Sweet style who?

Aside from rice, pasta is my go-to source of carbs. Pasta just makes me happy and it doesn’t matter what form it’s in. As long as it’s pasta, I’m happy. What I also like about having pasta is being able to experiment with sauces. Do I want the usual tomato-based sauce or do I want pesto? Do I go for a cream sauce or something that’s Asian? The possibilities are endless, my mind is blown.

I like anything that’s hot and spicy. I mean, my spice tolerance isn’t that high but I go for some heat on my food anyway because that’s how I roll. So what if I combine heat + a pasta sauce? Easy: Pasta Arrabiata. Pasta Arrabiata is one I’ve always liked because it’s not your usual sweet-tangy spaghetti sauce. It’s bursting with flavor and heat with every bite and I love the addition of freshness from the added herb. This arrabiata sauce recipe is ridiculously easy to make and one that won’t make you miss ground meat. It’s one of those sauces that’s better off meatless, you know? Most of all: it’s filling AF. Also, this sauce can be used on pizzas! If you're into spicy tomato sauces, this will tickle your fancy (and tastebuds!) for sure.

PASTA ARRABBIATA

(adapted from ConnoisseurusVeg.com)

YIELD: 4

Sauce:

2 tbsps olive oil

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 can (400g) diced tomatoes

2 tbsps tomato paste

2-3 tsp crushed red chili flakes

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 c fresh chopped basil leaves (thin ribbons)

Other ingredients:

cooked pasta

optional: grated cheese (parmesan or cheddar, or use a plant-based cheese to make it vegan)

1. Heat up oil in a pan then saute minced garlic until fragarant.

2. Add in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes. Break up the tomatoes a bit but it's okay if you have some chunks here and there. Add a splash of water if sauce looks too thick and adjust seasoning according to taste.

3. Bring mixture to a boil then simmer for about 10 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and add in the chopped basil leaves.

5. Serve on top of cooked pasta noodles or add in the noodles to the sauce pot.