Recipe for Pasta alla Vodka
Bring the flavors of Italy to your dinner table with our classic Pasta alla Vodka recipe! This creamy tomato-based sauce, balanced with a dash of vodka, creates the perfect blend of richness and tanginess. Toss it with al dente pasta, and you’ve got a meat-free dish that’s ideal for weeknight dinners or cozy family meals. Try this recipe tonight and elevate your pasta night like never before!
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Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 480kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb orecchiette pasta shells or pasta of your choice
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 5 Tablespoons red onion minced
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup tomato puree
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons vodka
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 5 fresh basil leaves
- ½ to 1 cup water reserved from cooking pasta
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the pasta. Follow the instructions on the pasta package to boil your noodles until they’re just shy of al dente – around 2 minutes less than what the package says. Then, drain the pasta from the water, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water for later (which will be used for the sauce).
- Add the butter and olive oil to a large saucepan and cook until the butter is melted.
- Once the pan is hot, add the onions and garlic and cook until fragrant and the onions are soft but not browned.
- Then, add the tomatoes and continue cooking until the tomatoes are softened, stirring frequently.
- Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the tomato puree and heavy cream.
- Allow the sauce to simmer for a few more minutes until it’s thickened, then stir in the vodka, pepper flakes, basil, and half of the pasta water (more if you prefer sauce thinner).
- Continue simmering the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes over low heat, and transfer the sauce to a blender and blend until smooth.
- After blending the sauce, clean the saucepan and pour in the finished sauce and cooked pasta. Cook over medium low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, gently stirring the pasta into the sauce as you cook.
- Serve warm with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
Nutrition
Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 621mg | Potassium: 346mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 817IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 2mg