There’s a reason Carbone’s rigatoni is renowned: it’s rich, creamy, and pleasantly spicy — one of those pasta dishes you want to dig a fork into immediately. The catch is getting a reservation at the New York restaurant. For those of us who can’t wait, here’s our streamlined, at-home version of that famous rigatoni.
This dish comes together with a handful of pantry staples in a short amount of time. The sauce starts with tomato paste that’s caramelized for depth, then enriched with heavy cream and a touch of butter for silkiness. Calabrian chiles add the characteristic heat and flavor, while a splash of vodka is used to deglaze the pan and lift the tomato’s brightness. If you prefer not to use alcohol, omit the vodka — the sauce still delivers great flavor.
While the rigatoni is the star of this meal, the Carbone experience often ends with rainbow cookies — a sweet, almond-y treat that pairs perfectly with a rich pasta. If you’re interested in making them at home, we have a separate rainbow cookie recipe to complete the meal.
Carbone Rigatoni ingredient notes:
- Pasta: Carbone typically uses a slightly rounded rigatoni. We used lumachini here, a smaller shape with a large opening, but any tube-shaped pasta with a wide center (rigatoni, mechane, or large penne) will work.
- Vodka: Optional. It brightens the sauce when used to deglaze the pan, but you can skip it if you prefer not to cook with alcohol.
- Parmesan: Use freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for the best texture and flavor. Pre-grated cheese often contains anti-caking agents that affect melting.
Keys to perfect rigatoni:
- Pasta doneness: Cook the pasta very al dente since it will finish cooking in the sauce. This prevents overcooking and keeps the center pleasantly firm.
- Fresh Parmesan: Freshly grated parmesan blends into the sauce more smoothly and gives better flavor than pre-grated varieties.
- Pasta water: Reserved starchy pasta water helps loosen and emulsify the sauce, giving it body and helping it cling to the pasta.
- Adjustable spice: Calabrian chiles bring both heat and tang. Start with a modest amount and adjust to taste — even a small amount enhances the sauce’s complexity.
Carbone Rigatoni
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta lumachini or rigatoni
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons chopped calabrian chilis
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1/2 cup pasta water
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
-
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until very al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
-
In a large, heavy pot set over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the chopped onion and cook 3–5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, chopped Calabrian chiles, salt, pepper, and oregano and cook for 2 more minutes to release their aromas.
-
Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes to brown it slightly. Pour in the vodka to deglaze the pan and cook for 1 minute. Then stir in the heavy cream and the reserved pasta water and simmer for 2 minutes to combine and thicken slightly.
-
Remove from heat and stir in the butter and freshly grated Parmesan until melted and the sauce is glossy. Add the drained pasta to the sauce, toss to coat, and serve immediately.
