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Home > Pasta > Spicy Vodka Pasta

Spicy Vodka Pasta

Published: Jun 22, 2023

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pasta in creamy vodka sauce

Gigi Hadid pasta a.k.a spicy vodka pasta is luxuriously rich and creamy, insanely easy to make, and absolutely delicious. Tomato paste is cooked in olive oil until caramelized, giving this pasta rich tomato flavors, there’s more – vodka! Vodka elevates the flavors making it a restaurant-quality dish.

a bowl of spicy vodka pasta with fresh basil
Jump to:
  • What is Gigi Hadid pasta?
  • Why you’ll love this Gigi Hadid Pasta a.k.a spicy vodka pasta
  • Ingredients
  • How to make it
  • Variations of spicy vodka pasta
  • Tips and tricks
  • Storage and reheat
  • Common questions
  • 📋Spicy Vodka Pasta
  • Recipe Notes

What is Gigi Hadid pasta?

Gigi Hadid (supermodel) shared her pasta recipe on Tik Tok and Instagram which took the social media by storm. This pasta recipe went viral for a reason.

It has rich tomato-y flavors from tomato paste, a luxuriously creamy sauce that is flavored by garlic, onion, and vodka and finished off with a generous sprinkle of red pepper flakes and parmesan. It’s spicy, creamy, tomato-y everything you want a pasta dish to be.

Well, it’s nothing but penne alla vodka but with lots of red pepper flakes. Red pepper flakes amp up the heat. Yes, spicy vodka pasta is ‘spicy’.

Why you’ll love this Gigi Hadid Pasta a.k.a spicy vodka pasta

  • Seriously luxurious dish – Pasta is swimming in a luxuriously rich and creamy sauce that is packed with flavors.
  • Packed with flavors – Flavors from tomato paste, flavors from aromats like onion and garlic, vodka too is used to induce flavor into the sauce. Red pepper flakes are one of the main ingredients that add heat and taste to the dish. Don’t worry about the vodka in the pasta dish, as you cook alcohol content evaporates leaving behind the flavor.
  • Simple and easy to make – it might look like a lot of effort is needed to make this pasta, but trust me it’s super easy to make. One of the tastiest pasta dishes you’ll make.
  • 30 minutes – Serve dinner in 30 minutes with this spicy vodka pasta.
  • Comfort food – rich and creamy with spicy tomato flavors, it’s definitely a comfort food. It’s like a hug in a bowl.
  • Customize to make it your own – you can easily customize the recipe to suit your taste. If you don’t like it spicy, reduce red pepper flakes. If you love spicy pasta, go ahead and add more chili flakes.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make Gigi Hadid pasta –

  • Pasta
  • Tomato paste
  • Olive oil
  • Aromats (Red onion, garlic)
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Heavy cream
  • Butter
  • Vodka
  • Fresh basil leaves
  • Parmesan
  • Salt and pepper to taste
all ingredients for spicy pasta with vodka

All ingredient’s exact measurements are mentioned in the recipe card below.

  • Pasta – any shape of pasta will work. I used orecchiette. Originally the recipe was made with shell pasta, but you can use any short pasta. Short pasta is perfect to hold the sauce. Orecchiette, tubular pasta, penne, rigatoni, ziti, pappardelle, gemelli all works.
  • Tomato paste – you must use tomato paste and not tomato sauce or tomato puree. Tomato paste has more concentrated flavors which adds the rich tomato-y flavor to the dish. Tomato paste has rich bold flavors and is thicker in consistency. It’s a concentrated tomato flavor, cooking it in olive is essential to remove some of the acidity concentrated in it. It needs to be cooked until it caramelizes turning darker in color.
  • Olive oil – use premium quality olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is best.
  • Aromats – Onion, garlic – sautéing onion and garlic in olive oil brings out its flavor. Red onion is recommended in the recipe, you can also use shallots.
  • I do not recommend onion powder or garlic powder in this recipe.
  • Red pepper flakes – amp up the heat in the vodka sauce helping it balance out some of the richness from heavy cream. You can add more if you like it spicy or tone down the heat by reducing the amount. If you can’t handle the heat at all, you can omit it.
  • Heavy cream – for a rich creamy sauce. Heavy cream or whipping cream can be used. I do not recommend half and half; the sauce won’t be as rich as expected in the recipe.
  • Butter – added for an extra dose of richness. Can be skipped.
  • Vodka – one of the main ingredients in spicy vodka pasta. Vodka helps elevate the flavors of the sauce. It’s the ingredients that make an ordinary creamy tomato sauce into a restaurant-quality dish.
  • Fresh basil – adds vibrant herbal freshness to the sauce. Elevates the flavor and taste.
  • Parmesan – for the salty umami flavor. Pasta is not complete without a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
  • Salt and pepper – adjust to taste.

How to make it

This tasty spicy vodka pasta needs 30 minutes or less to make it.

Begin by bringing a pot of water to a boil. Generously salt (about 1 tablespoon) boiling water. Cook any short pasta of your choice as per packet instructions. Drain, and reserve about ½ cup of pasta water. Set aside.

Tip: always cook pasta about 1:30 to 2 minutes less than mentioned package instructions. The pasta will further cook in the sauce.

cooking pasta in pot

In a large deep pan, heat olive oil. Sauté diced onion until translucent. Once the onion turns soft, add minced garlic and cook for a minute.

picture collage of cooking onions and garlic for pasta

Add tomato paste and vodka. Lower heat and cook tomato paste until darkened in color and caramelized. Will take about 3-4 minutes.

picture collage of making tomato-y sauce for pasta

Pour heavy cream, add salt, pepper, and red chili flakes.

cooking tomato paste for pasta

On low heat stir and cook sauce until blended. Do not boil the sauce or cook on high heat, the sauce will split.

Adjust the consistency of the sauce with pasta water.

making spicy vodka sauce for pasta

Tear a handful of fresh basil leaves and add it to the sauce. Stir.

Once the sauce is blended well, turn off the heat. Add cooked pasta. Stir until pasta is coated in the sauce.

cooking spicy vodka pasta

Add freshly grated parmesan cheese, and stir until everything is blended together.

Serve immediately with an additional parmesan cheese and fresh basil on top.

cooking pasta in creamy vodka sauce

Variations of spicy vodka pasta

Add veggies like zucchini or bell peppers.

Crumbled Italian sausage adds body and taste to the pasta. It’s a wonderful addition.

Can’t include alcohol in your diet, substitute it with little apple cider vinegar or a splash of lemon juice. Note – vodka is used for flavor and the alcohol content gets evaporated as you cook vodka.

Tips and tricks

  1. I always cook pasta a few minutes (1-2 minutes) less than mentioned on the packet. As pasta continues to cook even after draining it, it’s best to cook less. Remember cooked pasta is again added to the sauce which continues to briefly cook pasta further.
  2. To prevent pasta from sticking together, wait until the water comes to rapid boiling before you add pasta to cook in it. Also, stir once or twice as it cooks.
  3. Use short pasta with a shape suitable to hold the creamy sauce.
  4. Salt water well. Always cook pasta in salted water. Pasta will infuse the Flavors while cooking, nobody appreciates under-seasoned.
  5. Save pasta water. Pasta water helps glue the pasta to the sauce and adjust consistency if the sauce thickens.
  6. Season to taste. There’s nothing worse than under-seasoned pasta, always add salt and pepper to suit your taste.
  7. Grate your own cheese. Always buy block cheese and grate it fresh when you want to use it. Pre-grated cheese is usually mixed with chemicals to keep it from sticking which will alter the taste of the dish. Pre-grated cheese doesn’t melt very well.
  8. Heavy cream is what makes the sauce rich and luxurious. You can substitute with whipping cream; I don’t recommend half and half or whole milk in this recipe. It will make the sauce light and lack richness.

Storage and reheat

Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container the in refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Reheat

Microwave – transfer Gigi Hadid pasta to a microwave-safe bowl, cover, and heat on low heat for a few seconds. Stir pasta with milk or water if the pasta turns dry.

Stovetop – heat pasta in a skillet on the stove top with a splash or milk or water until hot.

spicy vodka pasta in pot

Common questions

Is there a substitute for tomato paste?

No. Tomato paste is the key ingredient in this recipe.

Can I make spicy vodka pasta without vodka?

Yes, you can. I highly recommend it. Vodka helps elevate the flavors of the sauce. It makes an ordinary creamy tomato sauce into a restaurant-quality dish. The alcohol content gets evaporated as you cook vodka.

Can I substitute heavy cream with milk in Gigi Hadid pasta?

No. Heavy cream is what makes the sauce rich and luxurious. You can substitute with whipping cream; I don’t recommend half and half or whole milk in this recipe. It will make the sauce light and lack richness.

What type of pasta is best to use in a spicy vodka pasta recipe?

Any shape of pasta will work. I used orecchiette. Originally the recipe was made with shell pasta, but you can use any short pasta. Short pasta is perfect to hold the sauce. Orecchiette, tubular pasta, penne, rigatoni, ziti, pappardelle, gemelli all works.

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close up view of gigi hadid spicy pasta
a bowl of Gigi Hadid pasta with basil
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📋Spicy Vodka Pasta

Jyothi Rajesh
Gigi Hadid pasta a.k.a spicy vodka pasta is luxuriously rich and creamy, insanely easy to make, and absolutely delicious. Tomato paste is cooked in olive oil until caramelized, giving this pasta rich tomato flavors, there’s more – vodka! Vodka elevates the flavors making it a restaurant-quality dish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Course Dinner, Main Course, pasta
Cuisine Italian
Servings 3 servings
Calories 1073

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz pasta short pasta like orecchiette, shell pasta, rigatoni, or bowtie pasta
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small red onion or 2 shallots
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ cup tomato paste
  • ¼ cup vodka
  • 1 ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper adjust to taste
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Handful of fresh basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 1 cup Parmesan grated

Instructions
 

  • Begin by bringing a pot of water to a boil. Generously salt (about 1 tablespoon) boiling water. Cook any short pasta of your choice as per packet instructions. Drain, and reserve about ½ cup of pasta water. Set aside.
    Tip: always cook pasta about 1:30 to 2 minutes less than mentioned package instructions. The pasta will further cook in the sauce.
  • In a large deep pan, heat olive oil. Sauté diced onion until translucent. Once the onion turns soft, add minced garlic and cook for a minute.
  • Add tomato paste and vodka. Lower heat and cook tomato paste until darkened in color and caramelized. Will take about 3-4 minutes.
  • Pour heavy cream, add salt, pepper, and red chili flakes.
  • On low heat stir and cook sauce until blended. Do not boil the sauce or cook on high heat, the sauce will split.
  • Adjust the consistency of the sauce with pasta water.
  • Tear a handful of fresh basil leaves and add it to the sauce. Stir.
  • Once the sauce is blended well, turn off the heat. Add cooked pasta. Stir until pasta is coated in the sauce.
  • Add freshly grated parmesan cheese, and stir until everything is blended together.
  • Serve immediately with an additional parmesan cheese and fresh basil on top.

Video

Notes

Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 1073kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 28gFat: 70gSaturated Fat: 39gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 177mgSodium: 1183mgPotassium: 850mgFiber: 5gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 3109IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 529mgIron: 3mg
Did you make this recipe?Follow @CurryTrail and tag #CurryTrail to share your creation!

Recipe Notes

  1. I always cook pasta a few minutes (1-2 minutes) less than mentioned on the packet. As pasta continues to cook even after draining it, it’s best to cook less. Remember cooked pasta is again added to the sauce which continues to briefly cook pasta further.
  2. To prevent pasta from sticking together, wait until the water comes to rapid boiling before you add pasta to cook in it. Also, stir once or twice as it cooks.
  3. Use short pasta with a shape suitable to hold the creamy sauce.
  4. Salt water well. Always cook pasta in salted water. Pasta will infuse the Flavors while cooking, nobody appreciates under-seasoned.
  5. Save pasta water. Pasta water helps glue the pasta to the sauce and adjust consistency if the sauce thickens.
  6. Season to taste. There’s nothing worse than under-seasoned pasta, always add salt and pepper to suit your taste.
  7. Grate your own cheese. Always buy block cheese and grate it fresh when you want to use it. Pre-grated cheese is usually mixed with chemicals to keep it from sticking which will alter the taste of the dish. Pre-grated cheese doesn’t melt very well.
  8. Heavy cream is what makes the sauce rich and luxurious. You can substitute with whipping cream; I don’t recommend half and half or whole milk in this recipe. It will make the sauce light and lack richness.

Created by Jyothi Rajesh

Thank you for stopping by.

I’m Jyothi Rajesh (Jo for short) and i’m the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail where I share my culinary Adventures. I live in Bangalore, India. I’m a mom of two beautiful kids. My passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. I have been blogging since 2007 and many of my recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.

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Jyothi - Author of Curry Trail.

Welcome, I'm Jyothi

My food philosophy is simple, fresh and full of flavors! I love ‘spicy’ food. In fact so much so that I can skip dessert for extra spicy savory food!

More About Me
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