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+ servings
two bowls of pasta with the spicy vodka sauce.
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5 from 9 votes

Spicy Vodka Sauce Recipe

This creamy vodka sauce recipe is the best! Easily baked in the oven with just 6 ingredients, toss it in your favorite noodle, and dinner is served!

Equipment

  • dutch oven or oven safe pot
  • blender or food processor

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups yellow onion chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic smashed
  • ½-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup vodka
  • 1 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes
  • ⅓-1/2 cup heavy cream or plain greek yogurt
  • 12 oz boiled pasta noodles

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.
  • Add the olive oil to a large dutch oven or oven-safe pot and place it over medium heat. When the oil is fragrant, add the chopped onion and smashed garlic cloves. Season with salt and cook until the onion is translucent, about 7-8 minutes.
  • Add the chili flakes and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the vodka and stir to combine.
  • Crush the whole tomatoes with your hands and then add them to the pot along with the sauce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
  • Cover the dutch oven and bake for 75-80 minutes, or until the tomatoes are thick and reduced.
  • Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the tomato sauce into a blender or food processor. Blend on high for 30 seconds until super smooth.
  • Add in the heavy cream and blend or stir to combine.
  • Toss with 12 ounces of boiled pasta noodles and enjoy!

Notes

Step by step process photos are provided above, in the body of this post.
 

ingredient notes

  • Onion: This recipe calls for a sweet Vidalia onion but can be substituted with a yellow or white onion.
  • Red pepper flakes: Start with the minimum amount of red pepper flakes for a mildly spicy kick, or use the full amount for a very spicy sauce.
  • Vodka: Cheaper vodka brands are actually perfect for this recipe! You can use any brand you like, I typically will buy Kirkland, Vitali, or Popov.
  • San Marzano whole tomatoes: You can substitute them with regular canned tomatoes but the flavor will be different.
  • Heavy cream: Can be substituted with Greek yogurt or dairy-free yogurt or cream if desired.

storage and freezing

  • Fridge: Store it in a sealed container in the fridge for 5 days. The sauce tastes even better after sitting overnight!
  • Freezer: Store the cooled sauce in a sealed container in the freezer for 1 month. Let it defrost in the fridge or cold water until thawed before warming.

variations

  • Pasta: I used Fussili Bucati noodles but you can use any of your favorite variety! This sauce prefers a bulkier noodle, like penne, bow ties, rigatoni, or ziti.
  • Dairy-free/Vegan: This sauce can easily be made dairy-free with a simple substitution of dairy-free or vegan cream or yogurt.