Spicy Vodka Pasta (30 Minute Recipe)
Is it bold of me to assume Spicy Vodka Pasta is loved by everyone? I don’t think so because I’ve never met anywho doesn’t like it. This recipe went viral on TikTok a few years ago, but remains a staple in most kitchens. This makes for a delicious and decadent dinner when you’re on a time crunch but still want to indulge.
My favorite part of this recipe is the short list of ingredients, that require very little work to be made into a scrumptious meal. I also love how you can use any pasta shape, gnocchi, ravioli or even tortellini in this recipe to make just a bit different every-time.
How do I make Spicy Vodka Pasta?
Ingredients
- Tomato Paste: The most important part of the sauce. Tomato paste is a concentrated version of tomato sauce, making it perfect to add loads of flavor to a dish. We do use an entire can making this the base of the sauce. It is very important to cook the tomato paste for a good 4-5 minutes to remove any of that “artificial” flavor.
- Heavy Cream: The other part of the sauce that is required. I would not substitute this for a lighter version simply because you will be left with a watery/milky sauce instead of one that is creamy and luscious. Heavy cream adds the creaminess, but also cuts any acidity from the tomato paste.
- Vodka: Not we get into the optional items. You definitely don’t need the vodka, but it does deepen the sauce’s flavor, so if you have some lying around, add it in!
- Aromatics: Here you have the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes. These ingredients will add the loads of flavor to the pasta.
- Pasta: You can pick ANY pasta shape you want. I’m a long noodle gal, so I went with linguine. I also used a store bought fresh egg pasta, which was amazing.
Recipe Tips:
- Save a lot of pasta water! This makes the sauce luscious and creamy, while also thinning it out. The starch in the pasta water actually helps emulsify the the sauce and will also aid it in sticking to the pasta.
- I like to heavily salt the water instead of adding most of it to the sauce, this way the pasta get seasoned from the inside.
Spicy Vodka Pasta (30 Minute Recipe)
DifficultyEasy
Servings4
Prep time10 minutes
Cook time20 minutes
Total time30 minutes
A classic weeknight pasta recipe that will take you 30 minutes from start to finish.
I love this recipe simply because it requires minimal ingredients, but tastes incredible.
Ingredients
- 6 oz Can Tomato Paste
- 1/2 Medium White Onion
- 4 Cloves Garlic
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/3 Cup Vodka
- 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
- 12 Oz Pasta of Choice
- 2 Tbsp Salt
- 1/4 Fresh Basil, Chopped
Instructions
- 1
Mince the garlic and onions.
- 2
In a large pan, add the olive oil, red pepper flakes and minced garlic. Add these before turning on the heat to start infusing the oil. Sauté for 3-4 minutes on medium.
- 3
Add the onions and cook for another 2 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
- 4
Add in the entire can of tomato paste and cook for 4-5 minutes. You want to cook off the tomato paste to avoid the processed flavor.
- 5
On a low or off heat, add the vodka and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes.
- 6
Add the heavy cream and stir in completely. Take the sauce off the heat.
- 7
Boil the pasta according to the package. Heavily salt the pasta water. (You can do this during the sauce making process, but don’t overcook the pasta.) Save a whole cup or two of the pasta water right before the pasta is done cooking.
- 8
Start heating up the sauce again and add in the cooked pasta. Also add the pasta water periodically while stirring. You want a emulsified sauce, but not too thick from the tomato paste. I used around 1 1/2 cup.
- 9
Garnish with basil and optional parmesan cheese! Enjoy hot!
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