Vodka Pasta
This Vodka Pasta is one of my favorite comfort dishes to make. It has an amazing creamy tomato sauce that's balanced perfectly with the slight twinge of the vodka and clings to every noodle.
Servings: 3 servings
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
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 21g