This easy 20-minute pasta from Carbone's chef is the perfect quick dinner

Mario Carbone is the chef behind the iconic Italian restaurant Carbone in NYC. He shared his recipe for a 20-minute penne pasta with Business Insider.

Mar 13, 2025 - 14:11

This easy 20-minute pasta from Carbone's chef is the perfect quick dinner

The shrimp, pasta, and sauce all mixed together, with parsley on top — I made a 20-minute pasta dish from Carbone's chef.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Mario Carbone is the chef behind the iconic Italian restaurant Carbone in New York City.
He gave me the recipe for a penne with spicy shrimp that only takes 20 minutes.
The delicious pasta is quick, easy, and packed with flavor.

When it comes to Italian restaurants in New York City, Carbone is easily one of the most famous.

I've found myself dreaming of Carbone's melt-in-your-mouth meatballs, the signature "grandma bread" slicked with tomato sauce, and the spicy rigatoni vodka that celebrities can't get enough of.

While Mario Carbone wouldn't divulge the secrets to his most famous dish, the chef gave me a 20-minute pasta recipe to bring some of Carbone's magic to my own kitchen.

Here's how to make it.

This penne with spicy shrimp was inspired by chef Mario Carbone's childhood.

Mario Carbone's penne with spicy shrimp.
World Red Eye

Carbone told me this dish reminds him of the southern Italian seafood pastas he grew up eating with his family in Queens.

"What I love about it most is that it's bright, acidic, and clean," he said. "There's no murkiness whatsoever, mainly because the tomato sauce and shrimp don't spend a lot of time together in the pan."

The Carbone Fine Food team developed the recipe to pair with its line of sauces. In addition to the arrabbiata, which is used in Carbone's penne with spicy shrimp, you can try the marinara, tomato basil, roasted garlic, and more.

Carbone's penne with spicy shrimp just has a few simple ingredients.

Ingredients for Mario Carbone's 15-minute pasta — Carbone's recipe also includes parsley, chili flakes, and bread crumbs.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

To make the dish at home, you'll need:

Shrimp
Penne pasta
Carbone's arrabbiata sauce
Garlic
Parsley
Chili flakes

If you don't have the sauce on hand, Carbone said you can always whip up your own. His sauce is made with Italian tomatoes (whole peeled tomatoes, tomato purée, sea salt, basil), along with onions, olive oil, sea salt, garlic, basil, crushed red pepper flakes, and oregano.

To begin, I started my very minimal prep.

Parsley chopped up for the pasta — First, I chopped my parsley.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Since I was whipping up pasta for three people, I chopped up nine sprigs of parsley and minced three cloves of garlic.

Then, I peeled the shrimp.

Peeled shrimp for the pasta — My peeled shrimp.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I cracked off their tails to make the process easier — and quicker.

Then, per Carbone's instructions, I carefully butterflied them.

Butterflied shrimp for the pasta — My butterflied shrimp.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I sliced down the back of each shrimp with a knife, making sure not to cut them in half. Then, I used the tip of my blade to remove the dark vein running down the middle.

It was time to start cooking! First, I got a pot of salted water boiling.

Pasta in a pot of boiling water — Carbone's recipe calls for penne pasta.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

To make three servings, I used two-thirds of a 16-ounce box of penne pasta.

Then, I placed a sauté pan over medium heat and added some olive oil and the garlic.

Garlic in the saute pan — My minced garlic in the sauté pan.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Carbone notes that it's important not to brown the garlic. Simply wait until the oil is infused and aromatic.

I added the shrimp as the smell of garlic wafted through my kitchen.

Shrimp and red pepper flakes in the saute pan — I added plenty of chili flakes on top of my shrimp.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I seasoned the shrimp with a pinch of salt and plenty of chili flakes — I like a kick.

"There's no need to be too delicate with the shrimp," Carbone told me. "You want to cook it somewhat aggressively, almost toasting it."

Then, I added the arrabbiata sauce and checked on my pasta.

The pasta sauce and shrimp simmering next to pot with pasta cooking — It didn't take long to cook the pasta or make the sauce.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

"This recipe calls for penne, but so many shapes would work well with the sauce — try it with angel hair, for instance," Carbone said. "No matter what, though, make sure it's al dente."

Carbone's pro tip? Cook the pasta for one to two minutes less than the package says to ensure you get it perfect.

I brought my shrimp and sauce to a simmer, then removed my pan from the heat.

The shrimp with Carbone sauce added in the pan — The shrimp smelled delicious in the sauce.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I slid the pan to a different burner and then drained my pasta.

Then, I added the penne and chopped parsley, tossing everything together.

The parsley gave a beautiful burst of color to the pan. I couldn't wait to dig in.

I sprinkled bread crumbs on top before taking my first bite, and the penne was so delicious and light.

The finished pasta and shrimp in a bowl — Carbone's penne with spicy shrimp is a great light pasta.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I thought just penne and shrimp might be a little too plain, but Carbone's recipe packs plenty of heat and flavor.

The arrabbiata sauce and chili flakes give each bite a nice kick without overwhelming the palate. Even my dad, who doesn't love spicy food, said it was the perfect amount of heat.

And both my mom and I agreed it was a great light pasta dish.

"It reminds me of eating spaghetti and fish by the beach in Greece," she told me.

However, I believe everything is better with cheese, especially feta. I added some on top, along with some freshly ground black pepper, and loved the extra bite it gave to the penne.

While I'll have to wait until my next NYC trip for Carbone's spicy rigatoni, his delicious penne and shrimp pasta is a cheap and easy dish when I need something quick.

Read the original article on Business Insider