Enjoying pasta dishes such as spicy rigatoni vodka can be a luxurious experience due to their rich and creamy taste. However, these dishes can often be pricey at Italian dining establishments. Luckily, you can recreate this delicious dish in your comfort zone with materials readily available in your pantry. The process begins by making a sauce with canned tomatoes, vodka, red pepper flakes, and other ingredients until it’s reached the right thickness. Afterward, cooked rigatoni pasta is mixed into the sauce and garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs. Congratulations, you now have a spicy, hearty, and delightful restaurant-style pasta dish without the premium price tag. This dish is an excellent reward for yourself if you have the time to unwind and cook a homely dinner. Continue reading to discover how to bring this saucy pasta dish to life!

This delicacy is based on rigatoni pasta dyed in a spicy tomato cream sauce. The reason behind using rigatoni is its ridges and holes which are great for capturing the sauce compared to other pasta forms. An Italian-American restaurant in New York named Carbone is attributed to have made the dish famous, with price tag of $34 on their menu. No need to worry, you can reproduce the dish comfortably at home and have some savings to boot! An additional bonus is that you can easily warm any leftovers guided by our tips on how to reheat pasta.

Vodka serves a crucial role in the dish as an emulsifier—ensuring all ingredients in the sauce maintain uniformity. It’s added during the process of cooking the sauce to allow the alcohol to evaporate, creating a gentle piquant taste. If vodka isn’t immediately available, you could use white wine or chicken broth as alternates to achieve a nearly similar taste and structure.

To achieve a sauce that sticks to the rigatoni, incorporating pasta’s leftover cooking water into the dish is recommended. Jessica Randhawa, owner and principal chef at The Forked Spoon explains, “The transformative ingredient is concluding the pasta in sauce with a tinge of the starchy pasta water.” According to her, this enhances the sauce’s adherence to the rigatoni and modifies the sauce consistency to the appropriate level. It’s advisable to set aside around one cup of the cooking liquid before draining your pasta. While merging the sauce and rigatoni, gradually pour enough liquid until you attain your preferred consistency.

Related: Why Do Chefs Call Pasta Water ‘Liquid Gold’?

Below, Maria Liberati, Gourmand World Award-winning author and podcast host of “The Maria Liberati Show”, shares her go-to Spicy Rigatoni Vodka recipe. In her recipe, an important step is allowing the onions to sauté for at least 45 minutes. This provides the sauce with hints of sweetness that balance the acidic tomatoes. You can also adjust the amount of chili pepper flakes for a milder or spicier rigatoni vodka dish.

Ingredients:

28 oz. crushed San Marzano tomatoes

¼ cup unsalted butter, separated

1 medium onion, chopped

½ cup water

1½ Tbs. salt + extra

3 Tbs. olive oil

3 Tbs. red pepper flakes or Calabrian chili paste

3 Tbs. vodka

1 cup heavy cream

(Note: The supplied HTML code only contains simple paragraph elements with text content, which is already in compliance with the required guidelines. Therefore, it just needs to be copied and pasted without further modifications.)

1 lb. box of rigatoni pasta

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese + extra

Fresh chopped basil and/or parsley, for garnish

Directions:

Yield: 8 servings

In a saucepan on low heat, melt one tablespoon of butter. Introduce onions, a pinch of salt and water into the mixture. Make sure the saucepan is covered. Stir occasionally for approximately 45-60 minutes, until the onions are soft and clear.

Prepare a different skillet. In it, combine crushed tomatoes, 1 and a half tablespoons of salt, olive oil, chili flakes or paste, vodka, the remaining three tablespoons of butter and cream. Allow the mixture to reach boiling point, then lower the heat and let it simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.

On the side, cook the pasta based on the instructions given on its packaging. Ensure it is al dente, which means it retains a slight bite. Before you drain the rigatoni, save a cup of the pasta water.

Add cooked onions to creamy tomato sauce base; stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Add cooked pasta to sauce with ½ cup Parmesan cheese and a generous splash of rigatoni liquid. Using tongs, toss mixture until pasta is fully coated in sauce. Add more pasta water or cheese if needed.

Serve immediately with additional cheese and chopped herbs. Enjoy!

Make this dish pasta night-perfect by serving it with a couple of different sides! Salad tossed in a zesty vinaigrette is refreshing and pairs well with the rich and peppery sauce. A carby side like this air fryer garlic bread is another tasty addition since it’s filling, buttery and pungent. Buon appetito!

Continue reading for more delicious pasta recipes and inspiration!

10 Pasta Casserole Recipes Perfect for Cozy Weeknight Suppers — So Easy + Delicious

Shiny, Black Noodles? Here’s What You Need To Know About Squid Ink Pasta

Oprah’s Personal Chef Makes Pasta Sauce From Oatmeal — Would You Eat It?