Easy (and Advanced) Vodka Sauce
About this recipe
Vodka sauce is a creamy, tomato-based sauce that's perfect for pasta, and this recipe from Binging with Babish gives you both a quick and an advanced version to try. The quick version is ready in about 15 minutes, making it a great option for a weeknight dinner, while the advanced version layers in more complex flavors for a richer taste.
Babish explains the role of vodka in the sauce, noting that while some believe it adds flavor, it’s primarily an emulsifier and should be added at the end to retain its bite. This insight helps you understand why timing is key in this dish.
Ingredient notes
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese, which is about one inch square cube for one ounce.
- For the advanced version, you can substitute regular tomato paste with sun-dried tomato paste and add diced pancetta for extra flavor.
Tips from Binging with Babish's video
- Make sure to add the vodka at the very last minute to keep its flavor intact.
- Adjust the sauce's consistency with reserved pasta cooking water to achieve a smooth and glossy finish.
- If you want a lighter and creamier sauce, toss it in the pan, but be prepared for a bit of a mess!
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Binging with Babish: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Bring a wide shallow pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
- 2
Finely dice half an onion and peel two cloves of garlic.
- 3
Heat two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan.
- 4
Once the oil is shimmering, add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent.
- 5
Crush in the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 6
Add half a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and three ounces of tomato paste, cooking for about two minutes until the paste darkens in color.
- 7
Lower the heat and add three ounces of heavy cream and one ounce of vodka, stirring together and cooking for no more than a minute.
- 8
Once the pasta is a minute shy of your preferred doneness, add it directly to the sauté pan to finish cooking in the sauce.
- 9
Adjust the heat as necessary and add reserved pasta cooking water a quarter cup at a time to make the sauce smooth and glossy.
- 10
Optionally toss the sauce to make it lighter and creamier.
- 11
Remove from heat and immediately add one ounce of freshly grated Parmesan, stirring in off the heat.
- 12
Adjust the thickness of the sauce with pasta water if necessary and plate it up with extra Parmesan grated on top.
- 13
For the advanced version, heat a quarter cup of neutral flavored oil in a wide shallow pan until shimmering, then add four ounces of diced pancetta and fry until lightly browned and crisp, about 3-5 minutes.
- 14
Drain the pancetta on paper towels, reserving the oil.
- 15
In the reserved fat, sauté the same finely diced onion for 3-4 minutes until soft, then crush in the garlic and add two teaspoons of crushed Calabrian chilies.
- 16
Instead of just tomato paste, use three tablespoons of sun-dried tomato paste and let it heat for about 30 seconds before adding eight ounces of tomato puree.
- 17
Cook this mixture for about 30-45 minutes until it becomes a more flavorful and complex sauce.
- 18
Add the pasta, one ounce of vodka, and three ounces of heavy cream when the pasta is nearly done, stirring to combine.
- 19
Adjust the sauce's consistency with pasta water, then add half an ounce each of Parmesan and Pecorino Romano before plating with crispy pancetta bits and fresh herbs.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- The quantity of pasta cooking water is inferred as a sensible amount to adjust sauce consistency.
Credit where it's due: this recipe was transcribed from Binging with Babish's original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it's their dish.
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