This Spicy Rigatoni Recipe Will Be Your New Obsession

The following recipe and excerpt for spicy dirty martini olives are from “Happy Hour at Home“ by Elizabeth Van Lierde. It’s available for order on Amazon.

An apericena menu wouldn’t be complete without an incredibly easy and delectable pasta recipe. This dish of al dente rigatoni cloaked in a silky, spicy tomato sauce and topped with plenty of Parmigiano-Reggiano fills that menu slot perfectly. 

Spicy Rigatoni

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time: 40 minutesTotal time: minutesServings:4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 shallot, diced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more for topping
• 2 cups sweet cherry tomatoes
• 12 ounces rigatoni pasta
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for finishing

Instructions

1. Fill a large pot three-fourths full with generously salted water and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. While the water is heating, set a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the oil is shimmering. Add the garlic and shallot and cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes, or until softened. Turn down the heat to medium-low, stir in the tomato paste and pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened. Press down on the tomatoes with a wooden spoon to release their juices, then continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes longer, or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
4. While the sauce is cooking, add the rigatoni to the boiling water, stir well, and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, or according to package directions for al dente. Drain the pasta into a colander.
5. Add the cream and salt to the skillet and stir well. Transfer the sauce to a blender, let cool briefly, and then blend until smooth and creamy. Return the sauce to the skillet over low heat. (Alternatively, blend the sauce directly in the pan with an immersion blender.)
6. Add the hot cooked pasta to the skillet and stir and toss until evenly coated. Transfer to a serving platter, top with a shower of cheese and a dusting of pepper flakes, and serve.

Excerpted from Happy Hour at Home: 100 Recipes for Snacking and Sipping with Friends by © 2026 Elizabeth Van Lierde. Published by Weldon Owen, an imprint of Insight Editions. Photography by Abagail Halstead.

• Dinner
• Dinner Recipes
• Fall Recipes
• Italian Food
• Pasta