Skip the store-bought sauces and whip up this recipe for Quick and Easy Vodka Pasta Sauce tossed with your choice of noodles.
There’s just something about rigatoni noodles that leave me weak in the knees. I could eat a whole pound of the al dente noodles tossed in every pasta sauce imaginable (hello, basil pesto!), but you show me a bowl of rigatoni tossed in vodka sauce, and I will show you the fastest fork-to-mouth in the land. #CleanPlateClub
Sure, this Quick and Easy Vodka Pasta Sauce would be equally as tasty tossed with penne, macaroni or cavatappi, but rigatoni … good ol’ rigatoni. You win this pasta lovers heart palate.
Just look at those cavernous tubes and deep ridges, all the more capable of soaking up and hanging onto every last ounce of sauce.
Speaking of the sauce, let’s get to it: It starts with good ol’ bacon. For all those with a penchant for pancetta, go for it, and swap in your pork product of choice. But no matter which one you choose, cook it down until it’s nice and crispy to ensure a solid flavor base for your sauce.
After that, you’re only three ingredients away from vodka pasta perfection. And here is where you can keep this sauce as homemade or as store-bought as your heart desires. Opt for my favorite 10-Minute Homemade Marinara Sauce, or go with any jarred variety. Then to take the sauce from rich red to the classic vodka pink, whisk in some heavy cream and let this bad boy simmer.
A quick 10 minutes later, you’re left with the big decision: How do you use said vodka sauce?
Do you keep it classic by letting it shine on a big plate of pasta? Do you grab the garlic bread and start dunking? Do you slather it onto pizza dough then pile on the mozzarella? The great news is, there is no wrong answer! So drink your cocktail and eat it too with this fast, fresh and family-friendly (don’t worry, all of the alcohol cooks off!) recipe for any size crowd.
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Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- 1/3 cup vodka
- 2 cups homemade or store-bought marinara sauce (See Kelly's Note)
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 12 oz. uncooked pasta, such as rigatoni or penne
Instructions
- Place a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the diced bacon and cook, stirring as needed, until all of the fat has rendered off the bacon. Drain out the grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon remaining in the pan with the bacon.
- Add the vodka to the pan and cook it until it reduces by roughly half.
- Stir in the marinara sauce then whisk in the heavy cream and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes. While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.
- Drain the pasta, toss it with the sauce and serve immediately.
Kelly's Note:
- Opt for your favorite store-bought marinara sauce (this is mine!) or whip up a 10-minute homemade version.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
What can I use instead of bacon please
Pancetta works, or you can leave it out!
So easy and so good.
So glad you enjoyed it, Jackie!
Hi! You really need to change the order of operations in the recipe here, the marinara needs to go into the pan before the vodka or else the vodka will catch fire and make a huge flame in your pan!!! Ask me how I know haha
Hi Dorian – I hope all is OK with you! The vodka is used to deglaze the pan :)
Great recipe and so fast to make. Thank you
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Ruth!
So, I am making this for dinner tonight to go over chicken parm, and my husband is a trained chef. He walks in while I am trying to reduce the vodka in bacon grease on medium to low and it is popping very loudly. He asked if I was trying to start a fire. LOL He says I should wait to reduce once the cream is in there. Did anyone else have this problem? FYI This is why I make him do all the cooking.
PS I am still excited about this recipe based on the wonderful comments below.
Hi Trisha! There should only be 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in the pan so it really shouldn’t be causing any splattering.
We made this last night, did NOT use bacon, and it was delicious. We used a different brand of premade, store bought marinara sauce.
Everyone in the family loved it… even our pickier ones! :)
Love it and look forward to trying more of your recipes!
So happy to read this! Welcome to Just a Taste :)
I substituted pancetta for bacon and it tasted fantastic!
Very good and quick recipe for vodka sauce!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Eric!
Quick, easy & yummy!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Patricia!
I’ve made this a few times now and it’s fantastic. It’s so quick and easy, but mostly it’s delicious.
I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Karen!
Easy and delicious! I sautéed some onion and Italian sausage instead of the bacon just because I had the sausage on hand. It was outstanding and so easy!
Awesome! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Meg!
This is delish, I make my own Vodka sauce from scratch, but I need something quick to use my already made marina. I’ll probably just be using this one from now on, it’s so easy.
I thought I was the only one that had an undying love for rigatoni
YES! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Debbie!
This was super easy and delicious! I added some sweet peppers and onions to the bacon grease and then threw the vodka in and it simmer. It was delicious!!!! I had accidentally purchased “Old Bay” vodka so i finally got to put it to use lol Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Melissa!
I have used this recipe so many times but what I tried tonight is my new favorite variation! I had leftover meat sauce that I made with ground beef and Italian sausage. I reduced the vodka and then followed the recipe substituting the marinara for the meat sauce. So so good! It felt like I made an entirely new meal out of leftovers!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Carly!
Do you have to use the bacon? I have a few vegetarians in my family.
Hi Joanne – Feel free to make this vegetarian by replacing the bacon grease with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. :)
Love this recipe but am wondering if I could freeze the leftover sauce. Has anyone ever tried to freeze it?
Hi Jerrye – I’ve never tried freezing this recipe as my concern is that the cream would separate. However, it should last for a few days when stored in the fridge.
So fantastically easy! Wish I had this recipe when I was a working Mom. Really good. So good in fact that my family put the remaining sauce over chunk zucchini that I had made to go along with the pasta and sauce. I used Tortellini because I had it in the freezer. It really went well.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Being a Bacon Lover myself, I made this sauce and WOW!!! I found this recipe to be quite delicious!! My Husband and Girl’s Poker group devoured the Rigatoni & Vodka Sauce!!
I’m making it again this weekend…..{and adding a couple more slices of bacon since I’m feeding 12 people}
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Andrea!
My sons favorite!! I have made a lot of your recipes, but this by far one of my favorites. If there any leftovers, my kids fight over them. Thank you, you are amazing
You are so welcome, Lori! I’m so glad your family is enjoying the recipe!
Made this for my brothers birthday dinner! Lost power that night and it was still a hit in the dark! Thanks for such an easy delicious recipe!
You are so welcome, Christi! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!
If I don’t want to put bacon in the recipe, can I follow it without the bacon?
Sure! In place of the bacon grease, you can use 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Absolutely amazing yet simple! Household favorite! Thank you for this recipe!
You are so welcome, Christina! I’m so glad you enjoyed it :)
Great Taste!
Thrilled you enjoyed it!
awesome recipe…in fact quite outstanding. Best i have ever made
Thank you so much, Donna! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
, Made the vodka sauce with rigatoni for dinner last night. It was a hit with my husband! Making this for in Christmas Eve
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Gillian!