Spaghetti all’Assassina, or “Assassin’s Spaghetti” shows that sometimes it pays to break the rules! This Southern Italian favorite cooks the spaghetti right in a spicy tomato sauce until it’s crispy, singed, and totally irresistible.
There are two theories for why Spaghetti all’Assassina is named “Assassin’s Spaghetti.” Both are exactly why I love this pasta so much! First, a good hit of chili pepper makes it boldly spicy. Second, because you “kill” the pasta, charring it in the pan until it’s crispy. I first tried this unique Italian pasta on a trip to Bari, Italy, where it’s on just about every restaurant menu. I took one bite and fell completely in love!
Assassin’s Spaghetti proves that sometimes letting things burn is the best way to develop the flavor. Think of the crispy charred skin of Blackened Salmon, or the rich smoky flavor of Baba Ganoush. They wouldn’t be quite the same without that brave first person who let them burn!
While charring pasta may sound strange, it makes the sauce deliciously caramelized and gives the noodles a satisfying crunch. Don’t worry: It’s not the crunch of undercooked pasta. Rather, it’s the crunch of something that’s fully cooked until tender but with an intriguing bite. If you’ve ever had the crispy vermicelli noodles in Lebanese Rice, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. If not you’ll just have to trust me on this one.
Plus, the spaghetti cooks right in the sauce, getting completely saturated with spicy, rich flavor. I love to finish with a dollop of burrata for creaminess, but it’s not traditional. Feel free to leave it off for a vegan pasta that will surprise you in all the best ways!
Table of Contents
Spaghetti all’Assassina Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tomato paste: Mixed with water and then spooned over the pasta as it cooks.
- Olive oil: Use a high quality extra virgin variety (more info below).
- Chili Peppers: Look for spicy red chili peppers, like Calabrian, red Fresno, or red Serrano. You can also substitute with chili flakes or sliced dried red peppers. (And if you love spicy red sauces, try Penne Arrabbiata next.)
- Garlic adds its signature sweet and savory depth.
- Tomato sauce: Use any homemade tomato sauce you like, from my Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce to Marinara. Or substitute with a quality low-sodium store-bought option if you’re short on time.
- Salt and black pepper enhance the flavor.
- Noodles: I like standard spaghetti here, but you could also experiment with bucatini. I would imagine angel hair would burn too easily, but it’s not something I’ve tried.
- Burrata is a fresh and sweet Italian cheese that’s similar to mozzarella but even creamier and more tender. It’s optional, but adds a delicious decadence to the dish.
Ingredient Spotlight
You need a good amount of oil to properly fry the pasta or the sauce will evaporate too quickly and the pasta will burn before it gets a chance to cook through. The oil also contributes greatly to the flavor of the finished dish, so make sure you’re using an extra virgin variety with a pleasant taste.
An oil that’s overly bitter (or worse, rancid) will impart an off putting flavor that will only get more intense as it chars the pasta. Use any high quality extra virgin variety you have on-hand–one that’s tasty and smooth enough to enjoy on its own as a dip for bread.
- LEARN MORE: How To Taste Olive Oil: A Step-By-Step Guide To Go From The Basics To The Pros
- RECOMMENDED FOR THIS RECIPE: Our buttery-smooth Italian Nocellara.
How to Make Spaghetti all’Assassina
I think it goes without saying that you don’t have to be a professional chef to make Assassin’s Spaghetti. You’re trying to burn it after all! But it does take a little faith to avoid fussing with it too much. Here are the steps:
- Make a tomato broth. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan set over high heat, then stir in 1/4 cup tomato paste and season generously with salt. Turn off the heat, leaving the pan on the burner.
- Prepare the tomato sauce. Set a wide, deep skillet (large enough to lay the spaghetti in it without breaking) over medium-high heat. Add 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add 2 sliced chili peppers and 2 minced garlic cloves. Cook, stirring regularly until fragrant, no more than 30 seconds. Add 16 ounces of tomato sauce to the skillet (not the tomato broth you made earlier, we’ll use that in a minute). Bring the sauce to a simmer, about 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Coat the spaghetti. Place 12 ounces (uncooked) spaghetti in the skillet with the hot chili and tomato sauce. Use a large spoon to spread the spaghetti in one layer, pushing down and spooning the sauce over the top so the noodles are well-coated. Turn the heat to high and let it sit until the pasta has absorbed some of the sauce, about 3 minutes.
- Cook the spaghetti. When the pan starts to look dry, add a ladleful of the warmed tomato broth. Do not move or toss the pasta, as it is meant to absorb the tomato broth and char some of the noodles at the bottom. Once the majority of the broth has been absorbed, add another ladle or two of the tomato broth over the pasta. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Continue to ladle the tomato broth over the pasta, letting it absorb the broth before each new addition.
- Flip. When you’ve used about half the broth, use tongs to turn the spaghetti over. You should see dark, almost burnt-looking crispy pieces. Continue ladling in the broth and allowing the spaghetti to absorb and char until you’ve used all of the broth.
- Finish and serve. Remove from heat and transfer to pasta bowls. Serve immediately, with a spoonful of burrata on top if you’d like.
What to Serve with Spaghetti all’Assassina
A pasta this savory and spicy calls for something fresh and crisp alongside, like classic Caesar Salad or this short-cut version Lemon Parmesan Lettuce Salad. Want to add some fast, easy protein? Make this easy recipe for garlicky sautéed calamari. You don’t need much more, but this 2-Ingredient Lemon Sorbet is a beautifully refreshing and light way to finish the meal.
You’ll Also Like: Simply Flavorful Pasta Recipes
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Spaghetti all’Assassina (Spicy Charred Pasta)
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- Kosher salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 spicy red chili peppers (like Fresno or Holland), thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 16 ounces tomato sauce (homemade or quality store-bought)
- Ground black pepper
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- Burrata (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Make a tomato broth. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan set over high heat, then stir in the tomato paste and season generously with salt. Turn off the heat, leaving the pan on the burner.
- Prepare the tomato sauce. Set a wide, deep skillet (large enough to lay the spaghetti in it without breaking) over medium-high heat. Add 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the chili peppers and garlic. Cook, stirring regularly until fragrant, no more than 30 seconds. Add the 16 ounces of tomato sauce to the skillet (not the tomato broth you made earlier, we’ll use that in a minute). Bring the sauce to a simmer, about 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Coat the spaghetti. Place the (uncooked) spaghetti in the skillet with the hot chili and tomato sauce. Use a large spoon to spread the spaghetti in one layer, pushing down and spooning the sauce over the top so the noodles are well-coated. Turn the heat to high and let it sit until the pasta has absorbed some of the sauce, about 3 minutes
- Cook the spaghetti. When the pan starts to look dry, add a ladleful of the warmed tomato broth. Do not move or toss the pasta, as it is meant to absorb the tomato broth and char some of the noodles at the bottom. Once the majority of the broth has been absorbed, add another ladle or two of the tomato broth over the pasta. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Continue to ladle the tomato broth over the pasta, letting it absorb the broth before each new addition.
- Flip. When you’ve used about half the broth, use tongs to turn the spaghetti over. You should see dark, almost burnt-looking crispy pieces. Continue ladling in the broth and allowing the spaghetti to absorb and char until you’ve used all of the broth.
- Finish and serve. Remove from heat and transfer to pasta bowls. Serve immediately, with a spoonful of burrata on top if you’d like.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Try Our Authentic Italian Olive Oil
Hand-picked and cold extracted Extra Virgin Olive Oil from 100% Nocellara del Belice Sicilian olives.
Can I make it not spicy?
Hi, Nique. You could try to make this without the chili peppers to take away the spice. It’s not something we’ve tried before ourselves, though.
Hi. I’m interested in scaling this recipe up 3x for a large family dinner. Would I have to use 3 times for every ingredient? (Ex. 2.25 cups olive oil, .75 cups paste and 48 oz. sauce)
Hi again. Reaching out again because I want to make this dish this week but I still haven’t heard back about my scaling up question. Do I have to scale up every ingredient 3 times if I want to make three times the amount of this recipe?
Hi, Jason. In theory, yes. However, we’ve never officially tested a scaled up version of this recipe to that extent. So, I would use the 3x scale as a guide, but you may need to make some adjustments to your liking during the process. Another way to do it, is to make 3 separate batches of the recipe.
I’ve looked at a few other sites for this particular recipe and the recipe on your site is very complete and easy to understand (not all other websites are). I will try this later this week and am looking forward to trying it. Thank you for your well written work.
Hope you love it, Anthony!
This recipe is divinely good, easy, and fun to make. I can’t imagine wanting spaghetti and tomato sauce any other way now lol. My husband loves fried spaghetti so he loved it. Thank you!!
This recipe is divinely good, easy, and fun to make. I can’t imagine wanting spaghetti and tomato sauce any other way now lol. My husband loves fried spaghetti so he love it. Thank you!!
Awesome! Thanks, Stacy!
I made this last night for dinner, it was a huge hit! The flavor is amazing! I will be making this again for sure!
Yay! Thanks so much, Charlie!
Now one of my favorite pasta dishes. This is amazing. The rich flavor and odd textures are a win.
I love to hear that, Dan! Thanks for coming back to comment!
Looks so delicious gonna try it today with my family ❤️😍
Hope you love it, Fathma!
Way too oily! I would recommend cutting the oil by as much as half.
I love this recipe, so delicious! Even my picky eater loves it. Comes together very quickly and easily. If you get leftovers, they are even better 😋
Thanks so much, Kelly!
.75 C of olive oil in the main sauce? I ended up blotting a ton of it up because the sauce looked terribly greasy. Is that amount correct?
The resulting dish turned out quite tasty, regardless!
Hello! Yes, that amount is correct, but you can adjust that if you prefer.
Made it for the first time using a large cast iron skillet, came out excellent. Next time I will add some mushrooms for additional taste. Probably the best pasta I have ever eaten. I love your blog, keep up the good work.
Wow! Thanks so much for the amazing review, Matthew!
My husband and I made this a few days ago. We weren’t sure how we felt about it, but after three days in the fridge, it’s killer. All the flavors came to the surface. It was pretty messy to make, but worth it. Also enjoyed the Baratta. Hadn’t had it before. Thanks
Made this for Sunday night dinner and it was both easy and delicious!
Yay! So glad it was a hit. Thanks, Mark!
Wondering if you guys think halving the recipe would work? This cooking for one is overrated sometimes, haha.
I’ll probably give it a go regardless, it looks amazing!
For what it’s worth, I think this would work but you’d need to watch the heat since I imagine everything will char faster with less in the pan but you’ll still need the time for the spaghetti to soak up the broth.
I am cooking for one and made the full recipe last night. It was so good and I’m looking forward to the leftovers!
FYI one Serrano chili works great as a sub for the red chilies
Hi, Alikmak! I think halving this recipe should work just fine, but it’s not something we’ve actually tested. If you give it a try, please stop back and share your thoughts.
Halved the recipe with great success – for the liquids, use more than half, cooking time is the same. I used passata rather than a marinara sauce, rinsed the bottle and added to the tomato broth. Bloody gorgeous.
Yay! 🙂
Love this recipe, I made it in a non-stick pan which didn’t get the ‘burnt’ taste as I think it should but it was absolutely delicious and will become a regular. We had it with your marinated salmon recipe.
That is a great pairing! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, Lynne!
Hi Suzy:
I love pasta of any description, any flavour and any shape… Let’s talk about the flavour. I have never seen nor tasted Spagetti ‘all Assassina…. but I assure you, heretofore this is my GO TO pasta feast… The sauce thickened beautifully as the strands of spaghetti cooked; releasing enough starch into the sauce, while absorbing the delicious, easy sauce. All spaghetti was fully cooked and coated with the easiest sauce…. my family ate quietly… the only sounds heard were m-m-m-m and an occasional lip-smacking. The subtle flavour of baked pasta was a delight to all… Thank you Suzy for making me look like a star…
Thank you so much for the great review, Elaine!