Spicy Vodka Pasta (VIDEO)

Spicy Vodka pasta in a bowl with basil and parmesan cheese.

5 from 4 votes

This super delicious Spicy Vodka Pasta (just like Carbone or the viral Gigi Hadid pasta!) is a wonderful weeknight meal you can whip up in minutes! Add some chicken or shrimp for a heartier meal for the whole family!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: Chris Joe

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
1 shallot medium, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic grated
12 oz tomato paste
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 tbsp vodka
1.5 cup heavy cream
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb pasta I like a curved or tube pasta like Rigatoni, Cascatelli, or Mezzi Rigatoni
2 oz parmesan cheese freshly grated
2 tbsp unsalted butter unsalted
2-3 sprigs basil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large pan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallot, grated garlic, and crushed red pepper. Cook and sweat until fragrant (about 2-3 minutes) being careful not to brown the shallor or garlic.
Add the tomato paste, season with salt and pepper, and cook until dark red and caramelized, about 5 minutes.
Add vodka to deglaze the pot and cook for 1-2 minutes until the alcohol has cooked off. Add the heavy cream and mix to combine.
In a separate large pot of boiling water, salt the pasta water (I use 1 tbsp of kosher salt per quart of water) and cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. Strain from the water and immediately add it to sauce along with any water that comes with the pasta as you transfer it.
Add a 1/2 ladle of pasta water, parmesan, butter and fresh basil and mix over low heat until the pasta is glossy and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately with more parmesan and enjoy!

Video

Notes

vodka - Don't be scared of the vodka in this recipe! It will get cooked off and will NOT leave any kind of alcoholic taste. The vodka keeps the cream from separating and adds depth to the sauce and concentrates the flavors.
tomato paste - I use tomato paste and not canned tomatoes because tomato paste is more concentrated (making this sauce extra flavorful) and the texture is smoother/creamier with paste (versus tomatoes).
pasta - I used cascatelli but you can use any pasta of your choice - I recommend using a short pasta that has ridges to pick up as much sauce.
crushed red pepper flakes - adjust this to your spice preference.
parmesan cheese - grate your own cheese for best results.

Pasta Water - Save your pasta water! The sauce will thicken over time, especially when mixed with the pasta, so save some of the pasta water to loosen as needed and create the creamy consistency you want just before serving.

Serve in Warmed Bowls - This is such a small but impactful thing - serve your pasta in warmed bowls! I always recommend this for sauces with cream or parmesan cheese, as the sauce will thicken faster when sitting in a cold bowl. How I warm up bowls is with the leftover hot pasta water (or use fresh hot water, if you don't have enough) and then dump the water out right before serving (to keep my bowl warmed for as long as possible).

Nutrition