recipes straight to your inbox. Rigatoni Alla Vodka with Whipped Ricotta
Rigatoni Alla Vodka with Whipped Ricotta
This epic and creamy rigatoni alla vodka recipe is beautiful, and topped up a notch with whipped ricotta underneath! Dreamy! I LOVE this ala vodka recipe.
What I love about this recipe is that it can easily be made in one pan, it can also easily be made ahead of time. You’ll just make your sauce ahead of time, and toss your pasta/pasta water/parmesan cheese at the end when you’re ready to serve. Just perfect!
What does vodka do in pasta sauce?
The vodka in this pasta sauce enhances the tomato base to create a creamy and luscious sauce! The vodka also helps meld with the flavors of your bloomed spices like pepper and chili flakes.
What ingredients do you need for your rigatoni ala vodka recipe?
Whipped Ricotta:
- Ricotta
- Lemon zest
- Lemon juice
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
For Your Rigatoni:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic cloves
- Shallots (or onions)
- red pepper flakes
- Tomato paste, fresh tomatoes can work well, but I would suggest using a mix of two, also if you want to also include fresh!
- Vodka
- Heavy cream
- Rigatoni, we are using rigatoni for this recipe, but you can opt to use penne pasta as well!
- Butter
- Parmesan cheese
- Pasta water: reserve cups of pasta water
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Olive oil
Some other tips to layer on flavor: sauté bacon, Italian sausage, prosciutto or pancetta when you start the base of this sauce for extra flavor, or toss in some shrimp or chicken as well if you want to add more protein.
Steps to make this recipe
Prep your garlic and shallots, and make your whipped ricotta!
In a blender or food processor, add in your ricotta, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Cook pasta
Boil water and cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package for al dente. Make sure to set aside 1 cup + of pasta water.
Begin to make your vodka pasta sauce
In the meantime, while your water is boiling and pasta is cooking. Take another skillet or shallow pot and sweat out your garlic and shallot with a drizzle of olive oil.
Bloom your spices and reduce vodka
Add in your chili flakes and let the spices bloom for 1-2 minutes. Stir and next add in your tomato paste and mix, another few minutes until the tomato paste is cooked down. Add in your vodka and reduce.
Add cream
Once reduced, add in heavy cream and mix all together.
Finish with butter and parmesan cheese
When your pasta is finished, add it in with your butter and parmesan. Adjust with your pasta water as needed. I like to do a little bit of parmesan and pasta water at a time. Season with salt and pepper.
Mix, finish and serve!
Mix well until combined. Layer on your whipped ricotta in a bowl, and add your rigatoni on top with a drizzle of olive oil, pepper, fresh basil leaves and more freshly shaved parmesan.
Serve this recipe with:
- Persimmon & Avocado Salad with a Citrus Vinaigrette
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Gochujang Spicy Mayo
More pasta recipes to check out:
If you do make this Rigatoni Ala Vodka recipe (first of all, thank you!!), be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram and through social media so I can be sure to see what you’re making! If you’d like to stay in touch and get the latest to your inbox, sign up for our Newsletter here as well!
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Watch How To Make This Recipe
Rigatoni Alla Vodka with Whipped Ricotta
Ingredients
Whipped Ricotta:
- 15 oz ricotta
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4th cup olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
For Your Rigatoni:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 shallot minced
- pinch of chili flakes optional
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons vodka
- 1/2 cup heavy cream adjust with 1 cup if you want more cream
- 1 pound rigatoni
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4th cup parmesan plus more for serving
- 1/2 cup pasta water and more if needed
- salt and pepper to taste
- drizzle with olive oil shredded parmesan and fresh basil to serve
Instructions
- Prep your garlic and shallot, mince and set aside.
- Next, make your whipped ricotta. In a blender or food processor, add in your ricotta, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package for al dente. Make sure to set aside 1 cup + of pasta water.
- In the meantime, while your water is boiling and pasta is cooking. Take another skillet or shallow pot and sweat out your garlic and shallot with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Add in your chili flakes and let the spices bloom for 1-2 minutes. Next add in your tomato paste and mix, another few minutes until the tomato paste is cooked down. Add in your vodka and reduce.
- Once reduced, add in heavy cream and mix all together.
- When your pasta is finished, add it in with your butter and parmesan. Adjust with your pasta water as needed. I like to do a little bit of parmesan and pasta water at a time. Season with salt and pepper.
- Mix well until combined. Layer on your whipped ricotta in a bowl, and add your rigatoni on top with a drizzle of olive oil, pepper, fresh basil leaves and more freshly shaved parmesan.
This was great, we loved it! I added sausage to it as well. My only comment would be to maybe bring the ricotta to room temp, because it was cold underneath the hot pasta and I didn’t enjoy the contrast but it was so good it didn’t really matter!
Thanks so much for your review, Chelsea! Yes, if you prefer your ricotta room temp/don’t enjoy the contrast then that’s a perfect idea! Love the sausage add!
Made this last night. Delish. Will make again with breaded chicken or chicken parm on the side.
Hi Sudi! Thank you so much for your review. Love the chicken add, will be fantastic!