Spicy rigatoni alla vodka with sun-dried tomatoes and roasted bell peppers. Who knew that some onion, garlic, tomatoes and cream could create so much flavor in so little time? All pureed into a creamy vodka sauce that’s vibrant, cheesy, a little boozy flavored, super easy and extremely delicious.
But what makes this sauce so irresistible? First the sun-dried tomatoes add a deep layer of flavor, they really make the sauce so good and packed with more flavor than any standard tomato sauce. And than the vodka, yes! It’s such a game changer. It helps to balance out the sweetness of the tomatoes, and gives the sauce a boost and intensifies the aroma. Silky, smooth, velvety and creamy.
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO.
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Recipe Video
Spicy Rigatoni alla Vodka with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 9 ounces rigatoni
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 shallots finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 can (400 ml/14 oz) crushed tomatoes like San Marzano tomatoes
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup vodka
- 3.5 ounces sun-dried tomatoes drained
- 1 small jar (10 oz/280 g) roasted bell peppers drained
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 30 g freshly grated parmesan plus more for serving
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes or more to taste
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Get all the prep done before you start cooking: mince the garlic and finely chop the shallots.
- Bring a large pot of generous salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until al dente according to the package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water.
- While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic, cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add vodka to deglaze the pan and stir to incorporate, simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and about 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers, cream, chili flakes and thyme, cook 3 minutes more.
- Remove from heat. Mix the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth. Add rigatoni and parmesan to the sauce, toss to combine. Adjust salt and pepper. If needed, add a splash of the pasta cooking water to thin the sauce.
- Divide pasta among bowls. Top with remaining parmesan cheese and chili flakes, if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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This sauce and pasta looks like a winner. Definitely make.
Thanks so much Julie!
Valentines night dinner right there. Looks fantastic!
So glad you like this!!
I made this for Valentine’s Day yesterday and it was perfect! Absolutely delicious!
Thanks so much Carla!
When you say one can of tomatoes how many ounces and also how many ounces for the jar of roasted red peppers. Thank you very much
Hi Grace, it’s a 13.5 oz can of tomatoes and a small jar (10 oz) roasted bell peppers. Thanks for your feedback, I’ll add the measurements to the list. Hope you’ll love the recipe. Happy cooking!