Easy Vodka Sauce Recipe

easy homemade vodka sauce in a mason jar next to a wooden spoon

4.43 from 7 votes

This easy vodka sauce recipe creates a luscious creamy sauce you'll love putting on any pasta. Slightly spicy, sweet, and silky, this is restaurant quality sauce for penne alla vodka or other dishes!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Dinner, Main Course, Sauce

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: pints

Calories: 897kcal

Author: Meaghan @ 4 Sons R Us

Ingredients

1/2 stick butter 4 tbsp
2/3 cup vodka
pinch crushed red pepper flakes optional
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
pinch dried basil
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Set a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter.
Once the butter's melted add the vodka and crushed red pepper flakes to the skillet. Whisk together until evenly combined.
Bring the mixture to a simmer, and let it cook for 2-3 minutes to cook off some of the alcohol.
Pour the crushed tomatoes into the skillet, and bring the sauce back to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, whisking often, until thickened slightly.
Add the cream to the skillet, whisking to evenly combine, and continue simmering the sauce for another 5 minutes.
Remove the skillet from heat, and stir in the cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese has fully melted and incorporated into the vodka sauce.
Serve over pasta, and enjoy!

Notes

While you can use store bought shredded Parmesan cheese, the waxy coating used the keep it from clumping can lead to a grainy texture in your sauce once it's melted. Freshly shredded will yield the best, smoothest results for your sauce.
Sauce not thick enough for your liking? You can add a small amount of cornstarch slurry, and cook an additional few minutes over low heat until it thickens to your liking.
You can skip the red pepper flakes all together if you don't want the sauce to have any heat.

Nutrition