Description
A rich, creamy, and spicy vodka sauce tailored for small batches, making exactly one hearty meal or two light ones without leftovers. Ready in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces rigatoni pasta
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons vodka
- 1/4 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2–3 fresh basil leaves, torn
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Olive oil for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Mince garlic, measure vodka and broth, and grate Parmesan.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni according to package directions until al dente (8-10 minutes).
- Before draining, reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water. Drain pasta and set aside.
- While pasta cooks, heat butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
- Add tomato paste to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to toast the paste.
- Pour in vodka and simmer for 1 minute to cook off the alcohol smell. Add chicken broth and scrape up browned bits from the pan bottom; simmer for 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce. Toss to coat. If too thick, add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time.
- Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese and torn basil. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately, optionally topped with a drizzle of olive oil and extra red pepper flakes.
Notes
Toast the tomato paste to remove metallic taste. Do not skip the pasta water as it helps emulsify the sauce. Keep heat low when adding cream to prevent curdling. Use fresh Parmesan for best melting results. Vodka can be substituted with extra broth or water if preferred.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 large bowl
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 420
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 16
- Carbohydrates: 65
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 18
Keywords: vodka pasta, rigatoni, small batch recipe, spicy pasta, creamy tomato sauce, quick dinner, comfort food, gluten-free option