Nothing compares to the flavour and satisfaction of cooking with fresh produce straight from the garden. This garden-to-table Spicy Tomato and Pepper Arrabbiata Pasta recipe highlights some of the best summer flavours with a homemade spicy arrabbiata sauce. Made with cherry tomatoes, sweet red bell peppers, and a spicy jalapeño pepper, this simple pasta dish celebrates the best summer flavours!
And while this recipe makes the most of late-summer harvests, now is also the perfect time to look ahead and start planting for fall. By adding cool-season crops like spinach, Brussels sprouts, kale, and lettuce to your garden (or containers on your patio), you can keep enjoying fresh, homegrown produce right through the fall and winter months.
This recipe was developed in collaboration with GARDENWORKS Canada.
The Arrabbiata Sauce
This Spicy Tomato and Pepper Arrabbiata Pasta recipe was created to really let the flavours of summer garden produce shine. By the late summer, many gardeners are wondering what they can make with all of their produce, particularly cherry tomatoes and peppers, and this recipe uses up quite a bit!
I start by slicing fresh red bell peppers and halving juicy cherry tomatoes. I cook them in a pan with a good drizzle of olive oil and three cloves of garlic. And instead of using dried red chili flakes that are traditional in Arrabbiata sauce, I swap those for a fresh jalapeño pepper. It adds spice and a bright floral note that pairs perfectly with the sweet tomatoes and bell peppers.
Once the vegetables soften, I blend the mixture in a food processor with a fresh sprig of basil until it turns smooth and silky. Then I pour the sauce back into the pan to warm it through, and I toss it with al dente rigatoni pasta so that every piece gets coated. While this is great on its own, I like to add a final sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a few extra basil leaves before serving.
The Joy of Harvesting Summer Produce
Cooking with ingredients that you have grown yourself makes the whole experience so much more rewarding. Here are some tips for harvesting tomatoes and peppers at their peak:
- Cherry tomatoes: Pick them when they have fully turned colour (depending on the variety this could be red, yellow, orange, green, or even purple!) and feel slightly soft to the touch. They should pop right off the vine with a gentle tug. Don’t worry about some tomatoes that may have burst open on the vine, they are fine to eat if there are no bugs on them.
- Bell peppers: Choose bell peppers once they have turned fully red (or whichever colour variety you planted) and developed a glossy, firm skin. The stem may be tough, so use scissors or a garden knife to cut them off the plant.
- Jalapeño peppers: I like to pick them once they reach a deep green, though leaving them on the plant a bit longer will allow them to turn red and get a bit spicier. Like bell peppers, use scissors or a garden knife to cut them off the plant.
Make sure to harvest often to keep your plants producing and to give yourself a steady supply of fresh ingredients for the kitchen.
Extending the Growing Season Into Fall
Just because summer is coming to an end doesn’t mean the garden-to-table cooking has to stop. Fall provides the perfect time to plant cool-season crops that thrive in shorter, cooler days. You can tuck starter plants directly into the ground if you have space, or grow them in containers for easy access right outside your door.
For this project, I planted one large terracotta pot with spinach and Brussels sprouts and another with kale and lettuce. These combinations make great companion plants, so they’ll grow happily together. To keep pests away, I tucked in a marigold, and for a touch of seasonal charm, I added violas for a pop of fall colour. I love how these containers turned out—they are both beautiful and practical!
So, as we move into fall, keep enjoying garden-to-table cooking by planting cool-weather crops now. You will find everything you need for a thriving garden at your local GARDENWORKS, from starter plants to containers and soil. It’s the perfect time to plant your fall crops and enjoy the beauty of seasonal living in your home!
Enjoy the best of the season, every day! 🌿
Get the Recipe: Tomato and Pepper Arrabbiata Pasta
Spicy Tomato and Pepper Arrabbiata Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium red bell peppers cored and sliced
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt plus more for boiling the pasta
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 medium jalapeño chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 sprig fresh basil about 5 leaves, plus extra for garnish
- Water for boiling
- 300 g grams rigatoni pasta cooked
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese for garnish
- Dried red chili flakes for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the sliced bell peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, salt and pepper. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until the tomatoes have begun to release their juice. Add the jalapeño and garlic and cook for 4 to 5 more minutes until the vegetables soften.
- Remove the vegetables from the heat and let cool slightly before transferring the mixture to a food processor. Add the fresh sprig of basil and blend until smooth.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add salt to the water along with the pasta. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes until al dente, or according to your package directions.
- Pour the sauce back into the pan and warm it through over medium-low heat. Toss with cooked rigatoni until the pasta gets fully coated.
- Plate the pasta and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and basil. Serve immediately and enjoy!