Pasta Amatriciana

This Pasta Amatriciana recipe is my rendition on classic Italian amatriciana sauce. Prepared with crispy pancetta, dried red pepper flakes, canned Italian tomatoes, and pecorino cheese, this flavorful pasta sauce packs some heat and comes together in less than 30 minutes! While bucatini or spaghetti is the traditional pasta choice for amatriciana, rigatoni is a great alternative that has quickly become my personal favorite. The deep ridges and large surface area allow the textured sauce to cling really well.

Recipe by Laura / A Beautiful Plate on March 17, 2022

Prep time: PT5M

Cook time: PT20M

Total time: PT25M

Rating

4.62 stars (71 reviews)

Keywords

all'amatriciana sauce, amatriciana recipe, amatriciana sauce, amatriciana sauce recipe, pasta amatriciana, rigatoni all amatriciana

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4-6 ounces pancetta (Italian bacon) (cut into a small or medium dice)
1 small yellow onion (roughly 6-7 ounces) (finely diced)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or ½ teaspoon, if you prefer less heat)
kosher salt (I recommend Diamond Crystal brand)
3 garlic cloves (finely sliced )
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can crushed San Marzano or Italian plum tomatoes (or canned whole Italian tomatoes, processed until mostly smooth)
freshly ground black pepper
1 lb (16 ounces) rigatoni, bucatini, or spaghetti (see recipe headnote)
1 ounce finely grated pecorino romano cheese (roughly ¼ cup) (plus more for serving)

Cuisine

Italian

Steps

Heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until rendered and crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a small bowl and set aside, leaving any rendered fat behind in the skillet.
Add the onion, red pepper flakes, and a generous pinch of salt to the pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions are soft, translucent, and just beginning to gain color, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, until the tomato paste has started to cook slightly and darken in color. Add the canned tomatoes and reserved crispy pancetta back into the skillet and stir the sauce until all of the ingredients are incorporated evenly. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, seasoning to taste with salt and black pepper.
Meanwhile, boil the pasta until just shy of al dente. Using a spider skimmer or large slotted spoon, transfer the pasta directly into the skillet and toss with the sauce. With the pan over low heat, add the pecorino cheese and a generous splash or two of starchy pasta water as needed to help loosen the sauce. Toss until the sauce evenly coats the pasta. Serve with additional finely grated pecorino as desired.

Nutitrion

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 620 kcal
Carbohydrates: 90 g
Protein: 21 g
Fat: 19 g
Saturated Fat: 6 g
Trans Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 26 mg
Sodium: 353 mg
Sugar: 5 g
Unsaturated Fat: 11 g

Reviews

Lori Hammons on 2025-11-09 (5 stars):
This recipe was perfection! This was my favorite dish in Rome and I have tried various recipes since our trip, and this is the most delicious! I didn’t have pancetta or guanicale on hand so subbed out thick cut bacon and it was amazing! Thanks for sharing this wonderful dish.
Nunya Busi-Ness on 2025-08-24 (3 stars):
It was decent. Didn't feel like anything special but I'd be far from calling it gross My main complaint is that the recipe calls for WAY too much pasta. The amount of sauce you make is enough for a little under half the amount you make, and following the recipe, you barely get any sauce on each noodle
Ali on 2024-04-24 (5 stars):
Followed recipe and was simple and delicious. I was worried it wasn’t going to be enough sauce for a full lb of past but it was perfect. I added a chunk of burrata was chefs kiss 😚
Jo on 2023-12-31 (5 stars):
Having just returned from a family trip to Rome, I was keen to make this recipe as I had really enjoyed this dish in a restaurant over there. We all really enjoyed it, it was easy to make, and it’s definitely on the list to make again. Thanks!
Cheech on 2023-06-04 (5 stars):
I've had this tab open for a week and a half and finally made it today! I don't know if I just lucked out with good tomatoes here in Mexico City but this came out really great and surprisingly sweet undertones. Pancetta is hard to get a hold of here so I took even more liberties than you and just made it with chopped thick cut bacon. I imagine the pancetta would have added an edge of saltiness. Either way, so good! Will definitely be a staple!
Marcella on 2023-04-07 (5 stars):
LOVE LOVE! So easy to make and delicious! 1 teaspoon of pepper flakes was the perfect amount of kick for those who like a kick. I took the liberty of adding extra garlic (smashed with salt) in addition to thinly sliced garlic and it was great- for those who love garlic. Thank you for such a great recipe!