A twist on the classic pasta with vodka sauce recipe, using aromatic gin and rosemary.
Ah, penne alla vodka.
The classic dish is an iconic throwback to the Eighties, along with MTV and permed hair.
At its best, the sauce is a perfect balance of tangy tomato, sweet cream and pasta. In other words, the ultimate recipe for comfort food.
And I’m guessing we can all use an order of that right about now.
But does vodka sauce really need vodka?
Somewhere along the line I switched vodka for gin as my house spirit – it could have been the grapefruit-scented Italian greyhounds I was drinking a while back, which led to a serious negroni habit (ongoing, btw).
I thought gin would be a worthy stand-in.
Like vodka, gin has a neutral clarity, but its herbal and botanical notes add a flavor and complexity that vodka simply can’t match.
A little bit of chopped fresh rosemary in the finished sauce reminds me of gin’s piney juniper scent.
It feels like it’s time to reground.
I’ll be spending more time in the kitchen over the coming months, cooking and revisiting favorite recipes. It’s just the nudge I need to be right here in this space. I hope you’ll be there, too.
Pasta with Creamy Tomato and Gin Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (350 g) dried pasta, your favorite shape
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) butter
- 1 shallot or small onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
- ½ cup (125 ml) gin or vodka
- 1 ¼ cups (300 g) crushed canned tomatoes
- 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon or to taste crushed red chili pepper
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- Salt
- ¼ cup (25 g) freshly grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
Instructions
- Bring 5 quarts of water to a boil along with 3 tablespoons salt. Cook the pasta until al dente.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a wide pan large enough to hold the pasta. Add the shallot or onion and cook 1 minute, or until softened. Pour in the gin and gently simmer 3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, cream, red pepper, rosemary and ½ teaspoon salt,. Gently simmer for 10 minutes.
- When the pasta is done, drain it and add to the pan. Reduce heat to low, add the cheese and stir until pasta is coated with the sauce. Serve with additional cheese on top.
Gus Zdanovich says
Thanks for coming up with this recipie. Being from an Italian-Argentinian background, when I moved to the US and quickly vsaw vodka sauce was the “the thing,” I thought, vodka? Really? No way Its neutral profile is anathema! I always thought gin is a much better option. It really makes sense what you say about the rosemary’s piney notes enhancing the gin’s juniper scent. Looks like a total winner. Can’t wait to make it! Thanks again;
Luke says
Great recipe! Just made it for the first time. I took the liberty in adding 1/2 tsp. garlic powder and 1 tsp. oregano.
5 stars!
Karen says
So glad to hear!
Annabel says
Is penne vodka rly a throwback?
Annabel says
<3
Liza says
Oh, I’ll have some of that! (and there will be negronis here when you get here!)