Pasta alla Vodka
A silky, blush-pink tomato cream sauce built on caramelized tomato paste, sweet shallot, and a splash of vodka that sharpens the flavors. Tossed with rigatoni and Parmesan, it comes together in about 35 minutes.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Makes
- 4 generous servings (about 6 cups pasta with sauce)
Steps
Before you start
- Grate the Parmesan fresh from a block; pre-grated cheese can make the sauce grainy.
- Measure everything before you start. The sauce moves quickly once the shallot is in the pan.
- Turn off any open flame or gas burner before adding vodka, and pour it away from the pan's edge; keep the pan from flaring by measuring the vodka in a cup first rather than pouring from the bottle.
- Start the pasta water while you sauté so the pasta finishes just as the sauce does.
Boil pasta water
- Fill a 6-quart (5.5 L) pot with 4 quarts (4 L) of water, add about 1 tablespoon kosher salt, cover, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
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Ready when: Large, rapid bubbles break the surface continuously
Tip: Salt the water generously; it is the main seasoning for the pasta itself.
Sweat the aromatics
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and butter in a 12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet over medium heat until the butter foams.
- Add the minced shallot and a pinch of salt.
- Cook, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
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Ready when: Shallot is soft and translucent with no browning; garlic smells fragrant but is not colored
Tip: If the garlic browns it turns bitter. Lower the heat if anything colors.
Caramelize tomato paste
- Add the tomato paste and red pepper flakes.
- Cook, stirring and pressing the paste against the pan, for 3 to 4 minutes.
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Ready when: Paste darkens from bright red to brick or rust color and smells sweet and toasty, with oil separating at the edges
Tip: This step removes the raw, tinny taste of the paste, so don't rush it.
Add vodka and reduce
- Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Pour in the vodka, return to medium heat, and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.
- Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, to cook off the harsh alcohol smell.
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Ready when: Liquid is reduced by about two-thirds, looks thick and syrupy, and no longer smells sharply of alcohol
Tip: Always take the pan off the heat before adding alcohol, especially on gas, as the vapors can flare.
Simmer with tomatoes
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Sauce has thickened to a spoonable consistency and a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a clear trail
Cook the pasta
- While the sauce simmers, add the rigatoni to the boiling water and stir well.
- Cook 1 minute less than the package directions, usually 10 to 12 minutes, so it is very firm.
- Scoop out 1 cup (240 ml) of pasta water, then drain.
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Ready when: Pasta is flexible and mostly tender but still has a firm, slightly chalky center when bitten
Tip: Reserve the pasta water before draining; its starch helps the sauce cling.
Add the cream
- Reduce the sauce heat to low.
- Slowly stir in the heavy cream until the sauce turns a uniform, creamy salmon-pink.
- Warm gently for 2 minutes without letting it boil.
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Ready when: Sauce is smooth, evenly pink, and steams gently with only tiny bubbles at the edge
Tip: Boiling after the cream goes in can cause the sauce to break and look oily.
Toss pasta and sauce
- Add the drained pasta and 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the pasta water to the skillet.
- Sprinkle in the Parmesan in two additions, tossing over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until the pasta finishes cooking in the sauce.
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Ready when: Sauce is glossy and coats the pasta in a velvety layer; pasta is al dente with a slight bite
Tip: If the sauce looks tight or clumpy, add more pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time.
Season and serve
- Taste and adjust with salt and plenty of black pepper.
- Divide among four warm bowls, top with torn basil and extra Parmesan, and serve right away.
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Ready when: Sauce tastes balanced: rich, slightly sweet, with gentle heat and enough salt
Tip: The sauce thickens quickly as it cools, so serve immediately.
Good to know
Tips
- Caramelizing the tomato paste until brick-red is the biggest flavor builder in this sauce.
- Slightly undercook the pasta so it finishes in the sauce and absorbs flavor.
- Add cream at low heat and avoid boiling to keep the sauce silky and unbroken.
- Add grated Parmesan off the high heat in two additions to keep it from clumping.
Make ahead
"The sauce through step 5 (before the cream) can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Reheat gently, then add the cream and continue from step 7."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 3 days. Freezer: sauce alone (without pasta) freezes up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat over low heat in a skillet with a splash of water or milk, stirring often, until hot and creamy."
Substitutions
- vodka → Water or low-sodium chicken broth plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Gives a non-alcoholic version; the flavor will be slightly softer and less bright.
- large shallot → 1/2 small yellow onion, finely minced. Slightly stronger flavor; cook an extra minute or two until soft.
- heavy cream → Half-and-half or full-fat coconut cream. Half-and-half gives a lighter sauce and is more prone to splitting, so keep the heat low.
- dried rigatoni or penne → Penne, ziti, or shells. Any short tubular or ridged pasta holds the sauce well; keep the same weight.
