Vodka Sauce
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
4 servings
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Course
Main Course
Vodka Sauce
Description
Vodka Sauce is made by first sautéing garlic and shallots in butter until tender, then mixing in tomato paste and a pinch of crushed red pepper for spice. A careful pour of vodka deglazes the pan, lifting browned flavors. Crushed tomatoes and sugar are simmered until thickened, creating a tomato-rich base. The addition of heavy cream and freshly grated Parmesan blends the sauce to a creamy consistency. Cooked radiatore pasta is gently folded in, with reserved pasta water adjusted for the ideal sauce texture. Fresh basil chiffonade finishes the dish, adding herbal notes.
The sauce develops creamy, tangy flavors from the combination of tomato and cream, with a subtle warmth from the red pepper flakes and nuanced depth from the vodka reduction. Radiatore pasta, with its ridged, twisted shape, traps the sauce well, making each bite flavorful.
Serve vodka sauce pasta immediately for best texture and flavor. It pairs nicely with a simple green salad or crusty bread to soak up extra sauce.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces radiatore pasta
- 3 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 shallot diced, medium
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more, to taste, crushed
- ¼ cup vodka
- 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
- salt to taste, Kosher salt and freshly ground
- black pepper to taste, Kosher salt and freshly ground
- ¼ cup basil chiffonade, leaves
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; reserve 1 cup water and drain well.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add garlic and shallots, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste and red pepper flakes until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Working carefully, stir in vodka, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Stir in crush tomatoes and sugar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in pasta, adding reserved pasta water as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately, garnished with basil, if desired.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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