Vodka Sauce

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy to make. This is one of those recipes that comes together quickly and tastes so good.
• Versatile. Enjoy this sauce in a number of ways. Over crispy chicken, pasta, lasagna or drizzled over pizza.
• Flavorful. Once you make this flavorful vodka sauce recipe, you’ll look for ways to add it to so many dishes.

Recipe Ingredients

• Pasta – You can use any cut of pasta you enjoy most. Al dente is best. Reserve 3/4 cup of pasta water for the sauce.
• Oil – This recipe calls for olive oil. High quality oil is best.
• Onion – You’ll need finely diced almost minced shallots for this recipe. Yell ow or sweet onions will work instead.
• Garlic – You’ll need 4 whole garlic cloves for this recipe. Gently press them to help release their flavor. However, you’ll be removing them from the sauce so do not make the pieces to small.
• Anchovy Paste – Anchovy paste will elevate your sauce with its salty savory flavor. It melts into the sauce and gives it such an elevated flavor.
• Tomato Paste – You’ll need tomato paste for this recipe.
• Vodka – Use a high-quality vodka brand.
• Crushed Tomato – This recipe calls for crushed tomato.
• Pasta Water – Start by adding 1/2 cup of pasta water. You can add more if needed.
• Seasoning – Season carefully with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. The anchovy paste, pasta water and parmesan cheese all have salt already. So do not over salt the sauce. You can adjust as needed. Option to add red pepper flakes for some spice.
• Heavy Cream – This recipe calls for heavy cream.
• Butter – You’ll need unsalted butter for this recipe. The butter makes the sauce glossy and smooth.
• Cheese – Finish the sauce with grated parmesan cheese. Freshly grated parmesan cheese melts best!

Variations

• Swap the pasta shape. This sauce tastes best with pasta cuts like penne, fusilli, rigatoni or gemelli. Small cut pasta with ridges on the outside hold onto the creamy sauce the best.
• Make it spicy. Option to add a few red pepper flakes to spice things up.
• Lighten it up. For a slightly lighter sauce recipe, use half and half instead of heavy cream.

Expert Tips

• Be sure to cook your pasta al dente. The pasta will continue to cook in the sauce, and you don’t want it to get soggy.
• Finely dice almost mince the shallots. You want them to melt into the sauce.
• Once you add the tomato paste, allow it to slightly caramelize in the pan. This will add a lot of flavor to the sauce.
• Do not over salt the sauce. The anchovy paste, pasta water and parmesan cheese all have salt already. So do not over salt the sauce. You can adjust as needed. Option to add red pepper flakes for some spice.

How To Make The Best Vodka Sauce

Boil the Pasta

• Season a pot of water with salt and bring it to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package. Al dente is best.
• Reserve ¾ cup of pasta water and drain off the remaining water. Drizzle the cooked pasta with olive oil. Set aside.

Make the Sauce

• Place a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot but not smoking add the finely diced shallots. Saute for 2-3 minutes then add the whole garlic cloves and anchovy paste. Saute until the onions are translucent and fragrant and the anchovy paste is well combined.
• Next, add the tomato paste and stir well. Saute the tomato paste for 1-2 minutes, slightly caramelizing it. Then, deglaze the pan with vodka. Be careful as it can flame up!
• Once the vodka has almost fully evaporated, add the canned crushed tomato and ½ cup of the pasta water. Season with kosher salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Omit the red pepper flakes if you do not like spice. Let everything simmer in the pan.
• Once the sauce has reduced some add the heavy cream. Still well. Then, add the unsalted butter and grated parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is glossy.
• Remove the whole garlic cloves and add the cooked pasta to the sauce. Toss everything together until it’s well coated. Garnish with chopped parsley, serve and enjoy.

Storage

• Store extra sauce covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Reheat in a sauce pot or in the microwave until warmed through.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Pasta Recipes to Consider Trying

• Creamy Cacio e Pepe Pasta (one pan)
• Marry Me Ditalini Pasta with Sausage
• Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
• Shrimp Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
• Simple Homemade Ramen Recipe
• Linguini with Crab