Name: One Pot Spicy Rigatoni
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 13 min
Total time: 23 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 small diced shallot; 5 cloves minced garlic; 2 tsp crushed red pepper (more or less to taste); 16 oz uncooked rigatoni pasta; 4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth; 20 oz good quality marinara sauce; 1 tsp kosher salt (more or less to taste); 3/4 cup heavy cream; 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shavings; 1 cup cooked green peas

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This is going to become your favorite weeknight dish! It is easy to put together, hands off, and packed with flavor.

The benefits of cooking single pot pasta

We’ve said it before, and we will say it again: we love one pot pasta dishes!

The ease of making this recipe combined with the ease of clean up means more time spent with family. Don’t get us wrong, we love spending time in the kitchen. But we also love recipes that maximize our time outside of the kitchen!

Our very favorite part about this one pot spicy rigatoni is that cooking it together in one pot makes the dish more flavorful overall.

When you cook any kind of pasta, it absorbs the flavors of the liquid it is cooking in. That is why it is important to heavily salt water before you cook pasta. Dried pasta on its own is extremely bland and flavorless.

By cooking the rigatoni in tomato sauce, broth, garlic, shallots and red chili flake, you are giving the pasta the opportunity for all of those flavors to infuse. Instead of just taking on the salt from boiling water, the noodles will take on the flavors of the liquid it is cooking in.

So not only does this recipe save you dishes, but it also takes the flavor of this recipe to the next level!

Shallots vs onions, and which should I use?

Both shallots and onions are in the allium family of vegetables, alongside garlic and chives! While shallots and onions both have a similarly characteristic bold flavor, there are some minor flavor differences that make shallots perfect for this recipe.

Shallots have a more mild, sweet flavor than onions. You may also notice that your eyes don’t tear up quite as much when cutting them. Onions, on the other hand, tend to be more intense and sharp.

We personally love the subtle flavor that the shallots bring to this dish. But, if you only have onions on hand don’t worry! You can definitely still use them for this recipe.

In fact, if you are ever in a pinch and don’t have the exact allium the recipe calls for, you can easily swap onions and shallots interchangeably. Just make sure you are using a similar amount.

Shallots tend to be smaller than onions. So a recipe that calls for a medium yellow onion would likely require two average sized shallots.

uncooked rigatoni noodles in a pot topped with marinara

Can I make spicy rigatoni without the spice?

Absolutely! While we love the spice in this recipe, we know it may not be for everyone.

You can easily make this single pot pasta dish more mild by removing the red pepper chili flakes from the ingredient list.

Can I make this recipe gluten free?

Another resounding yes from us! This recipe is compatible with a gluten free diet. To make this delicious recipe gluten free, simply swap in your favorite gluten free pasta.

Because each brand of gluten free pasta is different, we recommend following the cook time indicated on the box instructions. You can still cook the pasta in a single pot with the broth and tomato sauce, but you may want to check it halfway through to ensure you are getting the right texture.

one pot spicy rigatoni in a pot topped with frozen peas and shredded Parmesan

How to make one pot spicy rigatoni

Place the butter in a pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. As the butter is melting, add the shallots and garlic into the pan.
Sprinkle in the red chili flake and mix together. Allow the shallots and garlic to soften in the pan by cooking for 1-2 minutes. Be sure to mix often so that the garlic and shallots don’t stick to the pan or burn.
Add the pasta to the hot pan, followed by the marinara sauce, broth, and salt. Mix it all together and bring it up to a soft boil to cook the pasta. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low for about 12-13 minutes.
When the rigatoni is cooked to perfection, add the heavy cream, peas and parmesan to the pasta. Mix it together over medium heat until the sauce comes together.
Serve immediately. Feel free to garnish with fresh herbs and a sprinkle of parmesan!

overhead image of a pot of spicy rigatoni with peas topped with shredded Parmesan

Other meatless One Pot Pasta recipes to try

One Pot Spinach and Artichoke Pasta

One Pot Lemon Ricotta Pasta

One Pot Parmesan Pasta