Buckle up because you are going to LOVE this pasta. My 3 year old asks me for vodka pasta once a week. It seems like it’s difficult to make, but it’s really very easy and delicious.
So what is vodka pasta?
Vodka pasta is all in the sauce. A spiked creamy tomato based sauce with parmesan cheese grated over top. The most common pasta to use is penne, but I really enjoy this with ziti.
Vodka Pasta Recipe
Equipment Needed
- Large pot for pasta to cook
- Large pan
- Large colander
- Wooden spoon
- Garlic press
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Cheese Grater
Ingredients
- 8-10 oz of pasta: I used ziti but penne works well.
- 2 cloves of garlic minced: if you have a garlic press, this will be much easier. This adds so much flavor and aroma to the sauce.
- ½ diced onion: I chop mine very small because I do not like onion, but do not omit this step. Do not use powdered onions.
- 2 tbsp butter or EVOO
- ½ cup of heavy whipping cream: Heavy whipping cream adds the creaminess to this dish. Feel free to use half and half if you want.
- 3 tbsp tomato paste: Canned or in a tube.
- 2 oz vodka: This acts as an emulsifier that makes the vodka pasta sauce smooth. Let the vodka cook in the pan before adding the heavy cream. If you add the cream before the vodka the sauce will separate.
- 2 oz of balsamic vinegar: Balsamic vinegar adds so much flavor to the sauce. It balances the the flavor of the tomatoes and adds sweetness and tanginess to the sauce.
- ½ cup of pasta water: Do not dump all of the pasta water out. Keep a little on the side. It adds more flavor to the sauce.
- 1 tbsp oregano: Adds aroma.
- ½ tbsp red chili flakes: this is optional especially if you have little kids eating this. We add the flakes to our own dishes.
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese. Sprinkle this as at the very end when you’ve turned off your flame. Also, sprinkle it on your own dish if you want it to be cheesier.
Instructions
- Boil water and salt in a large pot. When the water has a rolling boil, add the pasta. Cook until al dente, at a high flame, for about 10-15 minutes. The pasta will be cooking while you cook the sauce.
- Dice onion and garlic.
- In a separate pan with a medium high flame, add oil or butter, onion, and garlic and mix until fragrant.
- Add tomato paste and oregano and mix until it’s all well combined.
- Add vodka and mix it in with the tomato paste. Once the alcohol has reduced, add the balsamic vinegar. Stir it in until it fully combined and has a deep red color. Add heavy whipping cream and one spoon of pasta water. mix it until it is all blended and creamy.
- Add the cooked pasta, red chili flakes (optional), and grated parmesan cheese. Stir until all combined.
- Plate and enjoy, be sure to add more parmesan cheese if you want it to be cheesier. This will pair with garlic break, or Italian salad.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this in a large bowl and garnish with fresh parsley. My husband always likes a crunch when he eats, so a toasty garlic bread would also pair nicely with this (I will share with you my easy garlic bread soon- I promise). If you want to add some greens go for an Italian salad.
Storing and reheating
This will last 3-5 days in the fridge. To heat it up you can simply pop it in the microwave, add a little bit of heavy whipping cream before reheating.
Vodka Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- Large pot for pasta to cook Large pan Large colander Wooden spoon Garlic pressCutting board Knife
- Large pan
- Large colander
- Wooden spoon
- Garlic press
- Cutting board
- Knife
- cheese grater
Ingredients
- 8-10 oz penne pasta I used ziti pasta
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 diced onion
- 2 tbsp EVOO or butter
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3-4 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 oz vodka
- 2 oz Balsamic vinager
- 1 tbsp Oregano
- 1/2 tbsp red chilli flakes
- 1/3 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Boil water and salt in a large pot. When the water has a rolling boil, add the pasta. Cook until al dente, at a high flame, for about 10-15 minutes. The pasta will be cooking while you cook the sauce.
- Dice onion and garlic.
- In a separate pan with a medium high flame, add oil or butter, onion, and garlic and mix until fragrant.
- Add vodka and mix it in with the tomato paste. Once the alcohol has reduced, add the balsamic vinegar. Stir it in until it fully combined and has a deep red color.
- Add heavy whipping cream and one spoon of pasta water. mix it until it is all blended and creamy.
- Add the cooked pasta, red chili flakes (optional), and grated parmesan cheese.
- Plate and enjoy, be sure to add more parmesan cheese if you want it to be cheesier.
