Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the chopped onion. Season with salt and pepper and cook gently on a low/medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until starting to soften, stirring regularly. You don't want the onion to colour too much, so turn down the heat and add a little extra oil if necessary.

Step 2

Once the onion is soft, add the garlic and chilli and cook for another minute. Again, you want to avoid getting any colour on the garlic.

Step 3

Next, add in the tinned tomatoes, bay leaf, and vegan balsamic vinegar (optional). If using plum tomatoes, break these apart with your spoon. Swirl a little water around the empty can and also add this to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook on a low heat.

Step 4

Once the sauce is simmering away, start cooking your pasta in salted boiling water (roughly 10 minutes – follow package instructions). As the pasta is cooking, add the odd spoonful of starchy pasta water to the sauce to maintain a nice consistency and prevent it from drying out.

Step 5

For a smoother final sauce, gently mash it using a potato masher to break down the tomatoes. Once you've done this (optional), add a small handful of chopped fresh parsley and stir in. Remove the bay leaf and adjust the seasoning to taste, adding any extra salt, pepper, chilli, or balsamic.

Step 6

Once the pasta is cooked al dente, drain it and add to the pan with the arrabbiata sauce. Stir well to coat and serve with fresh parsley leaves and homemade vegan parmesan.