Serves: 4
Prep + cook time: ~25 minutes
Style: creamy, restaurant-style pasta
🛒 Ingredients
- 400 g pasta (rigatoni or penne work best)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup (120 ml) vodka
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- ½ tsp chili flakes (adjust to taste)
- ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil, for serving
👩🍳 Instructions
- Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain. - Build the base
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. - Tomato paste & vodka
Add the tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it deepens in color. Pour in the vodka and simmer for about 2 minutes, allowing the alcohol to cook off. - Make it creamy
Lower the heat and stir in the cream, chili flakes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. - Combine with pasta
Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. If needed, loosen the sauce with a splash of reserved pasta water. - Finish & serve
Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan cheese. Serve immediately, topped with fresh basil and extra cheese if desired.
📝 Notes & Tips
- Rigatoni holds the sauce best, but penne or fusilli work well too.
- The vodka enhances the tomato flavor — it doesn’t make the dish taste alcoholic.
- For extra richness, finish with a knob of butter before serving.
You may also like: Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
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