The Best Vodka Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes vodka sauce better? ›

In a vodka sauce, the vodka helps maintain a cohesive texture, allowing the creaminess to meld with the tomato base. And sure, you could use wine to the same effect, but in a sauce as rich as vodka sauce, it's better to use a small amount of alcohol that will impart as little of its own flavor as possible.

When you are making a vodka sauce for your pasta, break open a less expensive bottle of Smirnoff or Finladia grapefruit vodka. These more budget-friendly options will work just as well and no one will be able to tell the difference!

Normally it includes real cream for richness but I'm using reduced-fat milk. Great news though, it still retains the decadent flavor of a regular recipe but with a fraction of the fat and calories. In addition, I've placed it over fiber rich whole wheat penne instead of white pasta.

If you're looking to make a creamy vodka spaghetti sauce, we highly recommend adding some Italian sausage or ground beef to the equation. The resulting dish is a deliciously meaty sauce perfect on its own or added to pasta of your choosing.

Adding the vodka to the sauce when there are only a handful of minutes left of cooking time ensures the sauce is neither overly boozy nor absent of the flavor-enhancing effects of the vodka.

Vodka sauce is a tomato-based sauce that's spiked with a hint of vodka for extra tanginess, then softened with a splash of heavy cream that gives the sauce a gorgeous reddish-orange color.

Well, it's really the sauce that's laced with vodka. A creamy, silky tomato sauce. Penne is classic for Pasta alla Vodka because it really holds on to the sauce.

Some of the most popular types of vodka include potato vodka, wheat vodka, and grape vodka. Most American vodkas are consumed mixed with other drinks or in co*cktails. Some people also drink it neat or on the rocks. American vodka typically has an abv of around 40%.

Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Pour in the tomato paste, along with the red pepper flakes, and cook it until the tomato paste turns a really dark red color, about 3 minutes. Add the vodka and let it sizzle and allow the vodka to cook off a bit, about 1 minute. Pour in the heavy cream and mix it until smooth.

Is vodka sauce a mix of marinara sauce and alfredo? No. Alfredo sauce mixed with marinara sauce is known as pink sauce. While pink sauce and vodka sauce are both types of tomato sauce, they are not the same thing.

Can I use sour cream instead of heavy cream? ›

Sour cream is an easy replacement for heavy cream. It can be easily stirred into a dish and offers another flavor profile to soups, stews and sauces. Plus, using it as a heavy cream substitute is a great way to use up that lingering tub in the fridge.

Sour cream can enhance both the taste and texture of your pasta sauce. It works in a similar manner to when you add heavy cream to a pasta sauce, only it imparts a lovely tart flavor that is irresistible to the palate. Sour cream is a dairy product that has been fermented with lactic acid.

Popular Dishes Using Vodka Sauce:

Penne with Chicken: You will almost always find a variation of this dish on any Italian restaurant menu. This dish combines tender penne pasta, chicken bites, and a rich vodka sauce. Vegetables can also be paired with the dish.

Cook until softened, 3-5 minutes. 4. Add in vodka and cook it until evaporated. This is where you'll cook off the alcohol content, so this recipe is completely safe for those who don't drink, are pregnant, or children.

Whatever its origins (with both Italy and New York making a claim), it's traditionally made with tomatoes, heavy cream, and of course, vodka. Additions like garlic and onion or shallots are fairly common, as is the addition of crushed red peppers to give the sauce a bit of kick on top of the vodka.

Serving Suggestions

While this is totally a meal on it's own, I love to serve this pasta alla vodka next to a protein such as chicken, rotisserie chicken, or even shrimp! It's also delicious with a side of garlic bread, roasted vegetables, or air fryer asparagus!

Contrastingly, premium vodka will place an emphasis on taste and texture by utilising different ingredients, production methods and distillation processes. The taste will be more refined, often with a neutral base alongside subtle hints of herbal or earthy tones.

Smoothness in vodka is a direct result of meticulous distillation and filtration processes. A smoother vodka indicates fewer impurities, resulting in a more refined and enjoyable drinking experience. The best vodkas are those that glide effortlessly over the palate, leaving a gentle warmth rather than a harsh burn.