My delicious penne arrabbiata features melt-in-your-mouth mozzarella and tangy chorizo for a delicious twist on the classic. Check out my tips for roasting the peppers for a nice smoky finish!
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Don’t you just love a good pasta dish?
good old man spag bol Sure it has its uses as one of those simple dishes that everyone loves (in fact, spag bol is still one of my favorite dishes that I make at least every few weeks), but sometimes it’s nice to just mix things up a bit.
Now this dish has just what you need when you need to get something on the table quickly but fancy something different and special:
- Penne pasta topped with a rich and flavorful arrabbiata sauce
- Sticky chunks of melty mozzarella
- Pieces of spicy chorizo
- Sliced peppers, grilled/fried until smoky and charred
Plus, it’s just as quick to prepare as spaghetti, making it a great choice for a weeknight meal.
📋 What do we need?
📺 Check out how to make it
For the full recipe with detailed steps, see the recipe card at the end of this post.
- We’ll start by roasting one red and one yellow bell pepper until they’re charred. I either do this over a gas burner (very carefully), under the grill (broiler), or on the grill when the weather is a bit warmer. While the peppers are roasting, I set the pasta aside to cook.
- Then sauté some onions in a little oil until soft. Add the chorizo and cook for a few minutes, then stir in the garlic and tomato puree (paste). Then add canned tomatoes, dried thyme, chilli flakes and some sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Next, we remove the skin from the roasted peppers and slice the peppers. Add them to the sauce along with the cooked and drained pasta and mix everything together.
- Add shredded mozzarella pieces, stir again, and top with some grated Parmesan, some chopped scallions (scallions), and a pinch of chili flakes before serving.
👩🍳PRO TIP You can make this arrabbiata as spicy as you like. I only add a pinch of chilli flakes when the kids eat it. Then I serve it with a small bowl of chopped fresh chillies for Chris and I to sprinkle on top.
🍽️ What to serve it with
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Penne Arrabbiata with mozzarella and chorizo
Penne Arrabbiata with Mozzarella and Chorizo - a delicious twist on the classic!
INSTRUCTIONS
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Place the two whole peppers on a grill tray and place under the grill (broiler). Alternatively, you can carefully (using heatproof tongs) place the two whole peppers over the flame of a gas stove.
1 red pepper, 1 yellow pepper
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Grill until blackened and charred throughout. Turn while grilling to ensure all sides are cooked. They should be blackened in about 10-12 minutes.
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Once the peppers are blackened, wrap them in aluminum foil and allow them to cool slightly in the foil (this will make the skin easier to remove).
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While the peppers are grilling, you can cook the pasta and prepare the arrabbiata sauce.
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Heat a large pot of water for the pasta and cook the penne according to package directions.
400 g (14 oz) dried penne pasta
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In a large frying pan (sauté pan), heat the oil and add the onion. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes until onions soften.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 onion
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Add the chorizo and cook an additional 3-4 minutes until the chorizo releases its oil and begins to darken.
200g chorizo
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Now stir in the garlic and tomato puree (paste), cook for 1 minute, then add the canned tomatoes, thyme, dried red pepper flakes and sugar. Let it bubble slightly and simmer for 10 minutes.
2 cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon tomato puree, 400 g canned chopped tomatoes, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 heaped teaspoon dried chili flakes, 1 teaspoon of sugar
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By now, the foil-wrapped peppers should have cooled down a bit. Place them on a cutting board, then remove the charred skin and discard. Slice the peppers (remove the seeds) and add the chopped peppers to the arrabbiata sauce.
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After cooking, drain the pasta and add the drained pasta to the arrabbiata sauce. Mix everything together (it’s easier for me to use a spoon and tongs) until the pasta is completely coated in the sauce.
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Stir in the mozzarella pieces, heat for another minute, then turn off the heat.
250 g mozzarella, roughly torn into pieces
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Sprinkle the arrabbiata with some parmesan, freshly ground black pepper, chilli flakes and some chopped spring onions (scallions). Serve straight from the pan.
3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 2 spring onions, 1 pinch chili flakes
✎ Notes
Yes! Swap out the pasta for gluten-free pasta and make sure your chorizo and tomato paste are gluten-free, too. It works well as a gluten-free dish.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes – omit the chorizo altogether (if you do, add a teaspoon of smoked paprika powder with the spices) or substitute with vegetarian chorizo/mushrooms/smoky chickpeas (fried with smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper Chickpeas). You’ll also need to replace the parmesan (which is made with animal rennet) with Italian-style vegetarian hard cheese and make sure you’re using a vegetarian mozzarella.
Can I make it?
I prefer to eat it right away as I find it tastes better freshly made than reheated. But you may If you want, prepare it in advance, then it will still be tasty.
Once you have cooked the arrabbiata, cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. It’s better to reheat the noodles in the oven (covered with foil) as this allows the heat to spread better without breaking the noodles like if they were stirred in a pan. Heat in the oven at 190°C for about 20-25 minutes until just hot.
Note: Preparing it ahead of time will make the dish a little less juicy as the pasta will absorb more liquid. You can add a few more tablespoons of broth or hot water as you reheat the pasta to ensure it’s still juicy.
can i freeze it
As mentioned above, it tastes better freshly made, but you can freeze it and reheat it.
Once you have cooked the arrabbiata, cool, cover and freeze. Then thaw in the fridge. Following reheating instructions above – reheat in oven (covered with foil) at 190°C/375°F for about 20-25 minutes until hot. Add a few more tablespoons of broth or hot water as you reheat the pasta to ensure it’s still juicy.
leftovers?
I love this cold the next day for lunch with some crispy lettuce leaves and finely sliced red onions.
Nutritional information is per serving based on this recipe for 4 people. If you use the recipe for 6 people, the calorie count is approximately 523 calories per serving.
Nourishment
Calories: 787kcalCarbohydrates: 93GProtein: 40GFat: 28GSaturated Fatty Acids: 12GPolyunsaturated fat: 1GMonounsaturated fatty acids: 6GCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 590mgPotassium: 773mgFiber: 7GSugar: 11GVitamin A: 1806IUVitamin C: 106mgCalcium: 601mgIron: 5mg
This post was first published in June 2015. Updated January 2019 with new photos, step-by-step photos, recipe video and tips, then again June 2023 with new video and some housekeeping.
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Equipment:
To prepare this Penne Arrabbiata recipe you will need:
