Name: Spicy Pasta with Tomatoes & Kefalotiri
Prep time: 9 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients: 8 oz pancetta (cubed or in strips (substitute with guanciale or thick bacon)); 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 onion (small, finely diced); 2 garlic cloves (minced); 1 chili pepper; 1-2 fresh thyme sprigs (or one teaspoon dried thyme); 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 28 San Marzano tomatoes; 16 rigatoni pasta (or the pasta of your choice); kefalotiri cheese (for serving, grated); chili pepper flakes (for serving, optional); freshly ground black pepper; sea salt

This Spicy Pasta with Tomatoes & Kefalotiri has everything you want in a dish. It’s delicious, with real depth of flavor, easy to make on a weeknight, yet special enough to serve guests. This spicy pasta is my Greek take on a classic Italian spicy tomato pasta, pasta amatriciana. I swap the guanciale for cured pancetta and the pecorino for salty, nutty kefalotiri, the cheese we reach for in nearly every Greek pasta dish. The tomatoes roast whole in the oven until they collapse into the richest spicy tomato pasta sauce, and the whole thing comes together in one pot.

Looking for pasta dinner ideas? Try Baked Feta and Tomato Pasta, Shrimp Spaghetti-Garidomakaronada, or Greek Spaghetti with Meat Sauce for an easy Greek-inspired dinner that’s perfect for sharing.

Close overhead view of rigatoni tossed in spicy tomato sauce with pancetta, kefalotiri, and thyme leaves in a yellow bowl

Overview

Why you will love this spicy pasta

Flavor. This pasta is truly delicious without much effort. Roasting the tomatoes in the oven gives the sauce a depth you just don’t get on the stovetop.
Easy to make. You can have dinner on the table in about 50 minutes, most of it hands-off while the oven does the work.
Minimal ingredients. A short, honest list of pantry staples that punch well above their weight.
One pot. The pancetta, the sauce, and the finished pasta all come together in the same oven-proof pot, so there’s less to wash up.
A little Greek twist. Kefalotiri makes this feel like home, and it brings most of the seasoning along with the pancetta.

Ingredient notes

Labeled flat lay of ingredients for spicy tomato pasta: rigatoni, San Marzano tomatoes, tomato paste, pancetta, kefalotiri, onion, chili pepper, chili flakes, olive oil, and seasoning

Pancetta. The Greeks eat pancetta in various forms, usually marinated and grilled or roasted, but also cut into small bites with a wine and lemon sauce. Here we use cured pancetta, cut into small cubes. As it cooks, the fat melts away, and we use that rendered fat to build the base of the sauce. Onion. A small onion is plenty. A medium shallot makes a great substitute.

San Marzano tomatoes. The main ingredient and the heart of this spicy tomato pasta sauce. These are the best canned tomatoes for sauces. Make sure they’re authentic D.O.P. certified Italian tomatoes. They’re genuinely delicious and can be costly (about $7–$8 for a 28 oz can), so if you’re on a budget, aim for the best whole tomatoes you can afford. In this recipe, they roast whole in an oven-proof pot.

Chili pepper. Used whole to lend a gentle heat. Italians remove it after sautéing the onions; I like to keep it in while the tomatoes roast and pull it out later.

Tomato paste. It deepens the sauce and adds a savory backbone.

Garlic & thyme. A couple of minced cloves and a few thyme leaves go in with the tomato paste to build the flavors.

Rigatoni pasta. I love a short, thick cut here. The wide tubes and ridges give the sauce plenty of surface to cling to. Any sturdy short pasta works.

Kefalotiri cheese. This salty, delicious cheese is traditionally used in Greek pasta dishes and provides most of the seasoning along with the pancetta. Apart from a tiny pinch of sea salt over the onions, I don’t add any more salt.

Extra virgin olive oil, sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, plus chili flakes for serving (optional).

Step by step

Cubes of pancetta rendering and crisping in a pot for spicy tomato pasta

STEP 1. Render the pancetta. Cut the pancetta into small cubes or strips. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to an oven-proof pot and set it over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 5–7 minutes, until it’s golden and the fat has melted out. Lift the pieces out with a slotted spoon and set them aside in a bowl, leaving all that flavorful rendered fat behind in the pot.

Diced onion, tomato paste, and a whole red chili pepper sautéing in rendered pancetta fat to build the sauce base

STEP 2. Build the base. Into that same rendered fat, add the onion, the whole chili pepper, and a small pinch of salt. Cook for 5–7 minutes, until the onion is soft and sweet. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, then add the tomato paste and thyme leaves. Keep stirring constantly here, letting the paste cook out and deepen for a minute or two. This is where the flavor really starts to build.

Whole San Marzano tomatoes and a whole red chili pepper in an oven-proof pot before roasting into a spicy tomato pasta sauce

STEP 3. Roast the tomatoes. Add the San Marzano tomatoes, give everything a gentle stir, and cover the pot. Slide it into a 380°F / 190°C oven for 45 minutes. Roasting the tomatoes in the oven instead of simmering them on the stove is the secret to that deep, rich spicy tomato pasta sauce.

Close overhead view of rigatoni tossed in spicy tomato sauce with pancetta

STEP 4. Cook the pasta. While the tomatoes roast, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni until just al dente. It’ll finish in the sauce, so pull it a minute early.
Bring it all together. Take the pot out of the oven and, with a whisk or spoon, crush the roasted tomatoes into a smooth sauce. Fish out the chili if you like, then stir the pancetta back in. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the rigatoni straight into the pot and toss until every piece is coated.

Yellow bowl of rigatoni coated in spicy tomato sauce with crisp pancetta and grated kefalotiri, served with a fork

Serve. Finish with finely grated kefalotiri, a pinch of chili flakes, a few thyme leaves, and a drizzle of olive oil. Pour the Chianti and tear into that crusty bread.

Tips for the Best Spicy Tomato Pasta

Don’t rush the pancetta. Let it render slowly over medium heat so the fat fully melts out. That fat is the flavor base for your whole sauce.
Taste before you salt. Between the pancetta and the kefalotiri, the dish is already well seasoned. Add salt only at the very end if needed.
Save a splash of pasta water. If the sauce feels tight when you fold the pasta in, a spoonful of starchy pasta water loosens it and helps everything cling together.
Cook the pasta just shy of al dente. It finishes in the sauce, so pull it a minute early to keep the bite.
Adjust the heat to your taste. Keep the chili whole for a gentle warmth, or split it and leave the seeds in for a spicier pasta.

Storage and leftovers

Fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.
Reheat. Warm gently in a pan over medium-low heat, with a splash of water or a drizzle of olive oil, to bring the sauce back to life. Add a little fresh kefalotiri on top.
Freezer. The sauce freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. I’d cook fresh pasta when you’re ready to serve rather than freezing the whole dish.

Extreme close-up of spicy tomato pasta showing sauce-coated rigatoni ridges, melting kefalotiri, and fresh thyme

Serving suggestions

Serve this spicy tomato pasta hot, with plenty of finely grated kefalotiri over the top, a pinch of chili flakes, a few thyme leaves, and a final drizzle of good olive oil. A glass of Chianti and warm crusty bread are all you really need. For a fuller table, a crisp green salad or a simple Greek cucumber and tomato salad balances the richness perfectly.