Vodka sauce with basil pesto stirred through and a hit of crushed red pepper. Weeknight-fast, one pan for the sauce plus a pasta pot. Adapted from Half Baked Harvest’s Spicy Pesto Pasta alla Vodka.
At a Glance
| Yield | 6 servings |
| Prep | 10 minutes |
| Cook | 20 minutes |
Ingredients
Sauce
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Extra virgin olive oil | 1/4 cup |
| Shallot, finely chopped | 1 |
| Garlic, finely chopped | 4 cloves |
| Dried oregano | 1 tsp |
| Crushed red pepper flakes | 1 to 2 tsp |
| Tomato paste | 1/2 cup |
| Vodka | 1/4 cup |
| Basil pesto | 3/4 cup |
| Heavy cream (or canned coconut milk) | 1 cup |
| Kosher salt and black pepper | to taste |
To finish
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Short-cut pasta | 1 lb |
| Salted butter | 3 tbsp |
| Grated Parmesan, plus more for serving | 1/3 cup |
| Fresh basil, roughly chopped | 1/4 cup |
Method
Aromatics
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low. Add shallot, garlic, and oregano. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallot softens and starts to caramelize, about 5 minutes.
Build the sauce
Stir in the tomato paste and red pepper flakes. Let it cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes; the paste will darken and take on a slightly toasted look.
Pour in the vodka, cook 2 minutes to burn off the sharp alcohol edge.
Stir in the pesto and cream. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm on the lowest heat while the pasta cooks.
Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente per the package. Before draining, scoop out 1.5 cups of pasta water.
Combine
Add the drained pasta to the sauce with 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and the butter. Toss until everything is glossy and coated.
Add the Parmesan and fresh basil, toss again. Thin with more pasta water a splash at a time if the sauce is too thick.
Serve topped with more basil and Parmesan.
Notes
- Coconut milk swap works if you want it dairy-free-ish (still has Parmesan and butter). Use full-fat canned; the sauce is thinner but the flavor holds.
- Pesto quality matters. Store-bought is fine but the sauce takes on whatever the pesto brings, so use one you like eating on its own.
- Reserve the pasta water. Don’t skip this; the starch is what marries the sauce to the noodles.
Source
Adapted from Spicy Pesto Pasta Alla Vodka — Half Baked Harvest. See the original for photos and additional context.