I’ll take a spicy and creamy vodka sauce over a standard tomato sauce any day. I have really fond memories of an Italian place back in Maryland (shout out to EatZi’s, sadly, no longer in business), who had the best vodka sauce ever. Thrilled to recreate it here, in my own kitchen for my kids.
Vodka Sauce
Vodka Sauce
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Dara Boxer
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, medium diced
- kosher salt to taste
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes (Cento San Marzano yields the best flavor)
- ⅓ cup vodka (I substitute apple cider vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup fresh chopped basil
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat; add onions and cook until translucent. Season with salt. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, stir until fragrant.
- Stir in tomatoes and vodka and continue cooking the mixture until slightly reduced, stirring occasionally.
- Next, stir in the tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, salt, and black pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered for 20 minutes until reduced by half, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer tomato mixture to a blender or use an immersion blender, add basil, and purée until smooth. Return sauce to the pan, heat over low, and stir in heavy cream. Cook until warmed through. Add in parmesan cheese, stir well.
- Serve with additional sprinkle of cheese and basil, if desired. Freezes beautifully for up to 1 month.