Vodka Sauce

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Vodka adds a spicy flavor to this popular Italian American sauce.

By
Grace Parisi
Grace Parisi
Grace Parisi a former senior test kitchen editor for Food & Wine, where she wrote several successful monthly columns: Food & Wine Handbook, Tasting & Testing, Flavor of the Month, Power Pantry, and Chefs Recipes Made Easy. Parisi has also been published in McCall’s, Redbook, and The New York Times, has written five hit cookbooks, and has appeared numerous times on national television.
Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines
Updated on November 1, 2023
Active Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
40 mins
Yield:
3 cups (enough for 1 pound of pasta)
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 ounces pancetta, diced

  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled

  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

  • 1/4 cup vodka

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

  • 1 (35-ounce) can whole peeled Italian tomatoes with their juices, crushed by hand

  • Pinch of sugar

  • 2 basil sprigs

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

  1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Sauté the pancetta, garlic and crushed red pepper over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Deglaze with vodka. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the canned tomatoes with their juices. Stir in the sugar and basil, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer the sauce over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and is reduced to 3 cups, about 30 minutes. Season again with salt and pepper. Discard the basil sprigs and garlic. Add heavy cream and simmer for 5 minutes

close up of rigatoni with vodka sauce
Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Make ahead

The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Originally appeared: September 2007

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