?This Vodka Pasta—also known as Penne alla Vodka—feels like a dish straight out of a charming Italian trattoria. The magic is all in the tomato-cream vodka sauce: rich, velvety, and subtly elegant with that splash of vodka. It’s simple to make, yet irresistibly indulgent!

Late to the Vodka Pasta party!

I think this was the pasta that went viral about five years ago—cool foodies and trendy chefs everywhere were making it.

As usual, I totally missed the wave (not quite trendy enough 😅), but I finally tried it recently and now I get the hype. The sauce is incredibly rich and smooth, far more indulgent than the simple ingredients suggest. Plus, the splash of vodka definitely adds a fun twist that likely won over the younger crowd!

Meanwhile, this not-so-trendy cook is just thrilled by the practicality—using a full packet of pasta and an entire tub of tomato paste? Super convenient!

All jokes aside, vodka really is the secret weapon here. Much like wine in cooking, it enhances the depth and richness of the sauce, transforming a simple tomato and cream base into something truly special. And don’t worry—it doesn’t taste boozy at all… unless you want it to (just keep pouring).

What goes in vodka pasta

You’ll find plenty of variations out there—some use canned tomatoes or passata along with tomato paste, and the ratios of vodka, cream, and parmesan vary widely. But most versions stick to the same core ingredients. In a surprising twist, I went off-script from my usual trusted sources (like NYT Cooking, Ina Garten, Lidia Bastianich, and America’s Test Kitchen) and used only tomato paste. Why? I prefer the richer flavour—and it conveniently cuts about 15 minutes off the cook time. Check the FAQ below for more nerdy behind-the-scenes notes!

Ingredients in Vodka Pasta

Funny enough, even though vodka is in the name, this dish is still totally worth making without it. 🙂 If you skip the vodka, try adding a splash of white wine or chicken stock instead—otherwise, the sauce can feel a bit flat.

Cooking for kids? Add the vodka earlier in the process so the alcohol cooks off completely. For adults, adding it later brings out subtle floral notes without leaving a boozy taste.

• Vodka – Use whatever you’ve got! And now you all know what my go-to is. 🙂 Avoid flavoured vodkas – not sure now is the time to use that Apple Vodka you were mad for last summer!Substitute with gin (not one too herbaceous though), white wine or for non alcoholic, use chicken stock/broth instead.
• Pasta – Penne is classic, ziti is basically the same (it’s penne, but with ridges), and rigatoni is also very popular. Though really, you can make this with any shape pasta – long or short – and it’s going to be fab. Oh wait – I’d avoid tiny pasta though, like risoni/orzo, ditalini, dinosaur pasta. I think there’s too much sauce.
• Tomato paste (UK: tomato purée) – I love that this recipe uses a whole standard tub of tomato paste! I use regular, though “double concentrate” is fine too. Use the same amount as I find the flavour is not any stronger, though it does have a richer tomato flavour. However, we cook off the tomato paste in this recipe, which improves the flavour, so the quality difference doesn’t come into play here. Note: US standard tubes are 133g (4.5oz), Aussie tubs and cans are 140g (this is what the recipe calls for), and tubes are 130g. That 7g or 10g difference won’t ruin your dinner, promise! 🙂
• Garlic and onion – Essential aromatics for the sauce.
• Cream – Use thickened cream (US: heavy cream, UK: double cream) as it is a little thicker than regular pouring cream. Though actually, any pourable cream should work fine in this recipe, as it uses so much tomato paste, which does much of the heavy lifting to thicken the sauce. Low-fat cream will work fine, but it will lack the creamy mouthfeel of full-fat cream. Cream alternative – evaporated milk, but again, it’s even less creamy mouthfeel than low fat cream.
• Red pepper flakes (chilli flakes) – Optional extra, I use 1/2 teaspoon, which gives this a lovely background hum of warmth, which I really like in this creamy sauce. Also feels a little grown-up for a grown-up sauce. 🙂
• Parmesan – Adds salt to the sauce that’s more interesting than just using salt. Plus, extra for garnish!
• Pinch of parsley for sprinkling, if you’re feeling fancy.

How to make Vodka Pasta?

The timing of this recipe works well, so the sauce is ready once the pasta is cooked. It’s a great no-stress recipe!

1. Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water for the time per the packet directions until it’s al dente (just cooked, not soft and mushy).
2. Save pasta water – Just before draining, give the pasta a big stir to agitate the starch (ie make the water murky), then scoop out 1 cup of the water. We’re going to use this when tossing the pasta in the sauce.💡This is a key step for making pasta dishes to make the sauce cling to the pasta (and therefore ending up in your mouth!) instead of pooling in the base of your bowl. The starch in pasta water emulsifies with the sauce’s fat, naturally thickening it and making it stick to the pasta. Cooking science at work!

3. Sauté the onion and garlic on medium-high until translucent, about 1 1/2 minutes. Then cook off the tomato paste. This isn’t a standard step in all vodka sauces, but I think it really makes a difference – it takes off the sour edge and deepens the flavour. It also levels the playing field, whether using a good Italian brand (like Mutti double concentrated tomato paste) or generic brands.
4. Simmer – Add the cream, mix to dissolve the tomato paste in, then add the vodka, chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium so it’s simmering gently and cook for 3 minutes, stirring regularly so the base doesn’t catch – important, because this cream sauce is thicker than usual because of the amount of tomato paste in it. Then stir the parmesan in until melted (literally takes seconds).TIPS: If your pasta isn’t ready yet, turn off the stove at this point. Cooking for kids? Add the vodka before the tomato paste and cook until mostly evaporated to cook out the alcohol.

5. Toss toss toss! Add the pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water (see step 2 for what this does). Toss on medium heat for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until the pasta is coated in the pasta sauce.
6. Serve immediately with a shower of extra parmesan and a pinch of parsley!

I warmed the pasta bowls

This might be a random moment to mention it, but I always recommend serving creamy pastas in warm bowls—have I said this before? Cream-based sauces tend to thicken quickly, and halfway through your meal (especially if you paused to enjoy some garlic bread), that once-silky texture can turn heavy. Warming your bowl helps keep the sauce smooth and luscious for longer.

I usually pop the bowls in the microwave while the sauce is simmering—about 30 seconds for one, or a minute for four—and just leave them there until it’s time to serve. A small touch, but it makes a big difference!

Anyway, back to the pasta—this one’s a cosy Italian trattoria classic you can whip up right at home. Enjoy! – Nagi x

P.S. Want the full experience? Pair it with Garlic Bread, a hearty Italian Salad, and finish with Tiramisu. You’ll feel like you’re dining in a rustic Italian café.

Vodka Pasta FAQ

Is this a traditional Italian Pasta?

Apparently not, it’s an Italian-American dish. Details of actual origins are somewhat murky but I’ve read that it was originally invented as a marketing push for vodka sales back in the 1970s. Clever! 🙂

Can this be made without Vodka?

Yes, it can, though it will no longer be a Vodka Pasta! But it is a divine creamy tomato pasta if you use chicken stock/broth instead to keep it non alcoholic, or you can use white wine. The recipe card offers suggestions!

Best Pasta to use for Vodka Pasta?

Penne is traditional – Penne alla Vodka – though rigatoni seems to be quite popular too. But this sauce will really work with any short or long pasta. Just avoid very small ones – like risoni/orzo, tiny stars, etc – as I think they will get lost in this creamy sauce.

Add Ins?

Absolutely! Vodka pasta is a great blank canvas for extras. Stir through shredded cooked chicken or shrimp/prawns for a protein boost, or cook some bacon or pancetta with the onion for added flavour. Sautéed mushrooms and baby spinach would work nicely, too. Just avoid anything too bold that might overpower the creamy-tomato flavour – this sauce is the star!

Also, consider reducing the amount of pasta slightly, or else you may be short on sauce, or increase the amount of sauce (click on servings and slide).

How did you create this Vodka Pasta recipe?

I know the introduction suggests I’ve never had Vodka Pasta before, but I have actually, though quite long ago, well before it became “trendy”. I think the first time was at Lidia Bastianich’s NYC Becco restaurant back in 2016. They had an excellent dinner special with starters and all-you-can-eat pastas of the day, and I certainly got my money’s worth! I went back multiple times – I just love Lidia, I always have, since way back when her TV shows first aired in Australia.

Here in Sydney, I feel like I’ve seen Vodka pasta recently on the menu of some of the more modern inner city and fringe Italian restaurants (any readers help me out here??), but I was swayed in other directions by other offerings. So much great pasta out there, so little time! 😭

In coming up with my recipe, I mostly referenced my trusted sources – (predictably) NYT Cooking, Ina Garten, Lidia Bastianich, Serious Eats and America’s Test Kitchen.

Opinions on the quantities vary, but generally the ingredients include tomato (canned and/or crushed or passata), cream, vodka (gasp!😆), parmesan, onion and garlic. To get the intensity of tomato flavour from canned tomato, you need to cook it down for ~15 minutes, and the sourness varies depending on the quality you use (economical tomatoes are sour, even sometimes green, unripe lumps!).

While Serious Eats likes the fresh notes from canned tomatoes, I was happy with the brightness the sauce gets from vodka (especially as I add it towards the end – the earlier you add it, the less flavour you get), so I only used tomato paste.

The one thing I do that doesn’t seem to be standard is to cook off the tomato paste, which improves the flavour, takes some (but not all) the sour edge off (some is nice, to cut through the richness of the cream) and also levels the playing field between regular tomato paste and pricier double-concentrate.

Honestly, though, this was not a hard recipe to develop; it’s a standard tomato-cream pasta sauce with the magic touch of vodka. Much of it comes down to personal taste – how tomatoey do you want it, how silky (large onion lumps bothered me, so I do insist on fine dicing), how boozy (I don’t like harsh vodka flavour, but I want a hint of floral notes, else there’s no point?).

I had a few goes myself, then made it for the team for lunch, and based on their reaction, it was an easy decision to share the recipe with you!

How did you and JB work together on this recipe?

To be honest, this was a pretty straightforward recipe, so I didn’t really need to consult with JB. I made it to get his opinion – I was particularly interested in whether he thought it was lacking brighter tomato notes because I only used tomato paste – and he really liked it as it was, other than a minor adjustment for the amount of salt.

So then JB made it to double check – we have a strict rule that no recipe goes out without both of us making it independently, no matter how simple or difficult the recipe – then I filmed and photographed it, then published it today!

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