Description
A simple recipe for creamy and spicy rigatoni pasta with vodka sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook rigatoni according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Carefully pour in the vodka. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, allowing some alcohol to evaporate.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream until the sauce is smooth and pink.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, if using.
Notes
- You can substitute rigatoni with penne or ziti.
- For a richer flavor, use high-quality crushed tomatoes.
- Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes based on your spice preference.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 18
- Unsaturated Fat: 12
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 75
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 25
- Cholesterol: 80
Keywords: spicy rigatoni, vodka sauce, pasta, creamy pasta, rigatoni vodka