Marcella Hazan’s Amatriciana Sauce (Tomato Sauce with Pancetta)
Many pasta sauces build flavor through long cooking times or a lengthy ingredient list. Marcella Hazan‘s Amatriciana does neither.
If you’ve made her famous 3-Ingredient Tomato Sauce, this recipe feels familiar from the start. Tomatoes remain at the center, but pancetta adds a deeper savory flavor and the final addition of Parmigiano-Reggiano and Romano cheese gives the sauce a smoother, creamier texture as it coats the pasta.
The entire sauce simmers for just 25 minutes, making it easy enough for a weeknight dinner and practical to pull together from ingredients you may already have on hand.
The first time I made it, I used fresh bucatini from a local pasta maker. Bucatini is often described as hollow or tube-shaped spaghetti, and it works especially well here because the sauce and bits of pancetta find their way inside the pasta as well as around it. For more on how pasta shapes affect the finished dish, see the Guide to Cooking Pasta and Choosing Pasta Shapes.
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About this Recipe
Marcella traces this sauce to the town of Amatrice in central Italy, where it is traditionally served with bucatini.
Her version combines tomatoes, pancetta, onion, chili pepper, and two cheeses into a sauce that cooks in about 25 minutes. By the time the pasta water comes to a boil and the bucatini is cooked, the sauce is nearly ready.
The cheese is added at the end, creating a smoother texture as it melts into the hot pasta and sauce before serving.
Ingredients
- Pancetta
- Onion
- Canned Italian plum tomatoes
- Red pepper flakes
- Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Romano cheese
- Bucatini
- Butter
- Vegetable oil
- Salt
Ingredient Notes
1. Pancetta
Marcella calls for a thick slice of pancetta cut into strips. I used 4 ounces of pancetta, which provided plenty of flavor without overwhelming the tomatoes.
2. Red Pepper Flakes
The original recipe calls for fresh hot red chili pepper. Dried red pepper flakes work well instead.
I started with ¼ teaspoon and adjusted after the sauce finished simmering. The heat develops as the sauce cooks, so it’s worth tasting before adding more.
3. Bucatini
Bucatini is the traditional pasta for Amatriciana. It looks similar to spaghetti but has a hollow center that helps catch the sauce. Fresh bucatini worked beautifully here, but dried bucatini is an excellent choice as well.
If bucatini isn’t available, rigatoni or penne are good alternatives. Both shapes have ridges and hollow centers that help hold onto the tomato sauce, pancetta, and grated cheese.
The Recipe
Amatriciana Sauce (Tomato Sauce with Pancetta)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 oz pancetta, cut into ½" strips
- 1½ cups canned peeled tomatoes, drained and cut up
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (up to 1 tsp, depending on preference)
- 3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 lb pasta (bucatini, rigatoni, or penne)
Instructions
- Put the oil, butter, and onion into a sauce pan and bring the heat to medium.
- Sauté the onion until it is a pale gold, then add the panceta.
- Cook the pancetta, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and salt.
- Cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes at a gentle, steady simmer.
- Taste and correct for salt and pepper flakes.
- Add pasta directly to the sauce and toss.
- Sprinkle in both cheeses and toss again.
- Serve immediately with additional grated cheese on the side.
Cooking Tip: Let the Sauce Simmer Gently
After adding the tomatoes and red pepper flakes, the sauce simmers uncovered for 25 minutes.
A gentle simmer is all that’s needed. The tomatoes reduce slightly, the pancetta flavors the sauce, and the onion softens into the background.
Once the pasta is cooked, toss everything together with both cheeses while the pasta is still hot. The cheese melts into the sauce and creates a smoother texture than the sauce would have on its own.
Serve With
- A simple green salad with red wine vinaigrette
- Roasted vegetables
- Bruschetta al Pomodoro
- Marinated olives
Wine Pairing: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is a natural match for this pasta.
The wine has enough fruit to work with the tomatoes while its moderate tannins stand up to the pancetta and cheese. The sauce has more richness than a basic tomato sauce, and Montepulciano has enough structure to keep pace without dominating the meal.
Serve slightly below room temperature.
To explore more Montepulciano d’Abruzzo styles and pairing ideas, visit the full guide below.
What I liked most about this recipe is how much flavor it develops from a relatively short ingredient list.
The tomatoes provide the base, the pancetta adds a deeper savory flavor, and the combination of Parmigiano-Reggiano and Romano gives the finished pasta a creamy texture without making the sauce heavy.
It’s also a practical recipe to keep on hand. The sauce cooks in about 25 minutes and uses ingredients that are easy to stock for a quick pasta dinner.
For the tools and ingredients used here, visit the shop page.
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About Stephanie
I’m cooking through classic cookbooks one recipe at a time, sharing tested recipes, wine pairings, and what I learn along the way. Each post includes notes from my own kitchen, along with practical wine recommendations designed to make choosing a bottle a little easier.
