Easy Baked Pasta with Vodka Sauce (without vodka)
Try this cheesy and comforting baked pasta with vodka sauce. Perfect for cozy nights at home. Plus, you can make it without vodka!
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 1011kcal
Equipment
- 10.5x8-inch baking dish you can use a smaller or larger baking dish, this is what I had on hand!
- Large pot
- Colander
- Large Sauté Pan
- Chopping Board
Ingredients
- salt for pasta water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 white onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ⅔ cup tomato paste or puree
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- pinch chili flakes
- ⅓ cup vodka optional
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 lb dried pasta
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup grated parmesan plus extra for topping the pasta
- 4.5 oz fresh mozzarella sliced
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook your pasta according to the instructions and drain, saving 1 cup of pasta water. Set the cooked pasta and pasta water to the side.1 lb dried pasta, salt
- Place a large saucepan over medium heat. Once warm, add the olive oil. Once the olive oil starts to shimmer add the garlic and onion. Cook for 3 minutes but don't let it brown. Add the tomato paste and dried oregano and mix together using a wooden spoon.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 white onion, 3 garlic cloves, ⅔ cup tomato paste, ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Add the chili flakes and vodka (if using), cook and stir for 2 minutes.pinch chili flakes, ⅓ cup vodka
- Add the heavy cream and stir together, let simmer for 2-3 minutes. Then add the parmesan and butter.¾ cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup grated parmesan
- Add the cooked pasta and mix everything together.
- If the sauce is too thick you can drizzle in pasta water until it is the consistency you desire.
- Pour the pasta into a baking dish (I used a 10.5x8-inch one but you can go a bit smaller or larger, use what you've got!). Cover the top with sliced mozzarella and extra grated parmesan. Turn the broiler to high (grill if you're in the UK!) and broil for 5-8 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is golden brown.4.5 oz fresh mozzarella
Notes
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven.
Smooth Sauce: if you prefer a smooth and silky sauce, before you add the pasta pour the sauce into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour back into the saucepan and add the pasta.
Calabrian Chiles: swap out the chili flakes for Calabrian chiles! You can find these in the grocery store or at Trader Joe's (where it's called bomba hot pepper sauce!). Adjust the amount depending on how spicy you want the pasta to be. Y
Ricotta: if you want this baked pasta to be even creamier, I love adding a few dollops of ricotta on top of the pasta just before baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 1011kcal | Carbohydrates: 112g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 1158mg | Potassium: 1303mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 2774IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 333mg | Iron: 4mg
