Joe Isidori: Forget All the Other Spicy Rigi Recipes Out There—Chef Joe Isidori’s Spicy Rigatoni Alla Vodka Is #1
It’s allllll about the tomato paste.
Spicy Rigatoni Alla Vodka is one of those classics that seems super simple to execute, but can go left real fast if you don’t know what you’re doing. This is why we often bypass the attempt altogether and fire up the take-out apps. The only thing is: It tastes SO much better when it goes from kitchen to plate without a car ride in between. That’s where things can start to fall apart.
So we asked celebrity chef Joe Isidori how to get it right at home, so you don’t settle for sad rigatoni again. The native New Yorker just opened his newest restaurant Arthur & Sons NY Italian in the West Village and if anyone knows vodka sauce, it’s him—his family‘s been slinging it since 1954.
“At Arthur & Sons we’re all about the New York Italian-American red sauce classics my family used to make in their restaurants, so I really just wanted to create an updated version of an old-school Penne Alla Vodka,” he tells Parade.
Enter Arthur & Sons Spicy Rigatoni Alla Vodka recipe, which he graciously shares below. You’re welcome.
What are your non-negotiables when it comes to making Spicy Rigatoni Alla Vodka?
Makes sure you use spicy Calabrian chili paste and red pepper flakes.
What are your go-to spicy rigi essentials?
We use Mutti Double Concentrated Tomato Paste to add real depth of flavor, Alto Adige speck and that all-important Calabrian chili paste.
There are thousands of spicy rigatoni tutorials on TikTok…what do people usually get wrong when making it?
Essentially, there are three things that are key: using the right tomato paste, the inclusion of speck or prosciutto and of course, that chili paste. You can’t just mix tomato sauce and heavy cream and call it a day.
What do you like to serve spicy rigatoni with?
The three classics are always perfect together: Chicken Parm, Meatballs and Spicy Rigatoni Alla Vodka. Throw in a Caesar salad for good measure and you’re in red sauce heaven.
Now here’s the kicker—does it even matter which vodka you use?
Some think not, but I follow the classic rule that if you won’t drink it, don’t cook with it, so use a quality brand.
How to Make Arthur & Sons Spicy Rigatoni Alla Vodka
For reservations and more information, visit arthurandsonsnyc.com.