Vodka Pasta
Equipment
- Casserole dish for baking
Ingredients
Vodka Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- ¼ cup vodka
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
Pasta
- 12 oz pasta, rigatoni works best
- Well-salted water for boiling
Optional Garnishes
- ¼ cup ricotta cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped chives
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook 5–7 minutes until soft and lightly caramelized. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook 2–3 minutes until red and glossy. Pour in vodka and simmer 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.
- Lower heat and stir in heavy cream until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Meanwhile, boil pasta in well-salted water until 3 minutes before al dente.
- Add pasta directly to the sauce along with a splash of pasta water if needed. Stir in Parmesan until fully coated.
- Transfer pasta to an oven-safe dish. Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 10 minutes until bubbling.
- Remove from oven and finish with more Parmesan, dollops of ricotta, chives, black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Why I Always Make Vodka Pasta Every Week
This Vodka Pasta is a staple in my household because its one of those few dishes that is super delicious but is actually easy to make. The sauce is built up with olive oil, onions, garlic, and tomato paste, which are naturally very bitter on their own, but once you give all these ingredients time to cook down, they become sweet and almost rich in their flavors. These flavors are then contrasted by the vodka and heavy cream, which gives the sauce its renowned smooth and silky texture. Once you eat this, I promise you’ll be making this again.
Why Vodka Makes the Sauce Better
I know there’s a few of you that used to pretend to be drunk when eating vodka pasta, but in reality the alcohol burns off and gives the sauce its signature flavor. I know some of you may think “why can’t I use water?,” and that’s because the vodka releases its flavor into the tomato paste, which gives the sauce more depth and balance. The key is to also cook the tomato paste until it’s super red because that’s when you know the paste has intensified in its sweetness and flavor. The final baking step is to also help make the sauce a little richer, which makes this dish even better than it already is!
What You’ll Need To Make Vodka Pasta
Vodka Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- ¼ cup vodka
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
Pasta
- 12 oz pasta, rigatoni works best
- Well-salted water for boiling
Optional Garnishes
- ¼ cup ricotta cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped chives
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Olive oil, for drizzling
How to Make Vodka Pasta
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and garlic and cook for 5–7 minutes until soft and lightly caramelized.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2–3 minutes until it turns red and glossy.
Pour in the vodka and simmer for about 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper.
Meanwhile, boil pasta in well-salted water until about 3 minutes before al dente.
Transfer the pasta directly into the sauce, adding a splash of pasta water if needed. Stir in the Parmesan until the pasta is fully coated.
Move the pasta to an oven-safe dish and bake at 400°F (205°C) for 10 minutes until bubbling.
Finish with more Parmesan, dollops of ricotta, chives, black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil before serving.
Tips & Variations
Sometimes your pasta sauce can taste a little bit acidic, and that’s because the tomato paste isn’t cooked long enough. Make sure your tomato paste is super red to guarantee a sweet and luscious sauce.
You can use any pasta shape you like, but I’ve found rigatoni to have the best little ridges to catch all that sauce.
If you look a little more spice in your dish, add red pepper chili flakes to the sauce to make this a Spicy Vodka Pasta!
For a lighter version of this vodka sauce, swap half of the heavy cream in this recipe for half and half.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make vodka pasta without vodka?
Yes, but the flavor won’t be quite the same. You can substitute pasta water or broth, but vodka helps deepen the sauce and make that tomato flavor even richer!
Does the alcohol cook off?
Yes. Simmering the vodka removes the alcohol and only keeps the flavor!
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can make the sauce ahead and reheat it and cook pasta fresh. If you’d like you can also just make the pasta as is and place it in a tupperware for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Do I have to bake it?
No, but baking helps the sauce cling to the pasta and gives the pasta an additional layer of texture by making the top crispy, but you can also serve it straight from the pan if you can’t wait!
What protein goes well with vodka pasta?
I personally like to eat it with chicken thighs, but any protein works, but it also tastes great by itself!
What to Make Next
Want another noodle dish? Try my Spicy Peanut Noodles!
Craving something else for a weeknight meal? Check out my Mongolian Ground Beef!
Looking for a lighter dish? You’ll love my Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken!
