Nothing is as classic or more delicious than ordering your favorite pasta tossed in a decadent vodka sauce at a restaurant. With this easy homemade vodka sauce recipe, you can have your favorite Pasta alla Vodka at home, without the hassle of going out! Homemade vodka sauce is way easier than you think, and comes together in under 30 minutes, including boiling your favorite pasta.
Making delicious pasta at home is always a good idea, any time of year, especially when there's endless different types of pasta dishes to cook!
My pasta recipes like rigatoni fiorentina, my infamous cheesy pesto tortellini, and a classic baked ziti recipe are all classic, authentic, and continue to be some of my favorite meals to whip up during the week.
Jump to:
- Why you'll love this vodka sauce recipe
- What are the ingredients for this vodka sauce?
- How do I make this vodka sauce recipe?
- Swaps and Substitutions
- The best pasta shapes for this vodka sauce recipe
- Tips for making the best sauce
- How do I store this? Can I freeze it?
- Hungry for more?
- Did you like this recipe? Share it!
- Easy Homemade Vodka Sauce Recipe (Pasta alla Vodka)
Why you'll love this vodka sauce recipe
- It's freezer friendly and very easy to make a prep for another day.
- Versatile with many different pastas and proteins
- Can be made dairy free!
- Sauce from scratch means less ingredients, more whole foods.
What are the ingredients for this vodka sauce?
- Garlic - a classic aromatic that is important when making a from-scratch sauce.
- Shallot/Onion - shallots have such a delicious flavor, and when paired with garlic, it's one of the best fragrances ever.
- Tomato Paste - tomato paste gets combined with the garlic and shallot to begin to make the sauce.
- Tomato Sauce - just one 15oz can is enough. I prefer sauce over crushed tomatoes, but those will work too.
- Sugar - the sugar is a necessary component of this recipe, to add just a touch a sweetness to the overall sauce. Just a half of a tablespoon is all that's needed.
- Vodka - yes, we need vodka, this is vodka sauce after all!
- Half and Half - cream or half and half is important to add towards the end as traditional vodka sauce is a creamy pink, or blush, color.
- Salt and Pepper - just a little salt and pepper to flavor the overall dish.
See the recipe card below for specific information about quantities.
How do I make this vodka sauce recipe?
Step 1: Start by sautéing the cloves of garlic and chopped shallot until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste.
Step 2: Add in the tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and sugar. Let simmer for 4-5 minutes.
Step 3: Last, pour in the heavy cream and vodka. Continue to simmer on a low flame, and stir occasionally, approximately 10-15 minutes.
Step 4: Meanwhile, boil your pasta of choice to al dente. Using a slotted spoon or spider spatula, scoop the pasta from the water and add directly to the vodka sauce. Stir to coat all the pasta, then garnish with fresh grated parmesan cheese.
HINT: Add in a touch of pasta water to the sauce, as the starch from the pasta will help flavor and thicken the sauce.
Swaps and Substitutions
Looking for ways to vary or substitute some of the ingredients to make the recipe your own, here's what I would suggest:
- Pasta - Any gluten-free pasta will do here! I love Jovial, Banza, or Trader Joe's Brown Rice pasta are good options.
- Cream - use a coconut cream or a thicker almond or oat milk instead of half and half.
- Vodka - this recipe is based on using vodka within the sauce itself, but you can easily opt not to use any and it will be still just as yummy, but more of a blush or pink sauce sans vodka.
- Shallot - If you don't like shallots or can't find any, a medium-sized yellow (or even a sweet!) onion will do.
The best pasta shapes for this vodka sauce recipe
This is a great recipe to pair with just about any pasta, but specifically pasta with grooves so that it catches the sauce and holds onto it. Here are my favorite shapes:
- Cavatappi
- Rigatoni
- Fusilli
- Radiatore
- Penne
- Ziti
- Rocchetti (featured in this recipe)
- Elbows
Tips for making the best sauce
Here's some of my tried and true quick tips for making the best homemade vodka sauce without fail.
- Ladle the pasta directly into the sauce rather than straining and then adding it in. It helps to catch some of the pasta water directly into the sauce which gives the overall sauce more flavor.
- The sugar in the recipe is important. Don't skip this! It's just enough to make the sauce a touch sweet, which vodka sauce should have! All you need is a half of a tablespoon of sugar.
- Be sure to let the sauce simmer on a low flame for at least 10-15 minutes or until the sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon. We want the flavors to build, so don't rush this process.
- Looking for a protein? Pair this recipe with my deliciously crispy chicken cutlets for the ultimate family meal.
How do I store this? Can I freeze it?
To Store: Place any of the leftover sauce/pasta in an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days.
To Freeze: You can freeze the sauce by itself, or with the pasta together in a freezer-safe container and thaw the night before serving. Consume up to one month.
To Reheat: Sure, a microwave works, but I would suggest adding the pasta/sauce to a pan with a ¼ cup water, let it cook on a medium heat and stir frequently for 5-6 minutes or until warm.
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Easy Homemade Vodka Sauce Recipe (Pasta alla Vodka)
Equipment
- 1 frying pan
- 1 strainer or spider spatula
- wooden spoon or spatula
- 1 large pot for pasta
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium shallot minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 15 oz can of tomato sauce
- 1 shot vodka
- ½ cup half and half
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by sautéing the cloves of garlic and chopped shallot until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste.
- Add in the tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and sugar. Let simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- Last, pour in the heavy cream and vodka. Continue to simmer on a low flame, and stir occasionally, approximately 10-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, boil your pasta of choice to al dente. Using a slotted spoon or spider spatula, scoop the pasta from the water and add directly to the vodka sauce. Stir to coat all the pasta, then garnish with fresh grated parmesan cheese.
Sha Peace
can't wait to make for hubby it's his favorite
Stefanie Daley
This has to literally be my favorite vodka sauce recipe that I found on the Internet. I usually do a jarred sauce from Trader Joe’s or from the local Italian market, but I’ve always wanted to make my own and this one will definitely be the one that I make over and over again. Well done!
Denise R
EASY, SMOOTH, and has a ton of flavor. I made this on a whim for my husband and I and it is my favorite vodka sauce to date. I will be keeping this recipe on rotation.
Claire wyckoff
My god this recipe was incredible. It’s not a very heavy vodka sauce. Also not sweet, which originally I was like hmm should it have more sugar? But to be honest it was so balanced and the flavors all were so yummy! We didn’t use shallot just onion and it was still great!!!! I’ll be making it again just to freeze it!