Assassin’s Spaghetti Is a Pasta You Burn on Purpose

This 5-ingredient Italian pasta is loaded with flavor.

By
Laurel Randolph
Laurel Randolph
Laurel Randolph
Laurel has over 10 years of experience developing recipes and writing about food. She is the author of 4 cookbooks, including the bestselling The Instant Pot Electric Cookbook.
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Published December 11, 2023
Laurel Randolph
Bowlful of assassin's spaghetti

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

One of my all-time favorite cooking personalities is none other than the queen of Tiktok and Instagram, The Pasta Queen. Her videos are sultry and hilarious, her recipes look so delicious, and she’s got an incredible Italian accent to boot. Who can resist that hair toss? No one.

A couple of years ago she posted a video of assassin’s spaghetti and I’ve been obsessed ever since. From the very Italian backstory (a man is distracted by an alluring woman so he burns his pasta) to the unique cooking method, I had to try it for myself. 

Over two years later, I think I’ve perfected it. Now I’m here to share the recipe with you.

What Is Assassin’s Spaghetti (Spaghetti all'Assassina)?

The dish is reported to date back to the 1960s and originated in Puglia. It’s a simple dish of tomato sauce, garlic, chile, olive oil, and spaghetti. What sets it apart is the method—the pasta is cooked in the sauce until charred on one side. Then it is flipped and more watery sauce (called broth) is added periodically as the pasta soaks it up, similar to risotto.

The resulting dish is spicy and extremely flavorful despite the short list of ingredients. The tomato, garlic, and chile flavor is concentrated and absorbed into the pasta as it cooks, and the char adds a chewy texture and even more flavor.

Bowlful of assassin's spaghetti at a table setting with more in a bowl, a glass of water, utensils, and light blue kitchen towel

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Cooking by Feel

I find assassin’s spaghetti extremely fun to make since it’s a very different way of cooking pasta. Instead of simply boiling pasta until it’s done and tossing it with sauce, everything cooks together, requiring no small amount of intuition.

That’s why this recipe doesn’t have tons of specific times, allowing you to set a timer and come back to it. Instead, it requires a more thoughtful approach. Is it hard? No. It’s just different. I’ve included some tips below and thorough instructions that will walk you through the process. Once you’ve successfully made assassin’s spaghetti, you can make it over and over again without a recipe.

Tips for Making Assassin’s Spaghetti

  • Use a good pan. I know that you’re not supposed to cook tomatoes in your cast iron skillet, but it won’t do any harm when making a quick dish like this. As long as your skillet is well-seasoned, cast iron is the way to go. Be sure to clean it soon after using so the tomato residue doesn’t sit in the pan for too long.
  • Use good spaghetti. Any spaghetti will do, but a high-quality pasta with rough edges is especially nice for this dish.
  • Adjust the heat. The amount of red pepper flakes in this recipe makes a spicy but not super spicy dish. If you like heat, up it to one teaspoon and consider garnishing with more. You can also use fresh, thinly sliced red chiles instead.
Bowlful of assassin's spaghetti

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Optional Adornments

This naturally vegan pasta really doesn’t need any further bells and whistles, but you can certainly add them. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is an easy addition, but a soft cheese like a little fresh burrata is nice to help offset the heat. 

For a meaty twist, add a little guanciale or finely chopped bacon to the pan before adding the garlic and pepper flakes, taking the dish into Amatriciana territory.

One-Pan Pastas

Assassin's Spaghetti

Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Servings 4 to 5 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 cups water

  • 1 (28 to 29-ounce) can tomato purée or plain tomato sauce, divided

  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

  • 14 to 16 ounces spaghetti

  • 1 pinch sugar, optional

Method

  1. Make the broth:

    Add 4 cups water to a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add about 1/3 of the tomato purée and the tomato paste to the water and whisk to combine. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Reduce the heat to low to keep the broth hot.

    Tomato broth heating up in a saucepan for assassin's spaghetti recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
  2. Assemble the sauce:

    Meanwhile, heat a 10 to 12-inch cast-iron or non-stick skillet (wide enough to fit the spaghetti lying completely flat) over medium-high heat. Add the oil. Once hot, add the garlic and chili flakes and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the rest of the tomato purée and stir. Season with salt to taste.

    Garlic and chili flakes cooked in a large pot for assassin's spaghetti recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
    Tomato sauce added to the pot with the heated garlic for assassin's spaghetti recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
  3. Start cooking the pasta: 

    Add the pasta, spreading it out as much as you can to submerge it in sauce. If needed, add up to a cup of the broth to just barely submerge the noodles. The heat should remain on medium-high. Cook, undisturbed, until charred in places on the bottom and the sauce is looking dry, about 5 minutes.

    Simple Tip!

    This can get a bit splattery. Use a splatter guard if you have one.

    Uncooked spaghetti added to the pot and topped with a bit of sauce for assassin's spaghetti recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
    Tomato broth added to pot, little by little, until slightly covered for assassin's spaghetti recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
  4. Flip the pasta:

    Once the pasta has formed some burnt crust on the bottom, use a wooden spatula to scrape it up and flip it over so the charred bits are on top. Spread it out as best you can and reduce the heat to medium.

    Add 2 to 3 ladlefuls of the broth on top, barely submerging the noodles and moving the pasta around a bit so the liquid can penetrate the strands. It should be simmering. 

    As the liquid evaporates and the pasta begins to peek out from the sauce, add more broth to keep it barely covered, nudging the pasta around the pan periodically with a spatula to ensure it cooks evenly.

    Simple Tip!

    I usually end up using all of the broth. You may or may not use it all; it depends on your pasta and how hot your stove is. If you end up needing a bit more liquid, just use hot water.

    Spaghetti with charred bits after the pasta is flipped for assassin's spaghetti recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
    Cook down tomato sauce with the pasta for assassin's spaghetti recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
  5. Test the pasta:

    Once the pasta has become flexible and has been cooking for at least 10 minutes, start moving it around the pan more. Give it a taste. You want it to be al dente with a bit of chew with a thick, well-coated sauce. If needed, add salt and a pinch of sugar to balance the flavors. The total cook time will likely be somewhere around 20 minutes (ignore the package instructions!), but use your senses to decide.

    If your sauce isn’t thick enough—it should be thick and clinging to the noodles but not completely dry—let it bubble for a minute or two, then transfer the pasta to a serving plate and serve hot.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a review below!

    Assassin's spaghetti in a large pot

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
    Assassin's spaghetti lifted from a bowl using a fork

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
255 Calories
6g Fat
44g Carbs
8g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 5
Amount per serving
Calories 255
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 314mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 44g 16%
Dietary Fiber 5g 17%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 20mg 98%
Calcium 51mg 4%
Iron 4mg 25%
Potassium 883mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.