Pasta is probably one of the most versatile dishes out there. It can be fun, easy, gourmet, romantic, and most importantly, it is always delicious. Now this pasta is simply spaghetti that finishes cooking in red wine and mixes with sautéed and spiced rapini. It’s time to surprise your significant other, family, or friends at the dinner table with this perfect dinner idea for two.
This is a recipe adapted from Serious Eats. Enjoy.
Print
Red Wine Spaghetti with Spicy Rapini Recipe
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Description
A vibrant dish of spaghetti cooked in red wine, paired with spicy sautéed rapini, creating a flavorful and colorful meal.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs (685g) broccoli rabe, or rapini, thick stems removed
- 1 lb (457g) spaghetti
- 750 ml bottle of dry red wine (Bordeaux, Zinfandel, Cabernet, Pinot Noir, etc.)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) sugar
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rapini and cook for 3 minutes until bright green and tender. Remove rapini with a wire skimmer and spread on a baking sheet to cool.
- Return the water to a boil and add the spaghetti. Cook until just shy of al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking until the garlic is fragrant and lightly golden, about 2 minutes.
- Add the rapini to the skillet and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
- In the same pot used for the pasta, pour in the red wine and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Add the spaghetti to the boiling wine and cook, stirring frequently, until the wine is mostly absorbed and the pasta is al dente, about 5-7 minutes.
- Combine the spaghetti with the rapini mixture in the skillet. Toss well to combine and heat through.
- Serve immediately, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- For a milder dish, reduce the amount of red pepper flakes.
- This pasta pairs well with a light salad and crusty bread.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or wine to loosen the sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 65
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 15
- Cholesterol: 0
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Spicy Pork Sausage Spaghetti
- Grilled Red Wine BBQ Pork Ribs
- Spicy Blue Cheese Middle Eastern Pita Flatbread
- Liangban Tofu: Spicy Cold Tofu
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the pasta finish cooking in red wine instead of water?
The spaghetti is cooked to just shy of al dente in salted water first, then transferred to a pot of boiling red wine (a full 750 ml bottle) and cooked for another 5-7 minutes until the wine is mostly absorbed. This infuses the pasta with a deep, jammy color and a rich flavor the recipe calls the dish’s defining characteristic. 
What is rapini, and how is it different from regular broccoli?
Rapini (also called broccoli rabe) has thinner stalks, smaller florets, and a distinctly bitter, peppery flavor compared to regular broccoli. The recipe calls for 1 1/2 lbs with thick stems removed, blanched for 3 minutes until bright green and tender before sautéing with garlic and red pepper flakes.
Which red wine works best for this recipe?
The ingredients list suggests a dry red wine such as Bordeaux, Zinfandel, Cabernet, or Pinot Noir. A full 750 ml bottle is used, so choose something you’d enjoy drinking — avoid sweet wines, as the recipe already adds 1 tbsp of sugar to balance the wine’s acidity.
Why add sugar to the red wine?
The recipe calls for 1 tbsp of sugar added to the boiling wine. This balances the wine’s natural tannins and acidity, preventing the finished pasta from tasting harsh or sour after absorbing a full bottle of wine.
How do I reheat leftovers without drying out the pasta?
The notes say to reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or wine to loosen the sauce. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Hi Jessica, happy to see you here :) What a delightful pasta dish…beautiful color and flavors!
Absolutely beautiful. I can’t wait to try this on Saturday night. It will be a big hit with my husband!