Creamy Vodka Sauce
If you’re here, you know how much I love carbs - specifically, pasta. So, you won’t be surprised by another pasta dish. What you will be surprised by is that this one is Mike approved! It might have something to do with the vodka in it…
I whipped this up last weekend when I wanted comfort food and I was shocked by how much I liked it! I even ended up eating it two meals in a row. Monday night, I got home from work a little disappointed with my day and really hungry and I went for the first thing that I saw in the fridge.
Pasta went into the pot, and when it was done I grabbed a mixing bowl - yes, a mixing bowl - stirred the sauce into the hot pasta and walked it to the table. I handed my husband a fork and we ate dinner out of that mixing bowl and drank wine. He repeatedly told me how good it was, and asked me what was in it. He smiled at me and told me I was pretty and I giggled.
After we got done eating I realize it had actually been a mini date night in. I loved it. That man makes me insanely happy.
I also realized that this the meal I will tell everyone to make on dates from here on out. I get asked a lot about what dish to make that would be good on a date. This is it ladies. This is the meal that convinced my husband that pasta isn’t so bad after all. Turns out I just needed a dish with bold and savory flavors and a bit of vodka.
The best part about this sauce? It freezes really well! There are a few ways to do that - you can either ladle it into a muffin tin and freeze it in individual like portions or you can wait until it cools and pour it into a ziplock bag. Once it’s in the bag you seal it, lay it flat on a cookie sheet and and place in the freezer until solid. Since there are two of us - I use the muffin tin way, but if I had kids or friends I knew I would be cooking for I would use the ziplock bag way!
Make this for your significant other - you won’t regret it!
PrintCreamy Vodka Sauce
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
12 ounces of short pasta
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 shallots, minced
1 cup of vodka
1 cup of chicken broth
1 (28 oz.) can of crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 cup of fresh basil, sliced thinly
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
Directions:
Put a large pot of water over high heat for the pasta, salt well. When the water boils, add the past and cook until al dente, drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, butter, garlic, and shallots. Saute around 4 minutes to develop their sweetness. Add vodka and cook down until it's reduced in half - around 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and tomatoes and stir well. Bring the whole pot to a bubble and then reduce the heat to low. Add salt and pepper to taste, add in the cream and basil. Stir well.
Spoon over the pasta and stir well to combine.
Notes:
Serve it with crusty bread, grilled chicken, or a salad.
Adapted from Rachael Ray's cookbook Classic 30 minute meals
Hi, my name is 
Carbs + Wine = My favorite type of Friday nights I have never attempted to make a vodka cream sauce but you make it seem so easy!
Oh how I LOVE a good vodka sauce!! It looks insanely delicious.
Mackenzie — April 10th, 2013 @ 5:47 pm
My husband keeps requesting it again for dinner!