We find it interesting how passionate people can be about food – in a wide variety of ways. Clearly we’re passionate enough to cook frequently and publish a blog. But, then there’s another level of passion and we often see it in Italian cuisine. Is it truly Italian or it Italian American or is it Olive Garden? Certain items like this Easy Homemade Vodka Sauce can spark such a debate. Here’s our stance… if it’s delicious the rest is just details. We went with that lead in to tell you we’re going to spare you yet again a lengthy history or backstory because we want to bring you the goods… and, this is SO GOOD.
This rosy colored sauce that many of us have undoubtedly encountered over the years is a simple tomato based sauce with cream and vodka. Of course it’s a little more than that but you can whip this up on a weeknight and we’ll show you how. Toss with some al dente penne pasta and you have yourself the classic Penne alla Vodka. Let’s show you how to get it done.
Here’s some light reading for you more inquisitive folks: https://foodicles.com/penne-vodka-history/
Preparation: Easy Homemade Vodka Sauce
As always, prep the ingredients out front. There isn’t much prep here and it’s in the recipe card below. Next pour yourself a cocktail if you’re into that sort of thing. You already have the vodka open for the sauce 😀
Melt the butter in a large skillet or sauce pan. Add the onions and crushed red pepper and cook on low/medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes or until onions begin to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 4 – 5 minutes, stirring occasionally (avoid burning the garlic).
Stir in the tomato paste while cooking another 2 – 3 minutes, mixing thoroughly.
Next, mix in the San Marzano tomatoes. Stir and crush tomatoes as they cook down, about 15 – 20 minutes.
Turn the heat to low and slowly stir in the cream. Stir in the cheese, reserving a small amount for topping if desired. Taste and add salt as needed (see notes). Then, add in the vodka and simmer for another minute or two.
Optional Step: Blend sauce for smoother texture or leave crushed for a more “rustic” texture/sauce.
Pair with your favorite pasta, such as rigatoni or penne. The popular choice seems to be penne as mentioned in the open but we think rigatoni is an even better option!
Cook the pasta – 3 minutes before al dente. Reserve about a cup of salted pasta water and drain. Toss pasta and half the water with sauce until well coated (see notes). If more water is needed gradually add to desired consistency. How easy was that? Save this one for future reference 😉
Equipment: Easy Homemade Vodka Sauce
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A quality set of pans is unquestionably one of the most essential items a home cook can have. For this dish we used a stainless steel saute pan. We love the All-Clad pans because they will last a lifetime if cared for making them far more valuable than any price tag. Take a look and see if this one may suit your needs (affiliate link)!
If you’re going to blend the sauce for an extra smooth texture we love Ninja blenders and food processors. They are ultra reliable and produce the results we’re looking for in the kitchen. If you’re in the market, here’s a good place to start (affiliate link):
If you liked that, try this…
- Homemade Pomodoro Sauce (from fresh tomatoes)
- Lamb and Turnip Ragu
- Fettuccini Bolognese
- Rigatoni San Giorgio
- Zucchini Lasagna
- Scallops Florentine
- Eggplant Lasagna
- Pollo Grigliato Ripieno (Stuffed Grilled Chicken)
- Rigatoni alla Puttanesca
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Easy Homemade Vodka Sauce
Equipment
- Skillet or Large Sauce Pan
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp. Butter, unsalted
- 1 Medium Sweet Onion, Diced
- ⅛ tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
- 2 – 3 cloves Garlic, thin sliced
- 1 can Tomato Paste, small 6 oz. can
- 1 can San Marzano Tomatoes, large, undrained 28 oz. can
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 tsp. Basil Leaves, torn Or ½ tsp. dried basil (what we had on hand)
- 2 – 3 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
- Salt, to taste
- ¼ cup Vodka
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large skillet or sauce pan. Add onions and crushed red pepper and cook on low/medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes or until onions begin to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 4 – 5 minutes (avoid burning garlic).
- Stir in tomato paste while cooking another 2 – 3 minutes, mixing thoroughly.
- Mix in San Marzano tomatoes. Stir and crush tomatoes as they cook down, about 15 – 20 minutes.
- Turn heat to low and slowly stir in cream. Stir in cheese, reserving a small amount for topping if desired. Taste and add salt as needed (see notes). Add in the vodka and simmer for another minute or two.Optional Step: Blend sauce for smoother texture or leave crushed for a more "rustic" texture/sauce.
- Pair with your favorite pasta, such as rigatoni or penne. Cook pasta – 3 minutes before al dente. Reserve about a cup of salted pasta water and drain. Toss pasta and half the water with sauce until well coated (see notes). If more water is needed gradually add to desired consistency.
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