Date Night Vodka Pasta
Have you been living under a rock during quarantine or are you also obsessed with TikTok like me?!??
Now that I’ve owned up to my totally “normal” obsession with TikTok scrolling (because what else are we supposed to do in lock down), I wanna talk about this date night vodka pasta that was totally inspired by a TikTok rabbit hole I went down one night. No shame for this millennial!
I call this “date night” vodka pasta because nothing screams “date night” like a cheesy, creamy yet effortless pasta, if you ask me. I adore how this recipe not only comes together in less than 30 minutes for even the most spontaneous of date nights but also explodes with flavor with just a few key ingredients. The vodka in this creamy, tomato-centric pasta just works as it cuts the bitterness of the tomato paste and adds a balanced, sweetness that is oh-so-welcome in this luxurious plate of noods.
Whether you’re making it for a date night for your S.O. or just a date for yourself (queue Lizzo’s “soulmate”), this pasta absolutely needs to be on the menu. All you need now is the perfect playlist and a bottle of red wine to complete this stunner of a meal!
Date Night Vodka Pasta
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 shallot, minced
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons vodka
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound short pasta, like penne, fusilli or rigatoni
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Directions
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until paste is brick red and starts to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add vodka and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is mostly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add cream and red pepper flakes and stir until well blended. Season with salt and pepper; remove from heat.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. This is an important step as the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce! Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta liquid.
Add pasta to skillet with sauce along with butter and 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and adding more pasta cooking liquid if needed, until butter has melted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and top with grated Parmesan, tossing to coat. Divide pasta among bowls, then top with basil and more Parmesan.
