Get ready for a flavor explosion with our One Pot Spicy Rigatoni – your soon-to-be favorite weeknight superstar! It’s not just easy; it practically puts itself together, leaving you with minimal hands-on time. And the best part? It’s a powerhouse of flavor, ready to spice up your weeknight routine.

One Pot Spicy Rigatoni overhead shot

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. While we adore our kitchen adventures, we also cherish recipes that let us savor quality time beyond the kitchen walls. It’s all about maximizing those moments outside while still treating your taste buds to something spectacular!

The secret ingredient to the magic of our One-Pot Spicy Rigatoni? It’s not just the spice; it’s the fact that cooking it all together in one pot amplifies the flavor to a whole new level.

When you cook any kind of pasta, it absorbs the flavors of the liquid it is cooking in. That’s why it’s 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 one-pot pasta to the next level!

sautéed onions in a pot

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 cooking 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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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

If this One-Pot Spicy Rigatoni has won over your taste buds, brace yourself for more one-pot wonders! We’ve got a lineup of recipes that are bound to be the next stars in your culinary repertoire.

One Pot Spinach and Artichoke Pasta

One Pot Lemon Ricotta Pasta

One Pot Parmesan Pasta

a spoon lifting a bite of one pot spicy rigatoni from a pot

One Pot Spicy Rigatoni

4.93 from 39 votes
Author: Food Dolls
Servings: 8 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 13 minutes
Total: 23 minutes
This One Pot Rigatoni is full of flavor, is meatless, and is ready in less than 13 minutes!

Ingredients  

  • 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 small diced shallot
  • 5 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper more or less to taste
  • 16 ounces uncooked rigatoni pasta
  • 20 ounces good quality marinara sauce
  • 4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt more or less to taste
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shavings
  • 1 cup cooked green peas

Instructions 

  • 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.
    1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 small diced shallot, 5 cloves minced garlic
  • 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.
    2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
  • 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.
    16 ounces uncooked rigatoni pasta, 20 ounces good quality marinara sauce, 4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 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!
    3/4 cup heavy cream, 1 cup cooked green peas, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shavings

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 1182mg | Potassium: 457mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1017IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this recipe?Please leave a comment!

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Meet Alia & Radwa

Welcome to Food Dolls! We’re so glad you found us. We are Alia and Radwa, sisters who want to share simple and easy recipes with you. We hope you find recipes here that you enjoy making as much as we do! Learn more about us!

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37 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is one of my top five recipes for my house meaning: kids and adults both approve! So glad you shared it. I’d love to have some extra sauce left over to serve over chicken cutlets next time I make it. Would you recommend just adding more sauce, broth, and cream, in proportion to the recipe as is, to end up with more?

    1. Thank you, Anne! We’re so glad you enjoy it! Yes, that should work just fine. 😊

      Xo,
      Alia & Radwa

  2. Could you use a pesto sauce instead of marinara, or a pepper based sauce? I can’t eat tomato’s but desperately want to try this!

    1. You could try a pepper based sauce! We’d love to know how it turns out if you give it a try. 😊

      Xo,
      Alia & Radwa