Best Vodka Sauce Recipe
Since 2017, this creamy vodka sauce has gained more than 5 million page views, making it the most popular recipe on Little Broken. It’s my take on classic vodka sauce, made with whole tomatoes, half-and-half, Parmesan, and fresh basil for a creamy sauce without heavy cream.
Table of Contents
What You Will Love About this Homemade Vodka Sauce
My husband and I started making this vodka sauce years ago for our Sunday date nights at home (when our kids were tiny), and it’s been a favorite ever since. It’s also become one of the most-made recipes on Little Broken since 2017, with hundreds of reader comments and reviews.
I’ve made it more times than I can count, and you really don’t need heavy cream for a good vodka sauce. Half-and-half gives it just enough creaminess without losing that rich tomato flavor.
I let the tomatoes cook down before blending them with fresh basil, then finish everything with Parmesan. It’s creamy without being too heavy and still one of our favorite pasta sauces to make at home.
What is Vodka Sauce?
Vodka sauce is a creamy tomato sauce made with tomatoes, vodka, and cream. The vodka enhances the tomato flavor and helps bring the sauce together, while cream balances the acidity of the tomatoes. Despite the name, the finished sauce shouldn’t have a strong vodka flavor.
Easy Vodka Sauce Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Whole Peeled Tomatoes: San Marzano-style tomatoes are a great choice here for their rich tomato flavor.
- Vodka: No need for an expensive bottle; use a vodka you would drink.
- Half-and-Half: Keeps the sauce creamy and lighter than traditional versions made with heavy cream; heavy cream can be used for a richer sauce.
- Parmesan: Freshly grate it from a block for the smoothest melt and best flavor.
- Balsamic vinegar: Use high-quality balsamic vinegar to balance the richness of the sauce.
How to Make Homemade Vodka Sauce
For the full description, see the recipe card below.
Step 1: Cook the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Stir in the red pepper flakes.
Step 2: Add the tomatoes and vodka. Cook until slightly reduced.
Step 3: Stir in the tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Simmer partially covered until the sauce thickens. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water, then drain.
Step 5: Blend the tomato mixture with fresh basil until smooth. Return to the pan and stir in the half-and-half over low heat.
Step 6: Stir in the Parmesan and pasta. Toss until well coated. Serve with extra Parmesan and fresh basil.
My Tips for the Best Vodka Sauce
- Let the tomatoes cook down: Don’t rush the simmer. This concentrates the tomato flavor and gives the finished sauce better consistency.
- Start with less half-and-half: Begin with 1/2 cup and add more only if you want a creamier, milder sauce.
- Blend carefully: Hot liquids expand in a blender. Work in batches if necessary and vent the lid.
- Keep the heat low after adding dairy: Once the half-and-half goes in, gently warm the sauce rather than boiling it.
- Save some pasta water: A splash at the end can loosen a thick sauce and help it cling to the pasta.
Homemade Vodka Sauce Variations
- Make it spicy: Add more red pepper flakes or Calabrian chile paste.
- Make it richer: Swap the half-and-half for heavy cream.
- Without vodka: Omit it and use a splash of broth or water if needed for consistency.
Ways to Serve this Vodka Sauce Recipe
My favorite way to serve vodka sauce is tossed with hot pasta and plenty of Parmesan. Rigatoni, penne, and other short pasta shapes are especially good for holding onto the creamy sauce.
You can also swap vodka sauce for the tomato sauce in recipes like my Chicken Parmesan Meatballs or Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups.
Video: How to Make Vodka Sauce Recipe
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Easy Vodka Sauce
- 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 about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce looks noticeably thickened.
- 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 over low heat and stir in 1/2 cup half-and-half. Do not boil. You want a 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.
Notes
Storing Leftovers: Refrigerate sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat gently over low heat. To freeze, store in an airtight container for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Keep in mind the half-and-half may separate slightly once thawed.
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
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Hi! I'm Katya -- a former corporate paralegal turned full-time recipe developer and blogger behind Little Broken. Here you'll find family-friendly and seasonal recipes made from real ingredients.
Delicious, I didn’t have any fresh basil but it was delicious without! I’ll be making this again.
I always order vodka sauce noodle dishes in restaurants and wanted to try it out myself and was really happy with the results! Easy recipe!Thanks for sharing!👍🙏👌. Siddhanta
I made this tonight and used it in your chicken meatball with orecchiette recipe. I didn’t add any additional half and half. I garnished it with basil. It was great!
Delicious and easy. Even my fussy eaters loved it and said “save that recipe, mom!”
that makes me so happy! Thank you.
Can I make this a day in advance? would I need to change anything?
Yes – nothing would change. Simply reheat and enjoy!
Very good! Even when I only had habanero vodka in the the liquor cabinet.I didn’t say anything and all kids ate it
Is it spicy with the red pepper flakes? I’m cooking this for a crowd and don’t want it to be too spicy. Kids included.
It’s not at all. Very subtle aftertaste. I serve this recipe to my kids without any issues.
This recipe is BOMB! Hands down best vodka sauce recipe out there. I’ve made it countless times for family, friends, as a food gift for new moms…my kids even request it for dinner on their birthdays. I always use the best imported tomatoes I can find &freshly grated parm. Do not skimp on the red pepper flakes. The hint of heat in this recipe is just perfect, and so is the use of half & half (way better than heavy cream) Thank you!
Oh my, this insanely delicious! I followed the directions and I am glad did so I remember for next time that it’s perfect the way it is. Thank you!
thank you!
By far the best tomato/vodka sauce ever. I make it without the cream. My kids and fiance love it. I make it at least once a week with either butternut or cheese ravioli.
Thank you Suzanne!
Any idea what the serving size of just the sauce is. Trying to calorie count and will be using chickpea pasta.
About 1/2 cup
This recipe was very easy. I actually used fresh Roma tomatoes from my garden and by blending the sauce you’d never know that I didn’t peel or seed the tomatoes. I also cooked ground chicken Italian sausage and added to the sauce. It was absolutely delicious! Adding this one to my go to recipes!
Made this tonight, so good! Subbed in half fresh tomatoes and half tomato sauce for the canned tomatoes, turned out great!
Is there any seafood in your vodka sauce?
no there’s no seafood
Hi…was wondering how many days will it keep in the fridge after making
Hi , it should be fine for 4-5 days.
Great recipe!!! I made it without onions (ran out) and it still turned out delicious. One shortcut I took was that I used an immersion blender rather than transferring to food processor (one less thing to clean).
I’ve made this 3 or 4 times now (with creative liberties, not necessarily measuring exact quantities of ingredients) and it’s delicious every time. You can’t go wrong with this recipe. I am curious – what is the reasoning behind spacing out some of the ingredients going in? For example, adding the balsamic vinegar 5-7 minutes after the vodka and tomatoes have had time to simmer. Is there a reason for not just dumping in all the ingredients after the onions and garlic have had time to cook? Thank you for this delicious recipe, it is a new go-to!
It’s all about building flavor and giving ingredients time to cook down as each ingredient requires a different amount of time to cook.
Would it freeze well? I’d love to make a huge batch and have it handy in the freezer?
Hi Lucy: I haven’t tried freezing this sauce so I can’t answer with 100% certainty but I think it should be okay to freeze. When you reheat it, make sure to use gentle heat so the cream does not separate.
My eldest suggested this as a food recommendation when I asked for dinner ideas. That was I think almost 2 yrs ago. EVERYONE loves it even my youngest and pickiest eater. This is such a flavorful meal, I don’t even care how long it takes me to make it because I love seeing everyone asking for seconds and thirds.