Spicy carrot rigatoni from By Heart: Recipes to Hold Near and Dear (page 132) by Hailee Catalano

Ingredients

lemons
pecorino Romano cheese
Show all ingredients...
Serves : 4-6

Where’s the full recipe - why can I only see the ingredients?

Always check the publication for a full list of ingredients. An Eat Your Books index lists the main ingredients and does not include 'store-cupboard ingredients' (salt, pepper, oil, flour, etc.) - unless called for in significant quantity.

Notes about this recipe

brooke_zmt9vf on June 08, 2026

It wasn’t bad, but it wouldn’t be worth the effort for me to make again.
chefoclairo on May 06, 2026

I made the anything pesto from the same book with kale and coriander instead of the specified topping and it was a great combination!
franchimou on April 28, 2026

easy + good. make sure to thin ou the sauce properly! carrots ended up taking like 30min to steam.
eileen_861138 on April 26, 2026

Instead of the carrot top topping, used a toasted breadcrumb/parsley/lemon zest situation. Also drizzled some ramp oil that I had on hand. Delish!!!
Babycarrot on April 03, 2026

We loved the pasta and sauce but didn’t enjoy the topping. In the future I’d make as written but would omit the parsley topping and just sub some freshly grated lemon zest and maybe some panko along with the ricotta.
david_5d0hvl on April 02, 2026

Super yummy, I’ve made twice the carrot tops aren’t super necessary for the topping
ericka_x8qa3c on March 02, 2026

Tasty. To truly get the sauce smooth, use a full blender not immersion. And use at least 3-4 Calabrian chiles.
rachel_ywqstg on February 20, 2026

How fun and tasty! This recipe is smartly written to use the entire carrot (unfortunately my carrots did not include tops so I just used more parsley for the topping) and efficient to create the topping/blend the sauce while the pasta is boiling. Quick to create and can be made using only one pan (and a blender). I’ve topped this with ricotta as suggested, and also with creme fraiche when I had no ricotta available, and I enjoyed both times. Balanced, comforting, and saucy without being overly heavy and rich. Will definitely make again!
Anjackson1003 on January 26, 2026

Really enjoyable! Loved the balance of sweetness from the carrots and heat from the Calabrian chili. Unfortunately, i’m not a big fan of parsley so the topping went under appreciated. In the future we’d probably drizzle olive oil and lemon juice instead.
noor_37m4rf on January 10, 2026

Very tasty! I used nduja instead of calabrian peppers and topped it with some smoked almonds to add a bit more texture
Nrnarayan on November 25, 2025

This was just really not for me. I made sure to add enough pasta water to get the sauce consistency right but this still just tasted like baby food. This recipe was also really hard to follow. Hopefully her other recipes turn out better!
SugarTreeBaking on September 06, 2025

Carrots for a pasta sauce? It totally works, delicious. The heat of the Calabrian pepper, the subtle sweetness of the carrot and the acidity of the lemon - YUM. Another keeper from this excellent book.