Vodka Sauce
Better than the store-bought vodka sauce, this is made with a mix of fresh and pantry ingredients and simmered with a little vodka (of course!) to make a beautifully rich sauce for pasta night.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion diced (about 1 ½ cups)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 28 ounces canned whole tomatoes
- 8 ounces canned tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup vodka
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves plus more for serving
- 3 tablespoons fresh grated parmesan plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pro tip: Use a skillet with a lid.
- Once oil is heated, add diced onion and cook until translucent, about 7-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add whole tomatoes and break up with the back of a wooden spoon. Pour in vodka, tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Add lid and bring to a boil.
- Once sauce starts to boil, reduce heat to simmer. Add tomato paste and balsamic vinegar. Cover and continue to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a blender, grate parmesan cheese and add fresh basil leaves.
- Once sauce has cooked and thickened a bit, stir in the cream. Carefully pour sauce into the blender with cheese and basil, and blend until smooth.
- Taste, adjust seasoning and serve with your favorite prepared pasta.