Vodka Sauce
Since 2017, this popular creamy pink vodka sauce has gained over 5 million page views, making it the top recipe on my website. Our lightened-up version uses olive oil, tomatoes, half and half, and fresh basil, ensuring the absolute best vodka sauce you’ve ever tasted. After trying it, you’ll never go back to jarred sauce again!
Love vodka sauce? Try our Vegan Vodka Sauce recipe.
Best Vodka Sauce Recipe
My husband and I often cook at home on Sundays for date nights in, and it’s one of my favorite traditions. We experiment with different dishes like Fig and Caramelized Onion Flatbreads and Balsamic Salmon. However, this vodka sauce is one recipe we come back to again and again.
We’ve made this vodka sauce more times than I can remember and perfected it to an absolute best sauce ever!
It uses simple ingredients, most of which you probably have on hand, it requires a prep time of just 15 minutes and is ready to eat in under an hour. Not only is it easy to make, but it’s far better than any jarred variety and tastes like it came from the kitchen of a fancy restaurant.
We love serving it with buttery penne pasta and an Avocado Caesar Saladfor an effortless yet impressive meal!
What is Vodka Sauce?
Vodka sauce is an Italian-American sauce. There are many versions, but all feature a tomato base with vodka and cream. Vibrant in color, vodka sauce is rich, creamy, and full of herbaceous flavor.
And if you’re worried about the vodka, don’t be! You can’t taste it. It simply enhances the flavors, adding a touch of heat to help balance the sweetness of the tomatoes and cream.
This sauce is a combo of the sweet-spicy mixture and when you pair it with hot buttery penne pasta…it’s a match made in heaven! All you need is a simple salad, such as Tomato Mozzarella Salad and you’re set!
Vodka Pasta Sauce Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Olive oil: I like to use extra-virgin olive oil in place of butter to make this recipe a little lighter.
- Aromatics: Sweet onion and garlic cloves.
- Herbs and spices: Red pepper flakes, kosher salt, fresh basil, and black pepper.
- Whole peeled tomatoes: If possible, use San Marzano tomatoes. They have the best flavor for making sauces and are great for long-simmering recipes.
- Vodka: Use your favorite brand of vodka.
- Tomato paste: This thickens the sauce and adds a more intense tomato flavor. Keep in mind that it burns quickly. So, stir constantly after adding it.
- Balsamic vinegar: Use high-quality balsamic vinegar to balance the richness of the sauce.
- Half and half: We use this in place of heavy cream to lighten the sauce without sacrificing the rich flavor or creamy consistency.
- Parmesan cheese: For the best taste and texture, buy a block of parmesan, and grate it yourself.
- Pasta: I prefer to use penne pasta, but any shape you like best will work for this recipe.
How to Make Vodka Sauce
Here are brief steps to make this vodka sauce recipe. For the full description, see the recipe card below.
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and cook until soft. Then, add the red pepper flakes, and cook for an additional minute.
Step 2: Stir in the tomatoes and vodka, and continue cooking until the mixture reduces slightly, stirring occasionally.
Step 3: Stir in the tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Then, reduce the heat to low, and simmer partially covered until the sauce is reduced by half, stirring occasionally.
Step 4: While the sauce simmer, cook the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions. Drain the water, and set the cooked pasta aside.
Step 5: Transfer the tomato mixture to a food processor or blender. Add the basil, and purée until smooth. Return the sauce to the pan, and stir in part of the half and half, adding more as needed. Continue to cook until warmed through.
Step 6: Stir in the parmesan cheese and cooked pasta, tossing to combine and coat.
Step 7: Serve your pasta and vodka sauce immediately with extra parmesan and basil, if desired.
Ways To Serve Vodka Sauce
One of my personal favorite ways to serve vodka sauce is simply swapping it in some of our favorite recipes where it calls for a pasta sauce. It’s a great way to add flavor without compromising the overall recipe.
- Orecchiette with Baked Mini Chicken Meatballs in Tomato Cream Sauce
- Italian Zucchini Spaghetti Bake
- Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups with Spinach and Artichokes
- Sheet Pan Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
But of course, you can always simply toss the vodka sauce with hot buttery noodles, pair it with a salad and call it a day. Here are some of our favorite salads to pair with pasta:
Video: How to Make Vodka Sauce Recipe
Love vodka sauce? Try our Penne Vodka Sauce recipe, which is an easy and quick version of this popular pasta sauce.
More Favorites from Little Broken
Vodka Sauce Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Blend
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Now you can make this popular creamy pink vodka sauce right at home! Incredibly easy lightened-up recipe with olive oil, tomatoes, half and half, and fresh basil.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1/3 cup vodka
- 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup half and half
- 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
- 16 oz. penne pasta
- Fresh black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat; add onions and garlic and cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in tomatoes and vodka and continue cooking the mixture for 5-7 minutes until slightly reduced, stirring occasionally.
- Then stir in the tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, salt, and black pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered for 20 minutes until reduced by half, stirring occasionally.
- In the meantime, cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Transfer tomato mixture to a food processor or blender, add basil, and purée until smooth. Return sauce to the pan and stir in half and half. You want creamy and slightly sweet consistency. Start with 1/2 cup of half and half, taste, and add more if needed. Cook until warmed through, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in parmesan cheese and then the cooked pasta. Toss to combine.
- Serve immediately with additional sprinkle of cheese and basil, if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup sauce + 1 1/4 cup cooked pasta
- Calories: 316
- Sugar: 8.2 g
- Sodium: 609.7 mg
- Fat: 9.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 53 g
- Protein: 10.3 g
- Cholesterol: 6.2 mg
Pretty good, but I add the tomato paste after the onions and garlic are almost cooked, to get the rawness out of the tomato paste. Other than that it’s a good basic recipe.
I’ve made this recipe multiple times and everyone in my household loves it!!
I feel like the odd person out here because so many people love this sauce. To me, it tastes so bland and jus blah….I followed recipe exactly and so maybe I just don’t know what vodka sauce is supposed to taste like. Glad other people enjoyed but I won’t be making this again.
Thank you for feedback.
So, so scrumptious!! Had just enough left over to make myself a couple Shakshuka-style eggs, which were also delicious. This recipe is definitely going into the rotation.
I used dill pickle vodka because it’s what I had on hand. My adult kids who love vodka sauce said it was the best they ever had. I followed your recipe exactly. So good !! Will make often!!
Super tasty!
I’ve used this vodka recipe multipule times and it’s become my signature sauce! I️ love The touch of balsamic vinegar, it gives it a great flavor. I️ also like to add some red wine at the end to thin the sauce out if it’s too thick for my liking. I️ also add more crushed red pepper to make it spicy. Everyone who has tried this sauce when I️ make It loves it!
Thank you for this great recipe—cheers!
This was delicious. Although it does need something. Probably pancetta or sausage. Also I substituted half and half with heavy cream
How much does this recipe yield? Was hoping to use for a pasta bake and want to make sure that I have enough. Thanks
It’s enough sauce for 16 oz. of pasta.
Amazing recipe. Have made it countless times already!!
If you can find it, 250 grams hot pancetta run thru a food processor fried in butter or olive oil, then add the vodka. Absolutely makes this recipe! Unfortunately, tough finding it outside of Canada.
For years I have made vodka sauce , never really made the one that tasted the way I wanted. I’ve combined different ones. Made my own, by far yours is the best. I have now deleted all others. Thank you so much.
Very good recipe. I improvised a few ingredients. I used tomato puree and did not add tomato paste. I also added homemade pesto instead of fresh basil and heavy cream. I served it with homemade meatballs that had grated Gruyère cheese in them and added a little of the pesto to the cooked pasta. I’ll make this again!
Can you please tell me if you use white or red balsamic
Hi, it’s red balsamic.
As good as I’ve had in any restaurant. This recipe is a keeper – and I love that it didn’t need heavy cream or lots of butter. Made as directed with a few extra red pepper flakes. Delicious!
Made this recipe for yesterday’s dinner. It was so easy and so very delicious. We added lump crab meat to the final mixture before serving over the pasta. I cannot wait to make it again, it’s one of our faves. Thank you for your recipe.