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This carbone spicy rigatoni recipe is made with vodka, cream, tomato paste, and Calabrian chilis. A quick and easy dinner that is made in under 30 minutes!
Serve it with tomato avocado salad and cheesy garlic bread for a restaurant-quality meal.
Why I Love This Carbone Spicy Rigatoni Recipe
- It requires just a handful of ingredients and it’s so easy to make!
- I think 2 tbsp of chopped Calabrian chili peppers is the magic number. Perfectly spicy!
- Any leftovers can be placed in an air-tight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Although I highly recommend enjoying it the same day.
- It’s rich, creamy, sweet, and spicy.
Ingredient Notes
Pasta – I used pipette pasta but feel free to use rigatoni or any type of short-shaped pasta.
Chopped Calabrian Chili Peppers – I used store-bought that comes in a jar. It’s very spicy.
Vodka – If you don’t consume alcohol, feel free to simply omit it.
How To Make
- Soften the onions until translucent. Stir in the garlic and Calabrian chili peppers and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the vodka and cook for 1 minute. Add the heavy cream and mix well.
- Add the pasta cooking water, sugar, and season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the butter, fresh parmesan cheese, and check for seasoning.
- Fold in the pasta and enjoy!
Top Tips For The Perfect Spicy Rigatoni
- Cook the pasta until al-dente.
- Only use 1/2 lb of pasta if you like it saucy and creamy. If you use the entire box, it will be a little dry.
- Double the sauce recipe if you use 1 lb of pasta!
- If you can’t find chopped Calabrian chilis feel free to use red crushed chili flakes instead.
More Pasta Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Carbone Spicy Rigatoni
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb pipette pasta
- 1/2 onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 2 tbsp chopped Calabrian chili peppers
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp sugar , or to taste
- 1/4 cup pasta water , the water you cook the pasta in
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp parmesan cheese , freshly grated
- salt and pepper to taste
- oil
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to packaging instructions.
- In a large pot, heat some oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and Calabrian chili peppers and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes while stirring frequently. Pour in the vodka and cook for 1 minute. Add the heavy cream and mix well.
- Add the pasta cooking water, sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the butter, fresh parmesan cheese, and check for seasoning. Fold in the pasta and enjoy!
Notes
- Cook the pasta until al-dente.
- Only use 1/2 lb of pasta if you like it saucy and creamy. If you use the entire box, it will be a little dry.
- Double the sauce recipe if you use 1 lb of pasta!
- If you can’t find chopped Calabrian chilis feel free to use red crushed chili flakes instead.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have made this recipe twice now and both times it has turned out amazing! I made it without vodka once because I was out and it was still delicious but I do feel like that vodka really adds something special!
Do you not need to cook the vodka down a bit longer than a minute before adding cream? Or let the cream thicken up for a bit before mixing in the pasta? Curious if any humans have tried this and liked. Was going to make but noticed that 357 of the 358 ratings are all from anonymous, five star and batch rated on the same days. Was planning to make this tomorrow but now hesitant. Bought bot ratings seems like shady cheffing.
I always suggest cooking the alcohol for at least a minute. I like a hint of vodka flavor, but if you don’t, you can cook it for 3-4 minutes or even replace it with chicken stock.
As for paid bots, I’ve been running this blog for over 10 years and wouldn’t risk my reputation with Google by using them. Google would penalize me, and it’s just not worth it. All the reviews on this site are real, I promise, no fake reviews, AI photos or ai recipes Inspector gadget 🙂
The absolute best with the perfect amount of spice!