Spicy Carrot Rigatoni

Name: Spicy Carrot Rigatoni
Ingredients: 1 lb carrots with tops, peeled and cut into pieces, tops reserved; 4 cloves garlic, peeled; 1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese, plus more for serving; 1/2 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup water; 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts; 3-4 Calabrian chiles in oil; Kosher salt and black pepper; 1 lb dry rigatoni; 1/4 cup finely chopped carrot tops; 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley; 1 tbsp capers, chopped; Zest of 1 lemon and juice of 1/2 lemon; Ricotta cheese, for serving

Bon Appetit's #2 most popular recipe of January 2026 from Hailee Catalano — humble carrots steamed tender and blended with pecorino, olive oil, and Calabrian chiles into a creamy, spicy orange sauce tossed with rigatoni and finished with a bright carrot-top salsa verde.

Ingredients

1 lb carrots with tops, peeled and cut into pieces, tops reserved
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
3-4 Calabrian chiles in oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 lb dry rigatoni
1/4 cup finely chopped carrot tops
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp capers, chopped
Zest of 1 lemon and juice of 1/2 lemon
Ricotta cheese, for serving

Instructions

Steam carrots and garlic until very tender, 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a blender.
Add pecorino, olive oil, water, pine nuts, and Calabrian chiles; blend until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix carrot tops, parsley, olive oil, capers, lemon zest, and lemon juice for the salsa verde; season with salt and pepper.
Cook rigatoni in heavily salted boiling water until al dente. Strain and add to a large skillet over low heat with a splash of pasta water. Pour in the carrot sauce and toss to combine, adding pasta water as needed to thin the sauce. Serve topped with salsa verde, a dollop of ricotta, and more pecorino.

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