Fusilli alla Vodka coated in an abundantly flavourful, rich, creamy and spicy tomato and vodka pasta sauce. A decadent 15-minute pasta recipe that packs a punch.
This smooth tomato cream sauce with punchy Parmesan and vodka to provide acidic complexity is perfect for spontaneous weeknight meals, dinner parties or a romantic night in. You'll love how the sauce settles into the ridges of fusilli pasta, but the sauce is also delicious with other short pasta shapes like penne, rigatoni and conchiglie.
For more speedy yet indulgent dinner-party worthy pasta dishes, check out my Black Squid Ink Spaghetti or Pasta in White Wine Sauce. Or for another creamy tomato pasta dish check out this Rosa Marina Soup.
The post contains additional information and helpful tips to ensure the recipe turns out great the first time. Please use the link above to jump to the recipe card at the end if you are in a hurry!
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3 reasons why you'll love this recipe:
- The tastiest tomato vodka cream sauce with punchy Parmesan and optional red pepper flakes for a hint of spice.
- Ready in just 15 minutes. There's always time for fusilli alla vodka.
- Adaptable. With lots of tweaks to suit your tastes, with or without vodka. Add optional red pepper flakes for a kick or omit them for a non-spicy sauce. Or pack in some protein by adding chicken or pancetta.
🛒 Key ingredients:
- Fusilli pasta: I have tested this sauce with several pasta shapes and fusilli was the winner. I love how the rich vodka sauce settles into the ridges.
- Tomato paste/puree: Brings rich tomatoey flavour and has a smooth texture.
- Vodka: Adds a punchy acidic flavour to the sauce.
- Heavy (or double cream): To add richness to the sauce.
- Grated Parmesan: To add a little punchy richness, plus extra to serve.
- Red pepper flakes: To add a kick. These are optional. Feel free to omit if you prefer a non-spicy dish.
- Dried oregano: Optional but recommended for bringing a hint of earthy herby flavour.
- Butter: Added at the end to bring more richness and smooth texture to the sauce.
- Reserved pasta water: This isn't an ingredient as such, but you must set aside a couple of cups of the pasta water before draining to add to the thick sauce to bring it to the desired consistency and make it smooth and glossy.
- Fresh parsley: To serve.
Substitutions:
Note that the recipe has not been tested with all the substitutions and variations below, so the results cannot be guaranteed.
- Fusilli pasta: Feel free to use another pasta shape. I prefer short pasta shapes with vodka tomato sauce. Penne, rigatoni and conchiglie are good options.
- Vodka: Switch with white wine, gin, or sake. For non-alcoholic options you can use chicken or veg stock or equal parts vinegar and lemon juice. You can also leave the vodka out, the sauce will still taste good without it.
- Heavy or double cream: Mascarpone will also add a lovely creamy richness but will result in a thicker sauce that will require more of the reserved pasta water to bring it to the right consistency. Light cream/pouring cream/single cream can be used but note that the sauce will lack a little richness.
- Parmesan: Swap for another hard cheese like Pecorino or Grana Padano.
- Red pepper flakes: Substitute with cayenne pepper or sauté some finely chopped fresh red chilli with the garlic.
- Oregano: Switch for three times the amount of fresh oregano or use dried Italian seasoning.
- Fresh parsley (to serve): Substitute with chopped fresh basil. I personally prefer parsley to basil because I find basil can overpower the flavour in the sauce a little, but there are lots of vodka sauce recipes that suggest serving with fresh basil.
Variations:
Sometimes, you crave basic chow mein noodles – perfect for accompanying dishes like Singapore Fried Rice, Sesame Chicken, and Crispy Shredded Chilli Beef. Yet, there are moments when you simply want to savor chow mein as a full meal. Here are some ideas for those times.
- Chicken chow mein
- Duck chow mein
- Special Chow mein
- Singapore chow mein
- Beef
- Vegan/vegetarian chow mein with fried tofu
- Add protein: Toss in some cooked pancetta, bacon, sausage, shrimp, or chicken.
- Veggies: Throw in some sautéed or roasted veggies like zucchini/courgette, eggplant/aubergine, spinach or asparagus.
- Use whole wheat or gluten-free Pasta.
- Vegan or Dairy-free: Make a dairy-free version by using coconut milk or cashew cream instead of heavy cream.
🧑🍳 Recipe steps
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions! *
Step 1: Place a frying pan on a medium heat and sauté the garlic in olive oil for a minute until fragrant.
Step 2: Stir in the tomato paste, add the vodka and allow the alcohol to evaporate for a minute or two.
Step 3: Lower the heat and pour in the cream and stir in Parmesan, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt and pepper.
Step 4: Add the cooked pasta. Pour on a little reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce has reached the desired consistency.
Step 5: Serve immediately, topped with fresh parsley and more grated Parmesan.
🍽️ Serving suggestions
Rich and deeply flavourful, fusilli alla vodka is a satisfying standalone meal. Here are some suggestions if you fancy something extra on the side.
- Side salad: I recommend a light and simple salad with a tangy dressing that will cut through the rich vodka cream sauce like my Arugula and Parmesan Salad.
- Garlic bread: Is great for mopping up any extra sauce.
- Wine: A light-bodied red wine, like a Pinot Noir or Chianti, or a crisp white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, to complement the flavours of the vodka sauce.
- Dessert: End the meal with a sweet treat like Mini Chocolate Lava Cakes, Strawberries and Cream or Biscoff Cheesecake.
Expert Tips
- Cook the pasta while you make the sauce for a super speedy meal.
- Salt the pasta water generously. It should taste salty like the sea. This might seem like a lot of salt but remember that most of it will be poured away when you drain the pasta.
- Reserve some of the starchy pasta water. You'll need it to bring the thick tomato cream sauce to the right consistency. Set aside more than you think you'll need. It's better to have some leftover than to run out.
🙋 Recipe FAQs
Heavy cream thickens the sauce and adds richness. Substituting with milk is not recommended. It won't add richness and will dilute the sauce making it taste bland. Half-and-half, pouring cream or mascarpone are better substitutes.
Pasta with tomato vodka cream sauce isn't the healthiest option and is best enjoyed occasionally as a decadent treat. However, there are a few ways you can modify it to make it healthier including using less olive oil, omitting the butter, using whole wheat pasta and adding fresh veggies to the sauce.
Vodka enhances the flavours of the sauce by extracting and intensifying the aromatic compounds from the tomatoes and other ingredients. It also helps to create a creamy and rich texture when combined with heavy cream or cheese, resulting in a smooth and luscious sauce that coats the pasta beautifully.
Most of the alcohol in pasta vodka sauce evaporates during the cooking process, so it's safe to serve to children. You can also omit the vodka and still have a tasty sauce. You might also want to reduce or omit the red pepper flakes for children who are sensitive to spice.
Like most pasta dishes, fusilli alla vodka is best when served straight from the pan. However, the cooked pasta will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be reheated on the stove or in the microwave. I advise storing some of the pasta water, too, as the pasta is likely to dry out in the fridge. If you're planning to make it ahead, it's best to store the sauce and cook the pasta fresh.
😋 Check out my other 15-minute pasta recipes
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📖 Recipe
Fusili Alla Vodka
Ingredients
- 400 g (14 oz) fusilli pasta or other short pasta of your choice (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 120 g (½ cup) tomato paste/tomato puree
- 2 tbsp vodka (Note 2)
- 180 ml (¾ cup) heavy cream/double cream (Note 3)
- 25 g (¼ cup) Parmesan + extra to serve (Note 4)
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional) (Note 5)
- 1 tsp dried oregano (optional) (Note 6)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- smoked salt or sea salt to taste
- 30 g (2 tbsp) butter
- reserved pasta water (Note 7)
- 1 handful fresh parsley roughly chopped (Note 8)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook it according to the package instructions until al dente. Ensure you reserve two cups of pasta water before you drain it.
- In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until it becomes fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, allowing it to darken slightly.
- Pour in the vodka and let it cook for about 2 minutes, allowing the alcohol to evaporate.
- Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, dried oregano (if using), black pepper, and a little smoked salt or sea salt to taste
- Add the butter and allow it to melt into the sauce to add richness and smoothness.
- Add the cooked pasta and toss until it's coated with the creamy sauce. Add pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce reaches the right consistency.
- Serve immediately, topped with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan.
Notes
- Fusilli: I have tested this sauce with several pasta shapes and fusilli is my pasta shape of choice. I love how the rich vodka sauce settles into the ridges. Feel free to use another pasta shape. Penne, rigatoni and conchiglie are good options.
- Vodka: Switch for white wine, gin, or sake. For non-alcoholic options you can switch for chicken or veg stock or equal parts vinegar and lemon juice. You can also leave it out, the sauce will still taste good without it.
- Heavy Cream: Mascarpone will also add a lovely creamy richness but will result in a thicker sauce that will require more of the reserved pasta water to bring it to the right consistency. Light cream/pouring cream/single cream can be used but note that the sauce will lack a little richness.
- Parmesan: Swap for another hard cheese like Pecorino or Grana Padano.
- Red pepper flakes: Substitute with cayenne pepper or sauté some finely chopped fresh red chilli with the garlic or omit for a non-spicy sauce.
- Oregano: Switch for three times the amount of fresh oregano or use dried Italian seasoning.
- Reserved pasta water: Ensure you set aside a couple of cups of the pasta water before draining to add to the thick sauce to bring it to the desired consistency and make it smooth and glossy.
- Fresh parsley: Substitute with chopped fresh basil.
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