This Rigatoni alla Vodka sauce is so quick and easy to make and I make it without the vodka. This isn’t your traditional alla vodka sauce, my boyfriend and I have tweaked it over the years to how we like it. I hope you love it as much as we do!
This pasta sauce is easy for beginners to make and does not take too long. I have been making this for years now and everyone who tries it absolutely loves it. If you don’t have vodka or just don’t want to use it than this is perfect for you.
Ingredients + Prep
First, lets go over what produce we need. I start by dicing a white onion. Most recipes call for yellow onion, but we have found to like the white onion better in this. I just used a knife to cut my onion this time, but when I am feeling lazy I will use my chopper. I slice fresh garlic into thin slices for this recipe, however you can use minced garlic if you prefer. The fresh basil in this recipe really takes it up a notch. Slice into thin pieces as well.
This recipe calls for a few dairy products such as heavy whipping cream, fresh Parmesan cheese, and fresh Pecorino Romano cheese. I like to use both cheeses for flavor, however you can choose just one if you would rather that. Grate both cheeses prior to starting the sauce.
You want to buy a short tubular kind of pasta for this recipe. I like to use the big rigatoni, but I am sure you are more familiar with people using penne pasta for this kind of sauce. It just comes down to preference.
The spices I used in this recipe include salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, oregano, and red pepper flakes. I only add enough red pepper flakes to give it just a taste of spice, but if you want it with more of a kick then adjust your amount as necessary.
Let’s get saucyyy…
I start by adding olive oil and the diced onions to a large pan on medium heat. About a minute later I add my garlic and all my seasonings. Cooking the spices with the onions and garlic provides a lot of flavor. I cook this while stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft and translucent.
While that is cooking, I fill a large pot with water and salt and put it on the stove to boil. The water needs to be as salty as the ocean, for real. For best results, cook pasta for a little less time than the package says to be sure it comes out ‘al dente’.
Then I add the tomato paste and make sure to cook it until the paste turns fragrant and darker in color – about 3-5 minutes. Once that is done, I pour in the heavy cream and stir. When doing this, I don’t want the heavy cream to start bubbling right as it hits the pan. I want to be able to stir it and it come to a slow simmer. Once that happens, I stir in my cheese.
Once the pasta is done, I add in some pasta water and strain the noodles. Finally, I stir in my pasta and add the basil. I serve this with grated parmesan cheese on top and it is so so good.
Nutrition Facts
Okay okay okay … I know this is not the most healthy meal, but it is one of my favorite recipes so I had to include it. Plus, Valentines Day is right around the corner and it is perfect to make for your special someone. Even make it together, that could be fun. You can always add chicken and some veggies to this meal to spruce it up a bit. I do that quite often. Regardless, it does have some ingredients that may have some health benefits.
Garlic
The list of benefits for garlic just goes on and on and on. To start, it has antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic, antilipemic, hepatoprotective, and antineoplastic properties. It is made up of as many as thirty-three sulfur compounds, enzymes, seventeen amino acids, and trace minerals. The antioxidants help reduce free radicals found in your body. Radicals have unpaired electrons, therefore can be very chemically reactive which can alter our DNA, lipids, proteins, and trigger a number of diseases. Antioxidants have been shown to reduce these radicals in our body. They can reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and hypertension.
The sulfur compounds found in the garlic give the food its anti-carcinogenic properties. It may reduce the incidence of certain cancers. Its antilipemic agents are known to reduce hyperlipidemia, or high blood cholesterol, which may end up leading to a heart attack, stroke, angina, or heart failure. Hepatoprotective just means it has agents to help protect the liver. It also has antimicrobial effects that have been shown to fight against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria at room temperature. The same with some strains of Helicobacter pylori, which is bacteria known to infect two thirds of the worlds stomachs. It is crazy cool that garlic can help fight this pesky bacteria!
Garlic has been known to treat aches, parasitic infection, diarrhea, leprosy, deafness, constipation, and fever. I think just about everyone loves garlic, but these facts have got to make you love it even more!
Onion
Onions not only provide LOADS of flavor, they also provide health benefits as well. They are full of phytochemicals that help promote human health, high in vitamin C and contain folic acid, calcium, iron, and some protein. Onions are low in sodium, contain no fat, are also a good source of dietary fiber. They contain sulfur compounds and quercetin which is a flavonoid that provides antioxidant properties. Antioxidants reduce the free radicals in our bodies and help delay the oxidative damage done to our cells and tissues. Studies have found that quercetin may fight against many diseases and disorders such as cataracts, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. The sulfur compounds have anticancer and antimicrobial activities.
Basil
There are a variety of different types of basil. For this recipe, I am using sweet basil. This herb contains some calcium, iron, Vitamin K, and some vitamin C. Basil contains high levels of antioxidants and minerals. Antioxidants reduce the free radicals in our bodies and help delay the oxidative damage done to our cells and tissues. They can reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and hypertension. This herb is almost completely calorie free and contains dietary fiber. Basil has shown to have anticancer activity due to the flavonoids found in it. Some flavonoids have been shown to protect cell structures and chromosomes against radiation and oxygen-based damage in white blood cells. It is not known how much you would have to consume to achieve it’s health benefits. Some studies have revealed basil can have insecticidal properties, making it a more environmentally friendly option for a pesticide.
Oregano
There has been a lot of research done on the medicinal properties of oregano in its concentrated form. There is not a lot of research done to know whether or not dried oregano has health benefits, however if the essential oil does than the herb itself may provide small amounts of benefits. Oregano is high in vitamin K and contains smaller amounts of vitamins A, C, E, B6, and folate; and minerals such as calcium, iron, and potassium.
Like all leafy greens, fresh oregano contains chlorophyll. If you get sunlight on a regular basis, as well as have chlorophyll in your system, it can naturally regenerate CoQ10. CoQ10 is a fat-soluble compound that supports cell growth and energy production. It works to protect cells from damage. There are terpenes found in oregano, the major ones being carvacrol and thymol, which have been shown to display antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor properties.
Dairy
Dairy products do not get the best reputation these days and a lot of people believe that it is bad for cardiovascular health. The American Heart Association recommend that people consume low-fat dairy, however recent research has shown that full-fat dairy may not be as big of a risk to heart health as we thought. Dairy provides a good source of calcium and protein. Calcium helps maintain bone density and when paired with vitamin D it works even better because it is needed to maintain bone mass.
Some studies have even shown that if eating the right kind of dairy, such as fermented products, it may lead to a smaller risk of heart disease when comparing to a person who does not eat these dairy products. On the other hand, some results showed that a very high milk consumption may lead to a higher risk of cardiovascular complications. With all this being said, everyone’s body is unique and reacts differently so you can decide how much or what kinds of dairy you would like to consume.
There are so many more benefits to these amazing foods, let me know if you guys want to learn more!
I am not a certified nutritionist … yet, and I am not certified to give health advice. I am just providing information that I have learned. Everyone’s body is unique and has different needs. One food that is great for my body, may not be so great for you. Find what works for you! There is still so much to learn – so follow along if you want to learn with me.
Disclaimer + example: This article may contain affilate links. This means I may earn commision should you decide to sign up for a program or make a purchase using my link. I only link products I love – thank you for your support.
Rigatoni alla Vodka w/out the Vodka
Ingredients
- 1 lb Rigatoni pasta or any short tubular pasta such as penne
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter I use grassfed butter
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 1 shallot, diced
- 5-8 cloves garlic, thinnly sliced
- 6 oz can of tomato paste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ cup fresh Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes depends how spicy you want it
- ½ tsp italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- ½ cup pasta water
- ½ lemon, juiced optional
Instructions
- Cut the onion, shallot, garlic, and basil. In a large sauce pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion, shallot, and garlic. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and dried oregano. Cooking the spices with the onions and garlic is crucial for flavor! Stir until onions are soft, about minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and cook until it turns darker and fragrant. About 3 minutes
- In a medium pot, add water and salt and bring that to a boil. You want that water as salty as the ocean! Add pasta and cook until just shy of al dente, about 2-3 minutes less than the package directs.
- Add heavy cream and bring to a light simmer. Tip: you want the sauce to come to a simmer slowly rather than start to bubble right away after adding the heavy cream.
- Let the sauce simmer until it has reduced and thickened, then add in your grated cheese and stir.
- Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and stir in 1/2 cup of pasta water then add pasta and stir in basil
- Spoon pasta into a bowl and top with additional Parmesan cheese. Add salt if needed.
Be sure to check out my last recipe!
References
Al-Maskari, M.Y. & Hanif, Muhammad Asif & Al-Maskri, A.Y. & AlAdawi, Samir. (2012). Basil: A natural source of antioxidants and neutraceuticals.
Basil, fresh. Basil, fresh nutrition facts and analysis. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://www.nutritionvalue.org/Basil%2C_fresh_nutritional_value.html
Solan, M. (2019, January 25). Dairy: Health food or Health Risk? Harvard Health. Retrieved February 7, 2023, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/dairy-health-food-or-health-risk-2019012515849
Rana, S., Pal, R., Vaiphei, K., Sharma, S., & Ola, R. (2011). Garlic in health and disease. Nutrition Research Reviews, 24(1), 60-71. doi:10.1017/S0954422410000338
Onion Health Research. National Onion Association. (2020, May 13). Retrieved January 25, 2023, from https://www.onions-usa.org/all-about-onions/onion-health-research/