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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: Aug 18, 2022

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

    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

    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

    • Capellini with Garlic, Lemon and Parmesan
    • One Pot Fettuccine Alfredo
    • Cacio e Pepe
    • Cajun Shrimp Pasta
    • Bolognese Sauce

    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

    Check out our Vodka Sauce Google Web Story.

    YouTube video

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

    The Best Vodka Sauce Recipe

    5 from 228 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 mins
    Cook Time: 22 mins
    Total Time: 27 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 / 61 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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    April 8, 2021 / 61 Comments

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    1. Mercedes

      March 03, 2023 at 9:04 am

      5 stars
      Love this recipe! so delicious! I add roasted broccoli before adding the noodles and let it simmer for 10 min and then add pasta. *chefs kiss*

      Reply
    2. Tori

      February 27, 2023 at 5:01 pm

      5 stars
      Made with light cream and was so happy with the flavorful and satisfying result. Not too acidic like some of the renditions I have had in the past. Definitely would make again!

      Reply
    3. Rach

      January 17, 2023 at 4:14 am

      Can I substitute half and half for heavy cream?

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        January 17, 2023 at 9:15 am

        Yes! The sauce may be slightly thinner, but that’s about it

        Reply
    4. Lee

      December 21, 2022 at 7:02 pm

      5 stars
      This is a really good recipe, I did not follow it 100% but the basis of how it is put together is absolutely perfect. My mods came in the form of adding 1.5 tsp dried basil (fresh would be better and added with the water) 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes for spice, and 1/4 tsp smoked paprika for a depth of flavor. I also used only 1/3 cup tomato paste and 7 oz of tomato sauce. Came out amazing and used it on tom of Rana lobster ravioli which complemented the cream sauce like no other. Thx

      Reply
    5. Danni

      November 10, 2022 at 5:47 pm

      Love this recipe! I’ve made it a few times and this time I tried adding an extra splash of vodka just before adding the heavy cream. Gives the sauce a sharper bite :)

      Reply
    6. B

      October 06, 2022 at 8:23 pm

      Can you make this ahead of time and freeze and if so would you omit the pasta water until you are ready to use it

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        October 07, 2022 at 8:44 am

        Hi! Yes you can! All of that information is in our post above, under the “make ahead and freezing instructions” section

        Reply
    7. Theresa

      September 23, 2022 at 8:33 am

      4 stars
      It was very good but I did add some Italian seasoning during cooking. Also I sautéed chicken strips in the skillet first and then added that back in at the end. I also folded in spinach at the end. My family loved it. I will say if you like saucy pasta double it for the number of people you feeding.

      Reply
    8. Sarah

      September 17, 2022 at 8:11 pm

      5 stars
      I was craving vodka sauce (which I’ve never made) and Googled a recipe. Choose this one based on the preview and just went for it without reading any reviews or looking at any other recipes. WOW! I was not disappointed. Quick, easy, delicious, and basically perfect. Thanks for a great recipe!

      Reply
    9. Richard

      July 26, 2022 at 9:52 am

      Can you substitute canned San Marzano tomatoes instead of tomato paste?
      What would the conversion be?

      Reply
    10. Breanne

      July 13, 2022 at 4:57 pm

      5 stars
      I love vodka sauce but haven’t made the recipe yet. I’m nervous, does the vodka cause a flame when added to the pan?

      Reply
      • Teri Lyn Fisher

        July 13, 2022 at 7:23 pm

        Not unless it touches fire! I’ve never had that happen and Ive made it a bunch of times! Just make sure your flame isn’t too high when you add the vodka. You can also turn the heat off when you add the vodka, then turn the heat back on after you stir it into the mixture :)

        Reply
    11. Tina

      February 22, 2022 at 4:53 pm

      5 stars
      Holy moly. This is one of the most delicious sauces I’ve ever had. I doubled the recipe and added red pepper flakes for heat but otherwise it was honestly delicious.

      Reply
    12. Cat

      February 16, 2022 at 6:29 am

      This looks delicious, I can’t wait to try it. Does the alcohol cook out of the sauce by the time it’s done or should this be made without Vodka if it’s being served to children?

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        February 16, 2022 at 7:55 am

        It definitely cooks off, but if you’re worried you can omit it with delicious results!

        Reply
    13. Jay

      February 07, 2022 at 5:52 am

      5 stars
      I don’t usually post reviews on recipes but I just had to support this AMAZING recipe! Very easy to work with and few ingredients, tastes like restaurant quality!

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        February 07, 2022 at 10:53 am

        So happy you enjoyed this one!

        Reply
    14. Lisa

      January 25, 2022 at 3:02 pm

      5 stars
      In all the years I’ve been making different vodka sauce recipes, it never once occurred to me to make it with tomato paste. Quick, easy and delicious. Got rave reviews from the whole family. Didn’t have a shallot or onions in the house so I used a tiny bit of scallion flakes. Otherwise followed the recipe to a T. Will make this again- thanks!

      Reply
    15. Shannon

      January 19, 2022 at 7:12 am

      Is the nutritional content per serving?

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        January 19, 2022 at 11:01 am

        Yes!

        Reply
      • Victoria

        March 01, 2022 at 9:14 am

        If quadrupling this recipe for big family dinner, should the half cup pasta reserve water be quadrupled as well? Or can it be omitted altogether?

        Reply
        • Jenny Park

          March 02, 2022 at 7:58 am

          Hi! You may not need 2 cups, but i would still reserve some pasta water (about 1 to 1 1/2 cups) and stir it into the sauce as needed to get a better sauce consistency.

          Reply
    16. Tammy

      January 16, 2022 at 3:35 pm

      5 stars
      Just made this and I will definitely make it again! Easy to follow instructions, not a lot of ingredients or prep involved!

      Reply
    17. Nick

      January 03, 2022 at 6:04 pm

      5 stars
      This was one of the better versions I have had and both kids absolutely loved it. Going into the archives to be used again for sure.

      Reply
    18. Joselle

      December 14, 2021 at 3:43 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve made this twice now and it’s come out amazing both times. Flavor is great! Super easy to make. I’ll continue making it :)

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        December 14, 2021 at 4:15 pm

        So happy to hear that!

        Reply
    19. Paige

      November 10, 2021 at 6:19 pm

      5 stars
      Made this twice now…it is divine and speaks to my comfort food cravings. Second time around I threw a bag of raw spinach in. Next time I am thinking Ill sneak some shredded zucchini in there to keep it a one pot meal. Absolutely delicious!

      Reply
    20. Vicky

      August 09, 2021 at 4:56 pm

      5 stars
      Legitimately very tasty and easy! I agree, I think better than many restaurants. Served with a side of salmon. I think next time I could even add a little more pasta!

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        August 09, 2021 at 9:29 pm

        So happy you enjoyed this recipe!

        Reply
    21. Jamie

      July 07, 2021 at 3:49 pm

      5 stars
      This was delicious. My family said it tasted like a fancy restaurant dish!

      Reply
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