This sauce is rich and delicious and it’s easy to make with canned tomatoes, cream, pancetta, and a splash of vodka.
An Easy Pasta Sauce
Vodka sauce is an Italian-American sauce made with crushed tomatoes, onions, and pancetta and a splash of vodka. Deceptively easy to make, vodka sauce is an impressive sauce for when company comes over! Serve over breaded chicken, sauteed shrimp, or pasta.
Ingredients for Vodka Sauce
Tomatoes: For the best flavor, choose San Marzano tomatoes (or quality canned tomatoes). Crush the whole tomatoes by squeezing them with your hands. Pancetta: Pancetta adds a salty, savory flavor. You can replace it with prosciutto, bacon, or Italian sausage. Dairy: Heavy cream makes a rich sauce that thickens nicely. You can replace it with half and half, but the sauce will be thinner. Vodka: Since this is a vodka sauce, the vodka is recommended. If you don’t have any, you can use white wine or chicken broth in place. Herbs: These add flavor. Fresh herbs should be added at the end of cooking while dried herbs should be added at the beginning. Pasta: I love to use this to make penne alla vodka or toss it with rigatoni, but any pasta works.
How to Make Vodka Sauce
Keep this classic vodka sauce recipe on hand for easy meals!
Holly’s Tips
Cook pasta until just al dente (firm), and do not rinse it. Add a little pasta water to the sauce, it adds body and allows the sauce to cling to the pasta better. Fresh basil or sauteed zucchini are a great additions.
Storing Vodka Sauce
Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and freeze in zippered bags for up to a month. Vodka sauce can be made ahead and frozen until ready to use. Thaw the sauce overnight in the refrigerator or in a saucepan on low heat. Adjust seasonings before serving. Did you make this Vodka Sauce? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below! © SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
