• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

bits and bites

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
    • Air Fryer
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfasts
    • Charcuterie Boards
    • Cocktails
      • Home Bar 101
      • Martinis
      • Tequila Cocktails
      • Aperol Cocktails
    • Coffee + Tea
    • Desserts
    • Dinners
    • Grilling
    • Lunches
    • Pasta
    • Pasta Salad
    • Pizza
    • Sauces
    • Seafood
    • Sides & Salads
    • Soup and Chili
  • Cocktails
    • Aperol Cocktails
    • Martini Recipes
    • Tequila Cocktails
    • Home Bar 101
  • Bits
    • Travel
    • Chicago
  • Book Club
  • About Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
      • Air Fryer
      • Appetizers
      • Breakfasts
      • Charcuterie Boards
      • Cocktails
        • Home Bar 101
        • Martinis
        • Tequila Cocktails
        • Aperol Cocktails
      • Coffee + Tea
      • Desserts
      • Dinners
      • Grilling
      • Lunches
      • Pasta
      • Pasta Salad
      • Pizza
      • Sauces
      • Seafood
      • Sides & Salads
      • Soup and Chili
    • Cocktails
      • Aperol Cocktails
      • Martini Recipes
      • Tequila Cocktails
      • Home Bar 101
    • Bits
      • Travel
      • Chicago
    • Book Club
    • About Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    • lychee lemon drop martini
      Lychee Lemon Drop Martini
    • mango mai tai
      Mango Mai Tai
    • white wine butter sauce
      Easy White Wine Butter Sauce for Pasta
    • potato chip rice krispie treats
      Potato Chip Rice Krispie Treats
    • lychee margarita
      Lychee Margarita
    • blueberry margarita
      Blueberry Margarita with Blueberry Syrup
    • blueberry simple syrup
      Blueberry Simple Syrup
    • strawberry jalapeno margarita
      Strawberry Jalapeno Margarita
    • cucumber cilantro margarita
      Cucumber Cilantro Margarita
    • banana pudding with jello
      Easy Banana Pudding with Jello Instant Pudding
    • hot honey bee's knees
      Hot Honey Bee's Knees
    • batanga cocktail
      The Batanga Cocktail

    December 10, 2020 Dinners

    Homemade Vodka Sauce - how to make the BEST sauce!

    • Facebook
    • X
    • Email
    Jump to Recipe

    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. 

    this easy homemade vodka sauce is seriously the best homemade vodka sauce. you'll be so hooked and be making homemade penne alle vodka and even lasagna with vodka sauce. by bits and bites.

    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.
    Looking for an easy homemade vodka sauce? This is it! This is the perfect sauce to have a nice Italian valentines day dinner.

    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. 

    This easy oven-ready lasagna is a fool-proof lasagna recipe and is perfect if you're looking for a romantic, Italian at-home valentines day date night idea.

    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. 

    Pin it for later!

    easy homemade vodka sauce

    Easy Homemade Vodka Sauce

    This easy homemade vodka sauce will soon be one of your favorite homemade sauces to make! Whether you love making homemade penne alla vodka or you're pairing this homemade vodka sauce with ravioli, you'll love this 30-minute recipe!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 25 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Course dinner
    Cuisine american italian, Italian

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 tablespoon butter
    • 1 onion finely chopped
    • 2-3 cloves garlic minced
    • ¾ c. vodka
    • 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
    • ½ c. heavy cream
    • ¾ c. grated parmesan
    • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
    • salt & pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • in your pot, melt your 3 tablespoon of butter and saute your onions + garlic over medium-low for about 5 minutes. If you want to really amplify the flavor, saute for 20 minutes until the garlic starts to brown. That'll increase the cooking time by 20 minutes, keep in mind!
    • Pour in your vodka and stir to deglaze the pot.
    • Add in your can of whole peeled tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Using your spoon, smash the tomatoes.
    • Add in your heavy cream, parmesan and red pepper flakes
    • Bring to a simmer and using your immersion blender, blend. Let it simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
    • Pour over your favorite pasta, make homemade lasagna and enjoy!
    Keyword easy homemade vodka sauce, homemade vodka sauce

    More Food Bites

    • the best espresso martini variations
      The Best Espresso Martini Variations
    • strawberry simple syrup
      Strawberry Simple Syrup
    • the best margarita recipes to make at home
      The Best Margarita Recipes to Make at Home
    • vodka negroni
      Vodka Negroni (a Negronski)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Liz says

      February 19, 2023 at 10:38 am

      5 stars
      Made came out family approved yummy

      Reply
      • Katie Kelly says

        February 20, 2023 at 11:22 am

        Love to hear that! Thanks so much!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Katie!

    Welcome to bits + bites! I focus on delivering you easy, approachable yet flavorful recipes for all occasions from the everyday and beyond.

    about me

    What's new?

    • mini egg brownies
      Mini Egg Brownies
    • elderflower margarita
      St. Germain Elderflower Margarita
    • vodka and aperol martini
      Aperol Martini with Vodka
    • iced honey lavender latte
      Iced Honey Lavender Latte

    What's popular?

    • wonton soup with frozen wontons
      Easy Wonton Soup with Frozen Wontons
    • If you're wondering how to make glass vases look like pottery, this is the tutorial you need. This faux ceramic vases DIY project couldn't be any easier and you will be obsessed with the transformation from glass vase to ceramic. These DIY ceramic vases are so pretty.
      Faux Ceramic Vases DIY
    • sweetgreen elote bowl
      Copycat Sweetgreen Corn Elote Bowl Recipe
    • these air fryer donuts with canned biscuits is one of the easiest air fryer donut recipes out there!
      Easy Air Fryer Donuts with Biscuits Recipe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme