This penne amatriciana is the most flavourful, simple pasta you can make, with very few ingredients! It's a rich tomato and crispy guanciale sauce, simmered together and then tossed with the pasta and lots of parmesan. It's so simple yet so good.
This is a classic Roman pasta sauce, with tomatoes, onions, guanciale and pecorino (although both pecorino and parmesan work). The guanciale gives it such a rich, meaty flavour without needing hours to simmer, which is why I love it so much. I have made this with penne pasta, as the penne catches the sauce well and you end up with little pieces of guanciale in the pasta tubes.
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Why you will love this recipe:
- It is super comforting and full of flavour. Imagine crispy, salty guanciale, spicy chilli flakes and rich tomato sauce.
- It is so simple to make and takes no more than 30 minutes.
- You can prep ahead and batch-make the amatriciana sauce, then keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Ingredients:
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Guanciale - an Italian cured meat from pork jowl or cheek. It’s similar to pancetta, but fattier and saltier with less of the smoked flavour. It is traditionally used in carbonara.
Onion - this adds flavour to the amatriciana pasta sauce. You can use a red onion if that is what you have.
Dried chilli flakes - these add a subtle spicy kick to this penne amatriciana. You can leave them out if you aren’t a fan of too much heat.
Tinned plum tomatoes - these are key to creating a rich amatriciana sauce. Go for the best quality tinned tomatoes you can find. I recommend mutti.
Parmesan - a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan brings the whole dish together.
Penne pasta - the tubular shape here is great as it picks up the sauce and means you get a really nice bite of pasta and sauce with each mouthful.
Substitutions and Variations:
Guanciale: you can swap for diced pancetta or streaky bacon, if you prefer. If making it for vegetarians, simply leave it out.
Garlic: if you like a garlicky tomato sauce, add a couple of crushed garlic cloves or a dollop of garlic paste when adding the dried chilli flakes.
Chilli: there is a very small amount of dried chilli in this penne amatriciana - just enough for a subtle kick. You can add more if you like a more fiery pasta. Alternatively, use a deseeded and finely chopped fresh chilli or add a little ‘Nduja.
Vegetables: if you want to up the vegetables in this amatriciana, you can add a finely chopped pepper to the sauce when cooking off the onion. Sometimes I add a handful of fresh spinach to the sauce and wilt off towards the end of its simmering time.
Parmesan: you can swap for other strong hard cheeses like pecorino. Although this is an Italian dish, Gruyère or Comté both have a nutty flavour that works well too. To finish, sometimes I scatter over torn mozzarella or bocconcini (baby mozzarella pearls).
Here's how to make Penne Amatriciana:
Here's a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions.
ONE: Add the diced guanciale to a large non-stick frying pan and set over a medium heat. Dry fry for 4-5 minutes, agitating the pan every now and then, until the fat has rendered out and it is crispy all over. Remove it from the pan using a slotted spoon (leaving the fat behind) and place into a bowl. Set aside
TWO: Add the olive oil to the pan with the onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook over a low heat for about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but not coloured. Add the chilli flakes and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes.
THREE: Pour in the tin of plum tomatoes (with their juices) then fill the can halfway with water (about 200ml), swirl gently to get as much of the tomato juices as possible, and add to the pan.
FOUR: Tip the crispy pancetta back into the pan, stir gently and bring to the boil.
FIVE: Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes - or until thickened and reduced. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
SIX: Add the cooked penne pasta from the pan using a spider or slotted spoon and add directly to the sauce. Toss to coat in the sauce, adding a splash of water, if needed, to make it smooth and silky. Stir in the grated Parmesan.
Cooking Tips:
Al dente: cook the pasta until it is ‘al dente’ (meaning ‘to the bite’). It should still be firm when you bite into a piece, but not too chewy. Also remember it will be cooked for a minute or so as it is tossed through the amatriciana sauce.
Frying guanciale: have patience when frying the guanciale here, as you want it to render out its fat and turn super crispy. This is why you want to fry it over medium heat, as this stops it burning before the fat has had a chance to render.
Frequently Asked Questions
Using the pasta cooking water in pasta sauces is one of my favourite chef’s tricks. As the pasta cooks in the boiling water, it releases starch. This creates a starchy pasta water. When you add this to your pasta sauces, it binds and thickens them. If you have a buttery or oily sauce, it will help them become creamy and non-greasy. If you have a tomato sauce, it will help loosen it and make it super glossy. Put simply, if you want the most delicious, silky smooth pasta sauce, add a splash of pasta water.
No. The chilli flakes bring a subtle chilli kick. You can add more if you prefer a spicier pasta dish. If cooking for people with differing tastes, you can offer the option to sprinkle with more chilli flakes at the end, or finish with a drizzle of chilli oil at the end.
Storage & Freezing Instructions
You can make the amatriciana sauce in advance. Pour into an airtight container, leave to cool completely, then cover and chill for up to 3 days. If you do have leftovers mixed in with the pasta, you can leave them to cool completely and cover and chill for up to 3 days.
Pour the made-ahead sauce into a large saucepan or deep-sided frying pan and gently heat through over a low-medium heat until piping hot. Add a splash of water to loosen, if needed. You can also reheat the finished pasta dish this way too. Otherwise, the penne amatriciana can be heated in the microwave too until piping hot
The amatriciana sauce can be made ahead, poured into an airtight container, left to cool completely, then covered and frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
If you like the sound of this penne amatriciana, you could make homemade garganelli pasta with this amatriciana sauce. Also, don’t miss my penne puttanesca or spicy 'nduja pasta.
Made this recipe and loved it?
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Penne Amatriciana
Ingredients
- 130 g guanciale or pancetta diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 x 400 g tin good quality plum tomatoes
- 80 g Parmesan finely grated
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 250 g penne pasta
Instructions
- Add the diced guanciale to a large non-stick frying pan and set over a medium heat. Dry fry for 4-5 minutes, agitating the pan every now and then, until the fat has rendered out and it is crispy all over. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon (leaving the fat behind) and place into a bowl. Set aside.
- Add the olive oil to the pan with the onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook over a low heat for about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but not coloured. Add the chilli flakes and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Pour in the tin of plum tomatoes (with their juices) then fill the can halfway with water (about 200ml), swirl gently to get as much of the tomato juices as possible, and add to the pan. Tip the crispy pancetta back into the pan, stir gently and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes - or until thickened and reduced. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Bring a large pan of generously salted water to the boil. Meanwhile, keep the amatriciana sauce over a low-medium heat to keep it warm.
- Once the water is rapidly boiling, add the penne pasta. Cook for 8-9 minutes - or until al dente.
- Remove the cooked penne pasta from the pan using a spider or slotted spoon and add directly to the sauce. Toss to coat in the sauce, adding a splash of water, if needed, to make it smooth and silky. Stir in the grated Parmesan.
- Spoon into bowls and serve straight away with extra freshly grated Parmesan and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
