Step 1

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil for the pasta.

Step 2

Heat a large rimmed skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper flake (for milder spice, start with the lesser quantity — for a serious kick, go with the full amount!). Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, and watching carefully not to let it burn.

Step 3

Add tomato paste and stir into the garlic and red pepper flake (a spoon or rubber spatula works best). Cook until fragrant and the tomato paste has darkened slightly — ~2-3 minutes.

Step 4

Add crushed tomatoes, salt, and maple syrup and stir. Bring to a very low simmer. Cook, covered, for 20-30 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced slightly and the flavors are deepened.

Step 5

Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt to taste, red pepper flake for heat, or maple syrup for sweetness / to balance the spice. A bit more tomato paste can be added for depth of flavor, but a little goes a long way. And if the flavors aren’t quite developed, simmer for just a bit longer (covered) to allow the flavors to deepen.

Step 6

Meanwhile, when the water in the pot boils, add the pasta and stir to prevent clumps. Cook to al dente according to the package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water then drain the pasta.

Step 7

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir to coat. If your sauce looks too thick, add pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time until you have a silky sauce that clings to the noodles. You likely won’t need all of the reserved pasta water.

Step 8

Serve as is or garnished with vegan parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Extra red pepper flakes on top add additional heat and a pop of color.

Step 9

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 2-3 days, though best when fresh. Sauce is freezer friendly (when stored separate from the pasta) for up to 2 months. Reheat pasta on the stovetop, adding a bit of water to thin as needed.