Spicy Vodka Rigatoni
Creamy, spicy, and embarrassingly easy. This is the pasta that broke the internet and honestly? It deserves the hype.
Main Dish · Prep 5 min · Cook 25 min · Serves 4 · Easy · By Tina · Published
Ingredients
- 400 g rigatoni
- 1 can (400g) canned San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 60 ml vodka
- 120 ml heavy cream
- 60 g parmesan, grated
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes, or more
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 handful fresh basil, torn
- salt, to taste
You have probably seen this recipe everywhere. Pink sauce pasta, vodka sauce, whatever you want to call it. I ignored it for years because I thought it was just trendy nonsense. Then I made it and immediately understood.
The vodka does something magical — it releases flavors in the tomatoes that neither water nor fat can access. You cannot taste alcohol in the finished dish, just this incredibly deep, rounded tomato flavor. Add cream, parmesan, and a generous amount of red pepper flakes, and you have a sauce that is simultaneously rich, bright, and addictive.
Rigatoni is the correct pasta here. Those tubes catch the sauce inside and the ridges hold it on the outside. Every bite is perfect.
Pro Tips
- Let the vodka cook for a full 2 minutes. You want the alcohol to burn off completely.
- Add the cream OFF heat, then return to low. Boiling cream can curdle.
- Use San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand. The texture is better than blended.
- Finish with a drizzle of good olive oil and fresh basil, not dried.
Serving
Serve immediately — this sauce thickens as it sits. Extra parmesan on the table is mandatory. A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette on the side.
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