Spicy Pasta Alla Vodka

Here's the low-down on the quintessential dish of Italian origin. and how to whip it up as boozy and spicy as you like. In less than thirty minutes. If you eat a low-carb, gluten-free, or vegan diet all the substitutions are here. Buon appetito!

Jump to:

• The Story
• On Vodka
• The Effects of Alcohol on Food
• The Alcohol Myth
• The Ingredients
• Tomatoes vs Tomato Paste
• On Pasta
• The Method
• Dietary Variations
• Edible Epilogue
• 📖 Recipe
• More Dinners
• 💬 Reviews

The Story

I'll freely and proudly admit that when vodka pasta sauce became a viral sensation, I had to Google who the model was in the video. And while I imagined her hailing from the Mediterranean shores of Sicily or the like, I was severely disappointed.

Then I read she doesn't even use vodka in her vodka sauce in the video.
We can do better, people.

On Vodka

I love it when any celebrity promotes cooking from scratch. And I love that the ingredients for pasta alla vodka are neither expensive nor out of reach for most home cooks. If you abstain from alcohol for any reason, you can certainly simmer a wonderful, delicious tomato sauce without vodka. Here's a marinara sauce that incorporates fennel, which is a favorite among my clients. But the vodka (or any alcohol) serves a bigger purpose aside from saucing up your sauce, so to speak.

The Effects of Alcohol on Food

When you cook or bake with any type of alcohol, you are adding a flavor enhancer.
And not just the flavor of whichever booze you choose. It acts as an emulsifier, which keeps the heavy cream and liquid in the tomatoes from separating during cooking. Two substances that would not normally take a ride together on the merry-go-round.

So instead of a potentially curdled sauce, you get a thicker, smoother one. This is also the science at work behind adding wine to fondue, it keeps the fat and water content of the cheese homogenous (smooth and happy).

According to Harold McGee, an absolute authority on food science, the alcohol also extracts and brings new aromas and essences to the party that would otherwise be uninvited. If you enjoy deep-diving into cooking science, I highly recommend McGee's book On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen (not an affiliate link). Too much alcohol will certainly overwhelm a dish, but the right amount creates that thing that makes you go Mmmmm.

The Alcohol Myth

Fair warning, unless you simmer a sauce or cook a dish for hours, as much as 75% of the alcohol content of the vodka (or wine, etc.) can remain in the dish. Here's a handy reference for how much the alcohol actually "burns off" during cooking.

In many pasta alla vodka recipes, the tomato sauce is only simmered about the length of time it takes to boil the pasta. So the end result will have a decent amount of alcohol. My best guess would be around 50% of its original alcohol percentage. But don't quote me on this one, just know if you serve it to the children, you may be in for an interesting night.

The Ingredients

Whether you are looking to exactly replicate viral approaches to the dish, or whip up an authentic penne alla vodka that would make Lidia Bastianich proud, the ingredients are fairly straightforward.

Ingredient Tips

• Bacon vs Pancetta. Pancetta is the native Italian choice, bacon is delicious because it's, well, bacon! Most American bacon lends a smoky essence, which is absent in pancetta. Either can be a tasty way to work a balance of umami flavor into spicy pasta alla vodka.
• Shallots vs Onions. Onions are the classic choice, but shallots offer a more mild, sweeter flavor. To pack the most punch, use both!
• Types of cheeses. Any aged, hard Italian cheese like Parmesan that you happen to have on hand will be a salty, savory, and mildly pungent flavor to cut through the richness of the creamy sauce. Parmiggiano Reggiano, Grano Padano and Pecorino Romano are ones to look for at the market.
• Herbs. Use fresh basil. Or dried oregano. Whichever you have, love, or are interested and willing to spend money to buy. Fresh basil, parsley, and dried oregano, or a combination of the three, will give you the most classic Italian flavors.

Tomatoes vs Tomato Paste

Using whole San Marzano tomatoes that you blend or crush yourself will lend the most flavor and authenticity. Tomato paste is handy, inexpensive, and will result in a thicker, sweeter sauce. You may find that a sauce with tomato paste will require a bit more of the pasta cooking water to loosen up to a nice consistency.

This version calls for both tomato paste and canned whole tomatoes, but you can certainly adjust the amounts to your liking. There are a variety of ways to use whole or crushed tomatoes in a sauce.

I recommend blending whole San Marzano tomatoes with the juices to a smooth consistency before cooking. I find it results in a smooth sauce and keeps the cooking process moving once you light the fires.

If you like a chunkier sauce, skip blending entirely and crush the tomatoes in the pan as the sauce simmers (or use a can of crushed tomatoes, not whole). You can also add the whole tomatoes to the pan, simmer them with the aromatics, then purée the ingredients all together before tossing the pasta in the sauce.

On Pasta

Penne pasta is one of the best dates for a thicker tomato ditty such as this spicy vodka sauce. But any tubular or ribbed pasta will attract luscious mouthfuls of thick and creamy sauce. Orecchiette, ribbed little pasta "ears", are not a traditional vehicle for tomato-based sauces but are a trendy choice.

The Method

The spicy, creamy, piquant tomato sauce for pasta alla vodka is a quick-fired, one-pan ditty. The ingredients are added in succession every couple of minutes, and the final sauce is simmered in about the time it takes to boil pasta.

The Steps

1. Begin by browning the bacon or pancetta in the pan with a bit of olive oil, then remove the bacon and set it aside.
2. Add the red pepper flakes, garlic, shallots, and/or onions, along with a pinch or two of salt.
3. Once the aromatic vegetables are lightly browned, add the tomato paste and cook a minute or two. Add the blended (or crushed) canned tomatoes and vodka, and bring the sauce to a simmer until it just begins to thicken.
4. Add the heavy cream, and whisk or stir well to combine.
5. Finish the sauce with fresh herbs, butter, and a tiny more vodka, if you dare. Don't forget to taste the sauce to check for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to your liking. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water from the pasta pot to thin it out.

Dietary Variations

The sauce is naturally free from starch. For a gluten-free dish, simply cook your favorite gluten-free pasta.

Dairy-free or Vegan. If you eat a dairy-free diet, omit the butter and substitute the heavy cream with your favorite alternative. To keep it vegan, ditch the bacon or pancetta, obviously. Use olive oil to coat the pan for sautéing the garlic, shallots, or onions.

Low-Carb Chicken Thighs in Vodka Sauce. If you strive for a lower-carb or ketogenic diet, you certainly don't want to partake in pasta. But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a spicy vodka sauce over a roasted chicken thigh or mixed into your meatballs. Simmer seared, bone-in chicken thighs in the sauce and serve with roasted vegetables and dollops of fresh burrata or loads of shredded Parmesan. Or simmer meatballs in the finished sauce. Save garnishing with fresh herbs until the meatballs or chicken are fully cooked.

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Edible Epilogue

Whichever cheese you choose, or whether you go with tomato paste or the more traditional San Marzanos, you'll have an inspiring, boozy dinner on the table in 25 minutes or less.

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📖 Recipe

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