Rigatoni alla Vodka

There are tons of vodka sauce recipes out there, ranging from simple ingredients to complex flavor combinations — I’d say this one is a happy medium of both worlds.

This is a creamy, punchy vodka sauce that explodes with flavor in all the right ways. You can make this for a lazy Sunday dinner, a crowded Christmas Eve celebration or for a weeknight meal. The choice is yours.

The first time I made this vodka sauce, I knew that I stumbled upon one of the greatest sauces I’ve ever developed. And I hope you love it just as much as I do.

Can I Use Penne Instead of Rigatoni?

Of course! Use whatever pasta makes you happy. I prefer rigatoni in general which is why I use it, but feel free to use penne or anything your heart desires.

Do I Have to Use Vodka?

To get the signature flavor of a vodka sauce, using vodka is necessary, however, it would still be absolutely delicious if you remove it. It would be more of a blush sauce at that point, but still a total showstopper.

How to Use Vodka Sauce

While this recipe specifically adds rigatoni to the sauce, you can opt to use it for different reasons, like topping a delicious pizza to make a mouthwatering vodka slice, or even jarring to gift to a friend.

Vodka Sauce Ingredients

This recipe does have a few ingredients, but they all work together perfectly to deliver the best vodka sauce you’ll ever have.

Bacon (or pancetta): Traditionally you can absolutely use pancetta here, but I love the slight smokiness that bacon brings to this sauce.

Shallots: More mild than onions, I use shallots here so we don’t overpower the classic flavors.

Garlic: Because… garlic! Keep in mind that in this recipe I actually remove the garlic cloves after they’re infused in the oil — a technique many Italians use (contrary to popular belief!).

Cherry tomatoes: To add to the sauce to bring a sweet tomato flavor and add some body (since we’re not blending them).

Sun-dried tomatoes: To add that zing that sun-dried tomatoes bring.

Tomato paste: To add some richness.

Tomato puree: Why not add more tomato products? Just kidding. I use a little bit to add color and flavor. Don’t need too much, though, since this is a vodka sauce and not a tomato sauce.

Vodka: For this sauce’s signature flavor.

Heavy cream: For richness and creaminess.

Red pepper flakes: For slight heat (can adjust as you see fit).

Fresh basil: Mainly because it’s delicious.

Parmigiano-Reggiano: For saltiness (and… cheese)

Rigatoni: My pasta of choice, but feel free to use penne or whatever else you’d like.

Here’s exactly how to make the vodka sauce:

How to Make Rigatoni alla Vodka

Here’s your step-by-step guide on making your new favorite vodka sauce.

Step 1: Prep your ingredients.

Like always, I’m all about setting myself up to not go insane mid-cooking. That means I’ll happily drive myself insane while I get everything prepped, measured, and ready to go before I begin. This saves me time when I’m moving fast and ensuring I don’t burn this perfect sauce.

In this stage, get all of your vegetables and aromatics ready to go. That means you’ll be peeling and crushing your garlic, slicing the shallots, chopping the sun-dried and cherry tomatoes, chopping up some fresh basil, and measuring out your liquids. I promise, get your prep out of the way and the rest will be a piece of… pasta.

Step 2: Cook your bacon.

The first thing you’ll do is add the bacon to a cold pot. I use a skillet with high sides, but you can also use a shallow Dutch oven if you have one. Cook the bacon on medium-high heat until crispy, and then remove it with a slotted spoon and reserve it. Pour off ~90% of the bacon grease into a bowl so that you only have a little bit left in the skillet.

Step 3: Cook your shallots and garlic.

Now add the shallots and slightly crushed garlic cloves to the pot with a drizzle of olive oil. You may want to lower the heat slightly for this so that you don’t burn the shallots. Keep in mind you’re only using the garlic to infuse into the oil, we won’t actually be keeping them around. Once the shallots become soft (about 5 minutes), then we can move to the next step.

Step 4: Start the base of your sauce.

Now you can add the cherry tomatoes, tomato paste, and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir and let cook for about 5 minutes, and then remove the garlic cloves and toss.

Now add a big pinch of salt, red pepper flakes, the basil, the reserved crispy bacon, and the vodka. Stir to combine and then cover, keeping the heat on medium, and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes soften.

Step 5: Cook your sauce.

Take the cover off (CAREFULLY! Vodka can sometimes ignite). Now add the heavy cream and tomato puree. It may look too white right now, but I promise it’ll get that signature orange color after it simmers.

Stir a bit and soak in how perfect this moment is. Now bring the sauce to a boil, then lower to a simmer, cover, and let it dance together for about 40 minutes.

Step 6: Cook your pasta.

About 20 minutes before your sauce is done, bring a pot of water to a boil. When ready, toss in plenty of salt and cook the rigatoni until al dente (use the timing on the box). Once done, reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water, and then drain and add the pasta and the reserved water back to the pot.

Step 7: Finish your vodka sauce.

Now take a big, giant grating of Parmigano-Reggiano (about ¼–½ cup, depending on how excited you are) and add it to the simmering sauce. Stir to combine and adjust any seasonings here (add some salt if needed, and some red pepper flakes for spice).

Add the drained pasta (plus the reserved pasta water) to the sauce, stir, and pat yourself on the back for making the greatest vodka sauce ever. Let that boil together for ~2 minutes, or until the sauce is creamy.

If you try this recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment and/or a rating! My favorite part about sharing my recipes and kitchen tips is being able to chat with you. If you ever share a recipe to Instagram, don’t forget to tag me so that I can see it! Happy eating <3