Description
A quick, 30-minute weeknight dinner featuring al dente rigatoni tossed in a rich, creamy vodka tomato sauce with crispy pancetta and fresh basil. Better than takeout and budget-friendly.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450g) rigatoni pasta
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (2 teaspoons for extra heat)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can (28oz / 800g) crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup (60ml) vodka
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 6 ounces (170g) pancetta, diced
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
- ½ cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt for pasta water
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Dice pancetta, mince garlic, measure tomato paste and vodka, and grate Parmesan.
- Cook pancetta: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced pancetta and cook for 3-4 minutes until crispy and golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
- Sauté aromatics: Reduce heat to medium-low. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the pancetta fat. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Build sauce: Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes to caramelize. Pour in vodka and simmer for 2 minutes to cook off alcohol. Add crushed tomatoes and stir well. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes until thickened.
- Add cream: Reduce heat to low. Slowly pour in heavy cream while stirring constantly. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until hot and combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Cook pasta: While sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Combine: Add drained pasta to the sauce. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if the sauce is too thick. Stir in chopped fresh basil.
- Serve: Serve immediately, topped with crispy pancetta and grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
[‘Save pasta water: The starchy water is essential for helping the sauce cling to the pasta.’, ‘Cook tomato paste: Do not skip cooking the paste in oil; it removes the raw metallic taste and adds sweetness.’, ‘Simmer vodka: Let the vodka simmer for at least 2 minutes to burn off the harsh alcohol taste.’, ‘Crispy pancetta: Ensure pancetta is cooked until very crispy for the best texture contrast.’, ‘Room temperature cream: Use room temperature cream to prevent the sauce from separating.’, ‘Substitutions: Use penne or other tube pasta if rigatoni is unavailable. Substitute pancetta with thick-cut bacon. Use gluten-free pasta for a GF version. Use coconut cream and nutritional yeast for a dairy-free version.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1.5 cu
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 16
Keywords: rigatoni alla vodka, spicy pasta, creamy tomato sauce, pancetta pasta, weeknight dinner, easy pasta recipe, homemade pasta sauce