This Vegan Vodka Sauce is the best ever dairy-free pasta recipe! You only need 9 simple ingredients and 30 minutes to make this creamy rose sauce. Its flavorful, easy to make and is perfect for a weeknight dinner.
When I can't think of what to make for dinner, its a pasta night. I love that its so versatile. I can make a red sauce like a Vegan Puttanesca, or a lemony sauce like my Vegan Zucchini Pasta or even a simple Miso Butter Pasta and its always delicious!
Today we're making one of my all-time favorite Italian recipes- Vegan Vodka Sauce. Vodka sauce is a creamy rose pasta sauce that has tomato, garlic and a bit of vodka in it. Typically heavy cream is stirred in at the end to make the sauce creamy, but since this is a vegan recipe, were using cashew cream!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This vegan pasta alla vodka recipe only requires 9 ingredients!
- And its easy to make, its great for beginners.
- The sauce only takes 30 minutes, so its quick enough to make on a weeknight.
- You can use any pasta you have in your pantry for this recipe.
- And most importantly it is absolutely delicious.
Ingredient Notes
Whole Peeled San Marzano Tomatoes: The tomatoes are the most important part! My favorite are Cento Whole Peeled Tomatoes. They are packed in purée, rather than tomato juice, so they have more flavor.
Vodka: I used Titos, but use what you have! Or leave it out altogether for a creamy rose pasta sauce.
Cashews: Cashews are soaked in hot water to create a velvety cashew cream. This is what makes this Vegan Vodka Sauce creamy- no heavy cream necessary! I like to use this method for my Vegan Cashew Mac and Cheese and my Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup, too.
Olive Oil: Every Italian recipe starts with a drizzle of olive oil in the pan.
Tomato Paste: Tomato paste amps up the tomato flavor in this recipe. So we get a cooked-all-day flavor in just 30 minutes!
Onions and Garlic: It wouldn't be an Italian recipe without onion and plenty of garlic!
Calabrian Chiles: I like Tutto Calabria's crushed calabrian chiles. But, if you can't find them, use a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
Pasta: Use whatever pasta you like. I know people love penne, but its not my favorite. I prefer rigatoni rigate or pipe rigate. You can also make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. First make the cashew cream. Add raw unsalted cashews and boiling water into a blender. Allow the cashews to soak for 10 minutes, then blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth, 1 minute.
Step 2. Now, make the vegan vodka sauce. Heat olive oil in a large braiser or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt and cook stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Then, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 3. Add the tomato paste, and cook stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes. The tomato paste will start to stick to the bottom of the pan and brown and thats what we want!
Step 4. Turn the stove off and add the vodka to the pan. Then, turn the stove back on. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits up from the bottom of the pan.
Step 5. Add crushed tomatoes and Calabrian chilis to the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then turn heat to low and simmer the sauce until it has thickened, about 15 minutes.
Step 6. Turn the heat off and add the cashew cream and stir. Season the dairy free vegan vodka sauce with a pinch of salt and pepper. Then, add cooked pasta and gently stir to combine. It will look like too much sauce at first, but the pasta will soak the sauce up in a minute or two. Then, serve the pasta alla vodka with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan or some chopped fresh basil.
What to Serve it With
- Easy Vegan Garlic Bread
- Sautéed broccolini
- A simple green salad
- Vegan Garlic Knots
Recipe FAQs
Store this dish in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. And if you don't mix the sauce with the pasta, you can freeze the sauce to for up to a month.
Because there is cream added at the end which turns the sauce pink instead of red!
I recommend short cut pasta for vodka sauce. My favorites are rigatoni and pipe rigate.
Use water or vegetable stock instead of vodka to deglaze the pan. The sauce will still be flavorful and delicious!
Expert Recipe Tips
Alcohol is flammable! To safely cook with alcohol follow these two steps:
- Do not pour directly from the vodka bottle. Pour the vodka into a separate container and put the bottle away.
- Turn the heat off before you pour the vodka into the pan. Once the vodka is in the pan, turn the heat back on.
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Vodka Sauce
Equipment
- 1 High Speed Blender
- 1 4 Quart Pot
- 1 Large Braiser or Dutch Oven see note
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Chefs Knife
Ingredients
For the Cashew Cream
- ½ Cup Raw Unsalted Cashews
- ¾ Cup Boiling Water
For the Vodka Sauce
- 3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion, small dice
- 4 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 6 tablespoon Vodka
- 1 28 oz Can of Whole Peeled Tomatoes see note!
- 3 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 2 tablespoon Chopped Calabrian Chilis see note
- 1 Pound Pasta of Choice I like Rigatoni or Pipe Rigate
- Salt and Black Pepper
Instructions
Make the Cashew Cream
- Add cashews and boiling water into the pitcher of a high-speed blender. Allow the cashews to soak for 10 minutes. Then, blend on high until completely smooth and creamy- about 1 minute.½ Cup Raw Unsalted Cashews, ¾ Cup Boiling Water
Boil the Pasta
- In a 4-quart pot, cook pasta according to the package directions in well-salted water. When the pasta is done, be sure to reserve a cup of the pasta water before draining.1 Pound Pasta of Choice
To Make the Vegan Vodka Sauce
- Pour the tomatoes into a large bowl and use your hands to crush them to your desired consistency. Or, if you like them completely smooth, blend them with an immersion blender.1 28 oz Can of Whole Peeled Tomatoes
- Heat a large, braiser or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil and onion along with a pinch of salt. Sauté onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for one minute longer.3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 Medium Onion, small dice, 4 Cloves Garlic, minced
- Add the tomato paste and cook for about 3 minutes. The tomato paste will start to brown and stick to the bottom of the pan. That's what you want!3 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- Turn the stove off (for safety) and add the vodka to the pan. Turn the heat back on to medium and gently stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. (See note!)6 tablespoon Vodka
- Add the crushed tomatoes and Calabrian chilis. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Bring mixture to a simmer and simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes.2 tablespoon Chopped Calabrian Chilis
- Pour the cashew cream into the sauce and stir. Then add another pinch of salt and pepper and stir again.2 tablespoon Chopped Calabrian Chilis, Salt and Black Pepper
- Add the pasta to the sauce and gently stir to combine. If you need to loosen the sauce, add pasta water, ¼ cup at a time. If you don't need pasta water, don't use it! (See note)
- Serve with vegan parmesan or chopped fresh basil.
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