Homemade Vodka Sauce - how to make the BEST sauce!

This easy homemade vodka sauce will soon be one of your favorite homemade sauces to make! Whether you love making homemade penne alle vodka or you're pairing this homemade vodka sauce with ravioli, you'll love this 30-minute recipe!

You'll love this easy homemade vodka sauce

It's so easy to make. Once you learn how easy it is to make this homemade pasta sauce, you will make it all the time! Minimal effort and you get a delicious sauce. 

It takes 30 minutes. Outside of the simple ingredients, this is such an easy vodka sauce recipe! It takes only 30 minutes to make such a flavorful sauce. 

It goes with so much. ​This is such a cozy recipe and you can pair it with all your favorite regular dinner rotation recipes like gnocchi alla vodka, homemade lasagna, or burrata pizza. 

Ingredients

Butter. I prefer to use butter, as opposed to olive oil, as a base for this sauce. It adds to the richness and I prefer the flavor of the butter in this creamy sauce. 

Onion. The base of many delicious recipes is a sweet or yellow onion, it adds such a savory flavor that's essential for this vodka sauce. 

Garlic. Like many Italian recipes, this vodka sauce calls for fresh garlic. I recommend using fresh as opposed to granulated garlic or garlic powder. 

Vodka. Of course, vodka sauce needs a splash of vodka. You must use plain vodka. If you don't want to use plain vodka, I have some substitutions below. 

Whole Peeled Tomatoes. If you want the best flavor, I recommend using San Marzano tomatoes. They are the best canned tomatoes. You can find these tomatoes at your local grocery store. 

Parmesan Cheese. I love using fresh parmesan cheese in this creamy tomato sauce recipe. If you can freshly grate parmesan, I recommend that for any homemade sauce. 

Heavy Cream. To get the best vodka sauce, I recommend using heavy cream as opposed to milk. 

Red Pepper Flakes. If you like a bit of spice, you can always add some crushed red pepper flakes. 

Salt & Black Pepper. Of course, you need salt and black pepper. You don't need as much salt as you would for a homemade tomato sauce because the parmesan is salty!

How to make homemade vodka sauce

1. In your large saucepan or large sauté pan, melt your 3 tablespoon of butter and saute your onions and minced garlic over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes. The garlic will brown and that gives you a lot of flavor.
2. Pour in your vodka and stir to deglaze the pot.
3. Add in your can of whole peeled tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Using your spoon, smash the tomatoes.
4. Add in your heavy cream, parmesan, and red pepper flakes.
5. Bring to a simmer and using your immersion blender, blend. Let it simmer uncovered for 25 minutes.

Is vodka sauce just Alfredo and marinara?

Absolutely not! Vodka sauce is its own thing. It may seem as though it's the combination of Alfredo sauce and marinara sauce, but that is technically Pink Sauce, and Pink Sauce and vodka sauce are not the same things. It's an absolute favorite recipe of mine. 

Can you make vodka sauce without vodka?

Yes! The point of the vodka is to easily marry the cream with the tomatoes and highlight the taste of all the ingredients. The reason you use vodka over any other alcohol is that the flavor is next to nothing. You can use something like white wine or red wine, but those will bring their own flavors to the sauce which won't result in a traditional vodka sauce.

But, if you want to make vodka sauce without vodka, you can simply sub out the vodka for pasta water and a bit of fresh lemon juice. 

Can kids have vodka sauce?

Yes! Although there is alcohol involved in the recipe, rest assured the alcohol cooks off making this easy homemade vodka sauce safe for kids to consume. It's even a super easy recipe to have your kids help you in the kitchen! Minimal slicing and dicing, and lots of stirring and simmering! You can make this creamy tomato-based sauce as a family dinner or you can serve it as a busy weeknight meal. 

Substitutions and variations

Pasta Water.​ If you want to really add to the creamy texture, save some pasta cooking liquid to add to the sauce. It adds such a creamy texture that takes your sauce to the next level. 

Vegan Vodka Sauce. If you want to make this into a vegan sauce, you can use your favorite dairy-free options for the creamer and butter. You can also use olive oil instead of butter. 

Tomato Paste.​ If you want to add a spoonful of tomato paste, you can add it after the first step and cook until the tomato paste caramelizes. 

Storing leftover vodka sauce

Store your leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can also freeze this sauce and defrost it so you can make your favorite Italian recipes whenever you're craving them. 

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