Rigatoni alla vodka is hands down the best pasta dish if you ask me. It is a delicious pasta dish consisting of tomato paste, vodka, garlic, butter and heavy cream. It is quite easy to make, yet tastes like you got it from a nice Italian restaurant.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions:

  • Rigatoni – you can technically use any pasta here, but rigatoni is the best. I use Rummo gluten free rigatoni and it is definitely the best GF pasta on the market.
  • Butter – I love butter for the flavor, but you can use olive oil here instead.
  • Shallots and garlic – this is optional, but definitely adds a little special something to the sauce.
  • Tomato paste – definitely need this, no substitutions.
  • Vodka – No subs.
  • Heavy Cream – Heavy cream is preferred, but you can use a dairy free heavy cream if needed.
  • Red pepper flakes – this adds a nice kick, but if you are sensitive to heat, omit.
  • SERVINGS:  4
  • PREP TIME: 10 Mins
  • COOK TIME: 25 Mins
  • TOTAL TIME: 35 Min

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb rigatoni pasta – I used Rummo Gluten Free
  • Salt
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup tomato paste
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup vodka
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup parmesan, finely grated
  • 4 basil leaves, chiffinade, for garnish

Preparation:

STEP 1.

Bring a pot of water up to a boil and season heavily with salt.

STEP 3.

While the water is heating up, in a large saute pan start the sauce. Over medium heat, add the butter and once melted saute the shallots, salting as you go, 1-2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sautee another minute. Add the tomato paste and red pepper flakes and saute 3-5 minutes to cook out the raw flavor.

STEP 4.

Deglaze the pan with the vodka and reduce by half. Stir in the heavy cream and season with salt, bring up to a low simmer and turn of the heat, cook the pasta at this point.

STEP 5.

Boil the pasta in the water for 1 minute less than the package says so it is al dente.

STEP 6.

Once the pasta is done, transfer the pasta to the sauce pot and return to medium heat. Stir in one ladle of pasta water to bring the sauce together and simmer for 2-4 more minutes to thicken the sauce.

Once the sauce is thickened, turn off the heat and stir in the parmesan. Garnish with basil and serve!

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