1 extra-large onion- finely chopped; 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper; 4-ounces chopped pancetta; 1 (35-ounce) can of Italian Imported peeled tomatoes ( I used Cento); 5 large fresh basil leaves, and extra for garnish; 1 cup of water, and extra if needed; Salt, to taste; 1 pound Rigatoni pasta; 3 Tbsp. butter; grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, at the table

Jump to Recipe

Rigatoni all’Amatriciana is a thick, rich, and savory tomato sauce made with 6 ingredients, and it is served over rigatoni pasta. It is a luxurious tomato sauce that tastes like a million bucks!

A forkful of rigatoni pasta with tomato sauce on top.

Rigatoni all’Amatriciana

Rigatoni all’Amatriciana is a pasta dish we love making on Sundays, especially for special occasions. It is one of our recipes, which we call The Sunday Sauce!

This Italian classic tomato sauce is so good and so flavorful that you’ll want to scoop up every bit of the sauce and to the last drop! Trust me on this one…

If you haven’t tried it yet, and you’re looking for a New Recipe to impress family and friends, this is it.

What is Amatriciana sauce?

Rigatoni all’Amatriciana sauce is a classic Roman dish. The recipe for its rich tomato sauce calls for a lot of onions, Italian imported peeled tomatoes, chopped pancetta, and pepper flakes. And it is usually served with rigatoni pasta. It is so common in Rome, Italy, you can bet you will find this dish on every menu in any trattoria in Rome.

Plus, amatriciana sauce is exquisite and different from other tomato sauce recipes such as our Classic Bolognese Sauce, Braciole Sauce, or our Mom’s Quick Marinara Sauce

Ingredients You Will Need:

There are six basic ingredients (not counting the pasta) that make this tomato sauce very unique. For this tomato sauce recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

extra virgin olive oil
extra-large onion
crushed red pepper
pancetta – Italian bacon
Italian Imported peeled tomatoes (I used Cento)
fresh basil leaves, and extra for garnish
A package of imported rigatoni pasta
grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, served at the table

A white plate filled with rigatoni pasta with tomato sauce on top.

How to Make Rigatoni all’ Amatriciana

Amatriciana sauce is a slow-cooked tomato sauce. From start to finish, it takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes. And it is cooked on low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally. Our recipe card is located at the bottom. But first, let’s go over the steps so you’ll know what’s involved before you begin.

First: COOK THE ONION: In a large heavy-bottom saucepan, heat olive oil and add the chopped onion, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh basil. Turn down the heat to the lowest and simmer until the onion is softened and golden, about 5 to 7 minutes.

2. Second: COOK THE PANCETTA: In the meantime, in a small saucepan, add the pancetta and cook the pancetta on low heat for about 3 minutes until it’s fully cooked and brown. Transfer only the cooked pancetta to the onions, and discard the excess fat left in the pan.

3. Next, BLEND & ADD THE TOMATOES: Open the large cans of imported peeled tomatoes and pour them into a blender to puree for a few seconds. Then pour the pureed tomatoes into the large heavy saucepan, already with the onions and cooked pancetta mixture. Stir in the water, and cover with a lid. Bring the heat up high to bring it to a full boil.

4. SIMMER THE SAUCE: Once it comes to a full boil, then lower the heat to a low simmer, and simmer the sauce for 1 hour, UNCOVERED, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken as it slowly cooks. Turn off the heat, give it a last stir, and then cover. Taste the sauce, if you prefer, you can season it with some salt, to taste.

Helpful Tip! Here is where you can allow the sauce to rest, keep it covered and on the stove. It will continue to slowly thicken as it rests. You can also make the sauce hours ahead, then reheat it when you are ready to cook the pasta.

5. COOK THE PASTA: Finally, cook the rigatoni pasta until al dente. Drain, and follow the final steps in our recipe card located at the bottom.

Recipe Tips

This tomato sauce gets its rich, savory flavors from slow cooking for at least 1 hour.
But, more importantly, its flavors come from the infusion of sweet onions, smoky–flavored pancetta, and a spicy kick from the pepper flakes.
Simple ingredients combined with the Italian imported sweet plump tomatoes make this sauce SO flavorful and intensely delicious! It’s truly amazing!
No need to add any salt; at least we don’t feel the need to add salt since the salty pancetta gives enough sodium to the sauce. But if you prefer, go ahead and add some to the sauce.
Toss some butter into the pasta after it is drained and before it is topped with the sauce. It adds a rich and creamy base to the pasta and will complement the tomato sauce on top.
Also, this tomato sauce is best paired with large kinds of pasta such as Rigatoni, Penne, and Ziti.

Storing and Freezing

To Store: Allow the tomato sauce to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Then keep it chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To Freeze: Place the container in your freezer. It will freeze well, and for up to 1 month.

FAQ’s

How many servings will this recipe make? Anywhere from 4 to 6 servings.
Can we double this recipe for additional servings? Yes, you can. You can easily double the ingredients for additional tomato sauce.
May we add some garlic to this recipe? It’s a matter of personal taste. If you like to add some, go ahead and do so.
Can we use other kinds of tomatoes with this recipe? Yes, you can use crushed, whole, or peeled tomatoes, as long as they are imported from San Marzano, Italy.

More Italian Recipes

Your comments help us! If you tried our rigatoni all’Amatriciana recipe, let us know and leave a comment below. We’d love to hear from you. Thank you for your support.

Rigatoni all'Amatriciana

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Rigatoni all' Amatriciana is a thick, rich, and savory tomato sauce that is served over rigatoni pasta. This spectacular tomato sauce is easily made with just 6 ingredients (not including salt or water). A delicious sauce with powerful flavors that will explode inside your mouth with every bite!

Ingredients

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 extra-large onion- finely chopped
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
4-ounces chopped pancetta
1 (35-ounce) can of Italian Imported peeled tomatoes ( I used Cento)
5 large fresh basil leaves, and extra for garnish
1 cup of water, and extra if needed
Salt, to taste
1 pound Rigatoni pasta
3 Tbsp. butter
grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, at the table

Instructions

In a large heavy-bottom saucepan, heat olive oil and add the chopped onion, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh basil. Turn down the heat to the lowest and simmer until the onion is softened and golden color, about 5 to 7 minutes.
In the meantime, in a small saucepan, add the pancetta and cook the pancetta on low heat for about 3 minutes until it's fully cooked and brown. Transfer only the cooked pancetta to the onions, and discard the excess fat left in the pan.
Next, open the can of peeled tomatoes and pour them into a blender to puree for a few seconds. Then pour the pureed tomatoes into the large heavy saucepan already with the onions and cooked pancetta mixture. Stir in the water, and cover with a lid. Bring the heat up high to bring it to a full boil.
Once it comes to a full boil, then lower the heat to simmer the sauce for 1 hour, UNCOVERED, and occasionally stirring every so often. The sauce will thicken as it slowly cooks. Turn off the heat, give it a last stir and keep covered. Taste the sauce, if you prefer, you can season it with some salt, to taste.
Fill a large pot with 3/4 water and bring to a full boil ( over high heat) add 2 tsp. of salt. Toss in the rigatoni pasta and cook according to the directions on the box, or until it's al-dente. Drain. Return the pasta back to its pot. Add 3 tablespoons of butter to the pasta. Stir rigatoni until the butter completely melts. Now it's ready to serve.
Ladle each dish with some Rigatoni pasta, then ladle some Amatriciana sauce on top. Serve with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese at the table.
Serves 4 to 6

Notes

Tips and Tricks:

Always keep some extra fresh basil leaves on the side to chop them and use them as garnish.
Garnishing with fresh chopped basil always adds a special element to this dish as well as other pasta dishes. Sprinkle a few on top of each dish before serving.
While simmering the sauce, if the sauce gets too thick, just add a little more water.
Store leftover Amatriciana sauce for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 1 month.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 servings Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 426Total Fat: 36.1gCarbohydrates: 15.6gFiber: 3.5gSugar: 5.6gProtein: 10.3g

In case you missed it…

FREE EMAIL BONUS

Weeknight Dinners Made Easy

Tips & recipes for delicious meals . . . no matter your skill level!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to submit the form.kadence-form-acba8e-3e .kadence-blocks-form-field.kb-submit-field { display: none; }