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    Home > Blog > Quick & Easy > The Best Vodka Sauce Recipe

    The Best Vodka Sauce Recipe

    by Jenny Park · Published: Apr 8, 2021 · Modified: Apr 22, 2024

    Jump to Recipe
    The Best Vodka Sauce Recipe you'll ever make and in under 30 minutes! It's so easy to make, creamy, smooth and absolutely delicious. It's the perfect weeknight meal for busy nights!
    heaping bowl of finished rotini tossed in vodka sauce, topped with Parmesan and black pepper with fork off to side and small bowls of crushed red pepper flakes and more grated Parmesan

    I LOVE this pasta with Vodka Sauce Recipe so much! It takes less than 30 minutes to whip up, with just a handful of basic ingredients! It’s a favorite in my household and on regular dinner rotation! It’s the best dinner to whip up on busy weeknights, when you want to get a delicious dinner on the table with minimal effort.

    What Does Vodka Sauce Taste Like?

    Our homemade vodka sauce has a bright, creamy, slightly acidic and subtly peppery flavor.

    Purpose of Vodka in Vodka Sauce

    The vodka helps to balance out the tomato paste and heavy cream in the sauce. It creates a subtle, peppery heat and almost herbaceous brightness to the sauce.

    How to Make Our Vodka Sauce Recipe

    Ingredients

    Vodka sauce ingredients all laid on a kitchen counter.

    Process

    1. First cook pasta in a large pot of well salted water to al dente doneness.
    2. Drain pasta, reserving some of the pasta water. You’ll add this to the sauce.
    3. Place a skillet over medium heat and sauté shallots and garlic in some oil.
    Pasta for Vodka Sauce in a collander with a measuring cup next to it full of reserved pasta water.
    Sautéd garlic and shallots in a skillet.
    1. Add tomato paste and stir together. You want the tomato paste to turn a deep red color.
    2. Deglaze pan with vodka and stir together for a few minutes.
    Tomato pasta and shallots with garlic in a skillet to make Vodka Sauce.
    Vodka with tomato paste cooking in a skillet.
    1. Stir in reserved pasta water and simmer sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
    2. Stir in cream and simmer for a few minutes.
    3. Stir in grated Parmesan and butter until sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.
    A skillet of vodka sauce simmering.
    Vodka sauce with butter and parmesan in a skillet ready to be stirred in.
    1. Add cooked pasta and toss together until well coated.
    2. Top with more Parmesan and serve!
    Pasta added to a skillet of vodka sauce with salt and pepper.
    A skillet full of pasta and vodka sauce.

    Tools You Will Need

    • large pot
    • knife
    • cutting board
    • large skillet
    • colander
    • wooden spoon
    • liquid measuring cup
    Glossy vodka sauce up close with pasta.

    The Best Pasta to Pair with Our Vodka Sauce

    Shaped Pasta

    I like using a shaped pasta for this dish, specifically rotini, because I like how the small spirals pick up the sauce so well. Other great options are:

    • penne
    • bow tie
    • cavatappi
    • gemelli
    • campanelle
    • radiatori

    Strand Pasta

    If shaped pastas aren’t your favorite, I highly recommend fusilli col buco which is a great strand pasta that also picks up the sauce really well! Other great options are:

    • bucatini
    • mafalda
    • tagliatelle
    • capellini
    • linguine
    A close up of a bowl of fusilli pasta with vodka sauce and a fork.

    Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions

    Make Ahead

    The pasta can be cooked and stored in an airtight container up to 3 days ahead of time. The sauce can be made up to 5 days ahead of time and also stored in an airtight container (separate from the sauce) until ready to use.

    When ready to serve, pour sauce into a large saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 10 minutes. Stir pasta into sauce and continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes until pasta has heated through. Serve.

    Freezing

    The pasta can be made, stored in an airtight container and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in refrigerator and stir into heated sauce until completely heated through.

    To freeze sauce ahead of time, make sauce until it’s time to add cream. Cool completely, then store partially made sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw sauce in refrigerator. Heat sauce in a saucepan until heated through, then stir in cream and simmer. Adjust seasonings before adding pasta and tossing together. Simmer until heated through and serve. 

    A close up of fusilli pasta with vodka sauce on a fork.

    Variations for Our Vodka Sauce

    • Get veggies into the sauce! Some of our favorites are spinach, kale, broccoli, and asparagus.
    • Add protein! Precooked shredded or chopped chicken is one of our favorite things to add to the sauce.
    • Garbanzo or white beans can also be added for a vegetarian friendly protein.
    • Add herbs! I love adding some torn basil or thinly sliced chives to the sauce to change things up.
    • Add heat by stirring some crushed red pepper flakes into the dish.
    • Make a vodka free option! That’s right this sauce can be made sans alcohol. Water with a squeeze of lemon juice can replace the vodka. It won’t give you quite the same peppery flavor, but it will help to bring out the acidity in the tomato paste.
    Click here for our Pasta & Noodles Recipe Collection
    Bowls of fusilli pasta with vodka sauce and forks.

    More Pasta Recipes You Will Love

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      One Pot Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe
    • Cajun shrimp pasta recipe in a bowl with a fork on the side.
      Cajun Shrimp Pasta
    • A close up of a swirled pile of cacio e pepe.
      Cacio e Pepe Recipe

    Want a yummy salad to pair with our vodka sauce recipe? We’ve got you covered:

    An everything bagel seasoning wedge salad in a bowl.
    Everything Seasoning Wedge Salad
    A close up of a wedge salad on a turquoise plate.
    Classic Wedge Salad
    Classic caesar salad recipe in a blue serving dish.
    Classic Caesar Salad

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    A close up of a bowl of fusilli pasta with vodka sauce and a fork.

    The Best Vodka Sauce Recipe

    4.98 from 440 votes
    PRINT RECIPE Pin Recipe
    The Best Vodka Sauce Recipe you'll ever make and in under 30 minutes! It's so easy to make, creamy, smooth and absolutely delicious. It's the perfect weeknight meal for busy nights!
    RECIPE BY Teri & Jenny
    Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 22 minutes mins
    Total Time: 27 minutes mins
    Servings: 3

      INGREDIENTS  

    • 8 oz dry rotini (or pasta shape of choice)

    vodka sauce

    • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 large shallot minced
    • 2 garlic cloves minced
    • ⅔ cup tomato paste
    • 3 tbsp vodka
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
    • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
    • salt and pepper to taste

      INSTRUCTIONS  

    • Fill a large pot with water, place over high heat and bring to a boil. Add a small handful salt to water and add pasta.
    • Cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 6 to 8 minutes.
    • Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water, and set both aside.
    • Place a large skillet over medium heat. Once skillet is hot add oil and sauté shallots and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes, or until aromatics begin to slightly caramelize.
    • Add tomato paste and stir together. Continue to stir until paste turns bright red,2 to 3 minutes.
    • Deglaze skillet with vodka and stir together until vodka evaporates. Add reserved pasta water to skillet and stir together until smooth, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
    • Stir cream into sauce until mixture is smooth. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer together, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in butter and Parmesan and continue to simmer until sauce is smooth, glossy and has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes.
    • Add cooked pasta to sauce and toss together until fully coated. Season with salt and pepper.
    • Serve with more grated Parmesan and black pepper.

      NOTES  

    Make Ahead: 
    The pasta can be cooked and stored in an airtight container up to 3 days. The sauce can be made up to 5 days ahead of time and also stored in an airtight container (separate from the sauce) until ready to use.

    When ready to serve, pour sauce into a large saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 10 minutes. Stir pasta into sauce and continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes until pasta has heated through. Serve.
    Freeze Ahead: 
    The pasta can be made, stored in an airtight container and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in refrigerator and stir into heated sauce until completely heated through.

    To freeze sauce ahead of time, make sauce until it’s time to add cream. Cool completely, then store partially made sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw sauce in refrigerator. Heat sauce in a saucepan until heated through, then stir in cream and simmer. Adjust seasonings before adding pasta and tossing together. Simmer until heated through and serve. 
    Calories: 861kcal Carbohydrates: 72g Protein: 20g Fat: 52g Saturated Fat: 27g Cholesterol: 140mg Sodium: 764mg Potassium: 862mg Fiber: 5g Sugar: 10g Vitamin A: 2421IU Vitamin C: 15mg Calcium: 289mg Iron: 3mg
    CUISINE: Italian, Italian-american
    KEYWORD: pasta recipe, pasta sauce, vodka sauce
    COURSE: dinner, Main Course

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    April 8, 2021 / 108 Comments

    About Jenny Park

    Jenny Park is half of Spoon Fork Bacon. She is also a food stylist and recipe developer. One of her favorite foods is donuts. #sfbJENNY

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    Reader Interactions

    April 8, 2021 / 108 Comments

    Comments

      4.98 from 440 votes (372 ratings without comment)

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    1. Michelle

      June 18, 2025 at 10:26 am

      5 stars
      I have been using this recipe for a little bit. I’m going to add pancetta and peas today and instead of Parmesan I’m going to use pecorini Romano :-) this is the easiest and best vodka sauce recipe I have tried, compared to others

      Reply
    2. Marie

      June 13, 2025 at 2:05 pm

      5 stars
      I don’t often write reviews but I had to make an exception for this one. Wow! I love vodka sauce and have had my fair share of great ones but this was easily the best recipe I’ve done. Thank you so much for sharing, highly recommend giving it a try!

      Reply
    3. Brittany

      June 07, 2025 at 4:42 pm

      5 stars
      Yep, this is it, no need to scroll around for other recipes. Perfect vodka sauce.

      Reply
    4. Melissa

      May 29, 2025 at 10:01 am

      5 stars
      Excellent recipe! Simple to make with ingredients I usually have in the pantry. This is now my go-to pasta sauce recipe.

      Reply
    5. Jerri

      April 12, 2025 at 7:43 pm

      Hi. Having a crowd tomorrow. Making 20 servings. How can I make ahead so I can put on stern trays in the afternoon without cooking it again.

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        April 13, 2025 at 11:01 am

        Hi Jerri! I recommend keeping the pasta + sauce separate until you’re ready to serve. I would also save extra pasta water. While reheating sauce (add sauce to stern trays first), stir in extra pasta water as needed if sauce is too thick. Once warm gently fold in pasta until fully coated and warmed.

        Reply
    6. Sumedha

      April 10, 2025 at 8:50 pm

      5 stars
      Okay this is actually the very best vodka sauce. I’m so impressed!! Added pasta water when serving!!

      Reply
    7. Margaret

      April 04, 2025 at 4:06 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious and easy! Thank you!

      Reply
    8. Chanel

      March 29, 2025 at 2:28 pm

      5 stars
      I always go for the reviews when making something new in my home and this one was a home run hit!!! I mixed in crab meat, shrimp, and scallops. To say this was delicious would be a major understatement!!! This is definitely a keeper for us!

      Reply
    9. Emily

      March 20, 2025 at 9:30 am

      I’m going to make this for 12 people (instead of paying $100 for a full catering tray!) for a bday party I’m hosting. Do you think some finely diced pancetta would be good in this vodka sauce?

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        March 30, 2025 at 1:31 pm

        Hi! I think pancetta sounds delicious in the vodka sauce! I would just limit the amount of salt you add to the sauce, since pancetta itself is pretty salty.

        Reply
    10. Shelly

      March 08, 2025 at 8:20 pm

      5 stars
      Holy mother of pearl what did I just make??? This sauce is INSANE and so freaking simple. Can I give it 10 stars?? I can’t get over how incredible this is. I literally wanted to just dip crusty bread in it and go to town. I omitted the vodka and added mild Italian sausage. Thank you for this!

      Reply
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    The Best Homemade Vodka Sauce
    Close on a bowl of vodka sauce with a fork in the pasta.
    Two bowls of vodka sauce pasta with parmesan and a fork in it.
    A skillet full of vodka sauce and pasta.
    Close up on saucy vodka sauce with pasta.
    A fork with some vodka sauce on it.
    Close up on one bowl of vodka sauce with pasta.
    A bowl of vodka sauce pasta with a fork.
    A bowl of pasta water and rotini.

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