I love writing about food in the fall. As the seasons change and we start transitioning our wardrobes, we also change our home-cooking menus. We say goodbye to the recipes that make our kitchens feel like an oven and welcome the warm and comforting dishes. One of my all-time favorite meals during this time of year is pasta alla vodka.

For those not familiar, pasta alla vodka is pasta in vodka sauce. The sauce is typically a combination of seasoned tomato sauce, cream, Parmesan, and of course, vodka. The dish is often made with penne, a ridged tubular pasta cut on either end at an angle. In fact, many people refer to the dish as penne alla vodka. However, I believe that rich, creamy, and pink vodka sauce pairs well with various pasta shapes.

Making vodka sauce from scratch is not difficult, but it can be time-consuming. Luckily, Italian chef Giada De Laurentiis has a brilliant shortcut that saves both time and effort. On her Giadzy website, she shares her recipe for Giada’s Pasta Alla Vodka. While she uses paccheri, a shorter and wider version of rigatoni, the recipe can also be made with penne or rigatoni.

De Laurentiis’ shortcut involves using store-bought marinara sauce as a base for the vodka sauce. She suggests using 4 cups of any store-bought marinara to cut the cooking time down to a mere 25 minutes. To achieve that velvety texture, she advises blending the tomato sauce with either an immersion or stand blender. This step truly makes a world of difference.

Although the jarred marinara with vodka and cream may be hot by the 25-minute mark, De Laurentiis recommends simmering the sauce a bit longer to allow the vodka to cook out fully. As for which jarred marinara to use, our readers in the Community Choice Awards rave about Rao’s marinara, stating that it could pass as homemade. Prego’s marinara is another excellent option, praised for being the best standard sauce. For those seeking a burst of flavor, Trader Joe’s Tomato Basil marinara is highly recommended.

So, if you’re craving a delicious and creamy pasta alla vodka but don’t have hours to spare, give Giada De Laurentiis’ shortcut a try. With a few simple adjustments, you can enjoy a comforting and satisfying meal in no time.