How to Make Vegan Vodka Pasta

This recipe is KIC’s take on the traditional Italian Vodka Sauce which you’ll find served all throughout Italy, usually with penne or rigatoni.

Who knew vodka could make for an elite night in?! We love that the vodka is simply combined with a few staple pantry ingredients and produces an utterly delicious meal. We’ve got no doubt that this is a pasta your taste buds will approve of!

The acidity of the tomato-based sauce is perfectly balanced with the addition of the coconut cream which places the vodka sauce smack bang in the middle of a basic tomato sauce and an Alfredo sauce. So, this is the pasta you should make when you want something creamy that’s not a carbonara and something tomato-based that isn’t a simple Marinara.

If you’re worried that you can’t make this dish because you don’t have any vodka on hand, don’t stress! You can simply substitute the vodka with 1tsp of lemon juice.

We hope that Italy won’t feel too far away when you’re enjoying this dish.

P.s. If you’re gluten free or simply looking to increase the protein content in this recipe, you can sub out the rigatoni for the Keep It Cleaner Green Pea or Chickpea pasta. The KIC pasta range is stocked in Coles.

Ingredients

400g rigatoni pasta

1tbsp olive oil

170g brown onion

4 garlic cloves

130g tomato paste

1/4 tsp chilli flakes

2tbsp vodka

170ml low fat coconut milk

1/2tsp salt

1/4tsp cracked pepper

1tsp basil leaves

Method

Step 1

Bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta until al-dente. (Note: you want to undercook the pasta slightly as it will continue to cook when mixed with the sauce).

Step 2

Peel and finely chop onion and garlic. Next, heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring constantly until golden; approximately 5 minutes.

Step 3

Add tomato paste and chilli flakes and cook, stirring constantly until the paste begins to darken and caramelise; about 8-10 minutes.

Step 4

Add vodka and cook, stirring constantly until evaporated; approximately 4-5 minutes. (You shouldn’t be able to smell the alcohol anymore).

Step 5

Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and add coconut milk, stirring constantly until a smooth sauce forms. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 6

Use a heatproof cup to transfer ~1/2 cup of pasta water to the pan, stirring gently until a glossy sauce forms.

Step 7

Once the pasta is cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer pasta to the pan, then garnish with basil leaves and serve with KIC’s Italian salad.