Description
A rich, creamy, and spicy weeknight dinner that combines tomato sauce, heavy cream, and a splash of vodka for a restaurant-quality meal in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2–3 tablespoons vodka
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and a pinch of salt; cook for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Stir constantly for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add tomato paste to the skillet and cook for 1 minute to toast it. Pour in vodka and simmer for 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
- Add crushed tomatoes to the skillet. Stir well, bring to a gentle bubble, and simmer for 3-4 minutes to thicken.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce turns opaque pink. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the drained rigatoni to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a splash at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- Remove from heat. Stir in half of the grated parmesan and half of the chopped basil.
- Serve immediately, topped with remaining basil and parmesan.
Notes
Use fresh basil and freshly grated parmesan for best results. Do not skip reserving pasta water, as the starch helps emulsify the sauce. If the sauce is too watery, simmer longer. If using milk instead of cream, add flour to thicken.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 420
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 16
Keywords: rigatoni vodka pasta, spicy pasta, weeknight dinner, creamy tomato sauce, easy pasta recipe, one pot pasta