This spicy Italian recipe for Amatriciana pasta sauce is an exquisite tomato sauce made with pancetta, onions, and white wine. Delizioso!
How Authentic Amatriciana Sauce is Made
Authentic Italian Amatriciana Sauce is made with guanciale (cured pork cheek), a whole dried chili pepper, pecorino cheese, white wine and in some variations, onion is used.
Now I know it’s not ‘authentic’, but this is my version which uses bacon (but you can use pancetta), a combination of red and yellow onion and, ground chili for heat.
Why This Recipe Works
- Using easy to find ingredients keeps the recipe simple to make at home
- The combination of yellow and red onions adds sweetness to counteract the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Using pasta water to loosen the sauce at the end adds flavor and body to the sauce.
Step By Step Instructions
Heat the oil in a large saute pan, add the chopped bacon, and cook until crisp and the fat is rendered.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon.
Using the leftover fat, add the chopped onions and saute on high heat for 4-6 minutes until translucent. Add the bacon back to the pan.
Add the white wine and using a wooden spoon mix well scraping any crispy bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook the wine down until it’s barely visible.
Lower the heat and add the can of tomatoes and stir well followed by the ground chili and parsley.
Mix well and cook uncovered 15 minutes.
Cook a pound of pasta in salted boiling water until just underdone (you want it to finish cooking in the sauce).
Once the pasta is al dente, remove the pasta and place directly into the saute pan.
Add any pasta water needed to loosen the sauce. Stir well and add the freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese.
Serve hot and enjoy.
For Best Results
- For the best quality tomatoes, use San Marzano tomatoes they are sweet, delicious and worth the extra money.
- Don’t skip the grated cheese! It totally makes the dish. If you’re not a fan of Pecorino Romano cheese, you can swap it for Parmesan.
- Don’t season until the end. Bacon and Pecorino Romano cheese are salty so wait until the end to taste and season as needed.
- Don’t have Cayenne Pepper? Use red pepper flakes or leave it out altogether.
Other Italian Dishes You’ll Love
FAQs
Amatriciana sauce freezes really well, so you can make a big batch, divide it into freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Stored in an airtight container, this sauce will last for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
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Let’s Make Amatriciana Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- ½ lb bacon or pancetta, chopped
- 1 red onion small, chopped
- 1 yellow onion small, chopped
- ½ cup white wine
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes 1- 28 oz can
- a good handful of fresh parsley chopped
- Cayenne Pepper/ground chili to taste *optional
- ¼ cup Pecorino Romano freshly grated
- 1 cup pasta cooking water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saute pan, add the chopped bacon, and cook until crisp and the fat is rendered. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon.
- Using the leftover fat, add the chopped onions and saute on high heat for 4-6 minutes until translucent. Add the bacon back to the pan.
- Add the white wine and using a wooden spoon mix well scraping any crispy bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook the wine down until it’s barely visible.
- Lower the heat and mix in the can of tomatoes and stir well followed by the ground chili and parsley.
- Cook the sauce uncovered, 15 minutes, or until the sauce darkens and thickens.
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil, cook the pasta until just undercooked (reserve the pasta water before draining).
- Drain the pasta and place directly into the saute pan along with any pasta water needed to loosen the sauce.
- Stir well and add the freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese.
- Once the pasta is cooked, taste for seasoning, season to taste and serve hot.
Tips + Notes
- For the best quality tomatoes, use San Marzano tomatoes they are sweet, delicious and worth the extra money.
- Don’t skip the grated cheese! It totally makes the dish. If you’re not a fan of Pecorino Romano cheese, you can swap it for Parmesan.
- Don’t season until the end. Bacon and Pecorino Romano cheese are salty so wait until the end to taste and season as needed.
- Don’t have Cayenne Pepper? Use red pepper flakes or leave it out altogether.
Kate says
Better than I’ve had any any top Italian restaurant!
Erren Hart says
Thank you so much for your kind words and for taking the time to write this review! I’m so glad you liked it so much! I hope you’ll come back again soon!
Alessandra says
I recently had this dish at an Italian restraunt and wanted to duplicate it. Perfection! Thanks, Erren!
Erren Hart says
I’m delighted to hear you liked it so much! 🙂
Mary Jones says
Very good and really easy to make
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you Mary 🙂
Max Lee says
At what point do you reintroduce the bacon
Erren Hart says
Hi Max, after the onions have cooked.
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you Jill
Erren's Kitchen says
It is delicious, isn’t it? So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Erren's Kitchen says
This is just what I like to hear! So glad you liked it 🙂
Mihret says
Wow sweet food Italian pasta
Erren's Kitchen says
It really is a great recipe, enjoy!