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!
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