Pasta Alla Vodka

This creamy vodka sauce comes together with pantry staples like tomato paste, garlic, onion, heavy cream, Parmesan, and, yes, a splash of vodka. Tossed with rigatoni, it’s rich, silky, and ready in about 30 minutes—perfect for a weeknight pasta dinner or an easy date-night meal.

Unlike recipes that start with crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, this version relies on double-concentrated tomato paste for deep tomato flavor and a glossy, velvety texture. A splash of vodka helps unlock the tomato paste’s full flavor, while a pinch of red pepper flakes adds subtle heat.

Freshly grated Parmesan melts seamlessly into the vodka sauce for an irresistibly smooth finish.

Tips for the best pasta alla vodka

• Use double-concentrated tomato paste. It delivers a richer tomato flavor than canned tomato sauce without making the sauce watery.
• Lower the heat before adding the cream. This helps prevent the sauce from separating and keeps it silky.
• Grate your Parmesan on the smallest holes of a box grater, not a Microplane. Finely grated cheese melts more smoothly into the sauce than larger shreds, while wispy shreds from a rasp-style grater can easily clump.
• Cook the pasta just shy of al dente. Finish it in the sauce with a splash of pasta water so the rigatoni absorbs the sauce instead of simply wearing it.
• Rigatoni is our favorite, but other short pasta works too. Penne, mezzi rigatoni, or paccheri are all excellent choices.

Do I have to use vodka? Vodka helps release flavor compounds in the tomato paste that water alone can’t, giving the sauce extra depth.

Most of the alcohol cooks off during simmering, but if you prefer to skip it, you can substitute water; the sauce will still be delicious, though slightly less complex. Or try this version:

Watch Molly make pasta alla vodka: Try this recipe with this expert pick from the Bon Appétit Wine Shop.

Recipe information

• Total Time 30 minutes
• Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

1

4 4

2 1 ½

2 ¾

1 Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

• Step 1Fill a stock pot or other large pot three-quarters full with water and heat over high. Toss in a handful of kosher salt and bring to a boil while you do your other prep. Step 2Peel and finely chop 1 medium onion. Step 3Firmly smash 4 garlic cloves with the flat side of a chef’s knife and remove peel. Step 4Grate 4 oz. Parmesan on the smallest holes of the box grater. Step 5Warm 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy large pot over medium heat (position it next to pot of water). Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, just until onion is starting to brown around the edges, 5–7 minutes. Step 6Add 1 (4.5-oz.) tube double-concentrated tomato paste and ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes and stir until paste evenly coats onion. Continue to cook, stirring often, until paste is deep red and starting to brown on bottom of pot, 5–7 minutes. Step 7Add 2 oz. (¼ cup) vodka to deglaze pan and stir to incorporate, scraping bottom of pot. Reduce heat to low. Step 8Using a heatproof glass measuring cup, scoop about ¼ cup boiling water from pot, then add
• ¾ cup heavy cream to measuring cup (this brings up the temperature of the cream so it won’t break when you add it to the pot).Step 9Slowly add warmed cream to Dutch oven, stirring constantly, until a smooth sauce forms. Remove from heat. Step 10Add 1 lb. rigatoni to pot of boiling salted water; cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. About 1 minute before the timer goes off, use heatproof measuring cup to scoop up about 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Heat Dutch oven over low. Step 11Using a spider, transfer rigatoni to Dutch oven along with any water that’s piggybacking on the pasta. Step 12Add ½ cup pasta cooking liquid to Dutch oven and stir to incorporate, then gradually add half of Parmesan, stirring constantly to melt cheese. You should have a smooth, glossy sauce that coats each piece of pasta. Season with salt and add a splash more pasta water to thin sauce, if needed. Step 13Divide pasta among bowls. Top with remaining Parmesan, dividing evenly. Drizzle with more oil, then tear basil leaves over. Editor’s note: This recipe was first printed online as “Rigatoni With Easy Vodka Sauce” in February 2018. Head this way for more of our very best pasta recipes →