Ina Garten’s Vodka Sauce {Best Vodka Sauce Ever}
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If you’re a vodka sauce fan, this recipe is for you. Ina’s vodka sauce = the best vodka sauce ever.
After reading the preface to this pasta alla vecchia bettola recipe in The Barefoot Contessa’s Foolproof, I had to make it immediately. More than being a mainstay on the menu of one of Ina’s favorite restaurants for 20 years, what struck me about the recipe was the method, which calls for roasting the sauce in a covered pan for one-and-a-half hours.
The recipe originates from a restaurant in Florence, and Ina likens the dish to the classic penne alla vodka “but with so much more flavor.”
Few sauces that call for using canned tomatoes leave me satisfied the way this one has. But this sauce has the potential to make this winter like no other.
During the hour and a half in the oven, liquids reduce and flavors concentrate, and the resulting sweet-spicy mixture needs little more than a few splashes of cream and a handful of cheese to balance it out. Adding the full cup of cream makes for an incredibly delicious sauce, but it can hold its own with much less.
This recipe is a little fussier than most of its kind, but the hands-on time is minimal, and the lengthy cooking time really transforms the canned tomatoes. If you’re a penne alla vodka fan, this one’s for you. And don’t be afraid to use the full cup of cream. You won’t be disappointed you did!
PS: If you’re pressed for time, this quick homemade tomato sauce, which includes a vodka sauce variation, can be ready in about 30 minutes.
PPS: And if you’re looking for a fresh tomato sauce, this quick, fresh tomato-basil sauce is a favorite.
Ina’s Vodka Sauce, Step by Step
Gather your ingredients:
First, sweat the onions and garlic for five minutes:
After draining (or not… I don’t do this anymore) the San Marzano tomatoes…
… squeeze them right into the pan:
Transfer to the oven and after 1.5 hours …
…purée the mixture in a blender or food processor:
Meanwhile, boil some pasta.
Drain it.
Gather some heavy cream and grate some parmesan cheese.
Add the cream to the sauce.
Stir to incorporate.
Toss the sauce with pasta and shower with the grated parmesan.
I love this sauce with bucatini, too.
Ina Garten’s Vodka Sauce {Best Vodka Sauce Ever}
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
Description
Inspired by: The Barefoot Contessa’s Foolproof. If you’re a vodka sauce fan, this recipe is for you. Ina’s vodka sauce = best vodka sauce ever.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 medium (or a few small) Spanish onion(s), chopped or sliced to yield 2½ cups
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced or sliced
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (If you are sensitive to heat, just use a pinch and adjust at the end. The ½ teaspoon makes for a seriously spicy sauce.)
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano (optional — I don’t use. I love dried oregano, but I don’t always love it in tomato sauce.)
- 1 cup vodka
- two 28-ounce cans peeled plum tomatoes (56 ounces total)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ pound penne pasta or whatever shape you like
- 4 tablespoons fresh oregano or basil (I use basil)
- ¼ to 1 cup heavy cream
- grated Parmigiano or Pecorino
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof sauté pan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano (if using) and cook for 1 minute more. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half, about 5 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes through a sieve. UPDATE: I no longer drain the tomatoes. I find the sauce comes out just as well, and by eliminating this draining step, I don’t have to worry about using up that juice at a later date. If you have made this many times and wish to continue draining the tomatoes, go for it. Save the strained juice. It freezes well and can be used for future sauce-making days or bloody Mary mix, etc.
- Add the tomatoes to the pan and use scissors to snip them into smaller pieces. Add 2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid or foil and place it in the oven for 1½ hours.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. (Note: Ina adds 2 tablespoons of kosher salt to her pasta water. I do this, too, and find it really seasons the pasta nicely. There is no need to save pasta cooking liquid in this recipe, but if there were, the reserved liquid would be too salty. Just something to keep in mind.) Drain and return pasta to its cooking pot.
- Place the tomato mixture in a blender or food processor and purée in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency. Place potholders or dishtowels around the handles of your pot to prevent burning your hands in the next step. (Note: I purée a handful of basil with the sauce at this step and don’t add any more fresh herbs.) Return sauce to the pan.
- Reheat the sauce, add 2 tablespoons fresh oregano (if using) and enough heavy cream to make the sauce a creamy consistency — start with a quarter cup; taste; add more as necessary. Add salt (if necessary) and pepper, to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add sauce to the pasta until it’s coated to your liking, and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in a generous handful of grated cheese. Serve with an additional sprinkle of cheese and a sprinkle of fresh oregano (if using) on each plate. Store the remaining sauce in the fridge for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
335 Comments on “Ina Garten’s Vodka Sauce {Best Vodka Sauce Ever}”
As a lover of vodka pasta, I’ve made every recipe I could get my hands on…from quick & easy to complex & involved. When I saw Ina’s name associated with this recipe (her recipes are a never-fail to me) I knew I had to try it. As promised, it was “best ever”. Roasting the tomatoes makes all the difference. I followed Alexandra’s advice & skipped the extra step of draining the plum tomatoes. It turned out beautifully.
So wonderful to hear this, Meredith! And great to hear skipping the draining step worked well for you. I find this to be the best, too … great on pizza, too!
This sauce is sooo yummy! Oh, the tang of the roasted tomatoes… I find it hard to resist tasting it many times before it hits the table. I’ve used it in lasagna, and your eggplant parmigiano recipe as well. Delicious!!
So nice to hear this, Janet! It’s fantastic on pizza, too! I will try it in lasagna next. Thanks so much for writing!
Very good. Like most of her recipes I reduced the salt in half. Will make time and again and would serve to company.
So nice to hear this, Tish! I have a batch in the oven as I type. It’s been our go-to pizza sauce recipe of late, too 🙂
I was craving gnocchi with the vodka sauce from an Italian restaurant in Miami. Since I live in Texas now, I was searching for a recipe that I could try to satisfy my craving. This recipe was so delicious and absolutely satisfied my craving! I will make it again soon with gnocchi and some veggies. Thank you so much!
Wonderful to hear this, Marilyn! Love the idea of serving this with gnocchi and veggies 🙂
i just tried this recipe tonight and it was absolutely rad. i did do things a hair differently and wanted to share:
1. i finely chopped some fresh oregano (probably a hair less than a tbsp) and added it at the same time as the crushed red pepper
2. used a masher to crush tomatoes instead of my hands 😹
3. oven time was 1hr instead of 1.5hrs
4. used 3/4 cups heavy cream (may even back that down a bit more next time)
it was absolutely heavenly!!! i also did not drain tomatoes, i agree that that is an unnecessary step. wonderful recipe!
So nice to hear all of this, Paige! Thanks so much for writing and for sharing all of your notes — so helpful for others!
I’ve been making this recipe for a few years now and it is absolutely AMAZING! Almost sad that it’s so good because I can’t eat it out anymore 😂 my mom asks me to make it every Mother’s Day (since I can’t make her gravy quite as well as she does) it’s just so.dang.YUMMMMY❣️
I’m so happy to hear this, because I, too, have spoiled my family members, namely all of my children who now won’t eat jarred tomato sauce … can’t blame them! This is my fave, and it’s my fave pizza sauce too! Thanks for writing.
Makes a great pizza sauce too.
It’s my favorite pizza sauce!!
What is e difference between roasting the tomatoes whole vs blending and then roasting? I’ve made Vodka sauce many times but not this way. Thanks!
Hi Sue! I think blending afterward is helpful because it purées the onions as well. You could definitely blend before, but if you want a smooth sauce, you’ll want to blend after the roasting is complete.
This was really delicious, made just as written. Thank you for a great recipe
Great to hear, Dianna! Thanks for writing 🙂
Amazing!
Cooked this for the first time tonight, and I have never had this before. It was absolutely delicious and easy to fix. I was told to make sure that I keep this in the dinner rotation.
Wonderful to hear this, Sheryl! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Was looking to make a spicy vodka sauce and saw Ina’s recipie. All I have is absolute Peppa vodka. Think that would be ok? Thanks!
Absolutely! Go for it 🙂
Can you use fresh tomatoes from your garden? If so how many and just peel and chop.
Hi Kathy! I wouldn’t peel them … you purée this at the end, so the skins will disappear. I would use 3.5 lbs (roughly).
I made this recipe using fresh tomatoes (3.5 lbs paste & some cherry)…I deviated and chopped the fresh tomatoes in a Vitamix rather than cut & crush them by hand. I did not strain, just threw them in the pot with the onions & vodka. Otherwise, I followed the recipe and it turned out delicious! Thanks!
Awesome! So great to hear this! Thanks so much for taking the time to write and share your notes — so helpful, especially this time of year when everyone is looking for ways to put their backyard tomatoes to good use.
The best Vodka Sauce recipe hands down! I’ve made this time and time again when we entertain guests and it’s always a hit. However, I’ve always made it fresh. Any thoughts on how this reheats if I were to make it ahead of time?
It reheats beautifully! If you want, you can hold the cream; then when you are ready to reheat for your guests, add the cream then. So glad you like this one 🙂
Can I freeze this sauce?
Yes!
This sound scrumptious. I have a question. if I wanted to make a lasagna with this sauce. Would I double? Figure a tray for 14-16 people.
Hi Debbie! I don’t think you need to double it. I use about a quart of tomato sauce for a 9×13-inch pan of lasagna (like this one)
Incidentally, I absolutely love love love this sauce — it’s truly a favorite — but in the future, when you are pressed for time, this one works beautifully. I make the vodka variation of it once a week because it’s my kids’ favorite sauce for pasta.
Since I usually cook for one, does anyone know if you can make it (without the cream) and freeze it? Or does it freeze well with the cream in it?
Any thoughts would be most appreciated, thank you. 😉
Hi Jacki! You can freeze it with the cream! Go for it 🙂
Does doubling this recipe result in the same delicious sauce?? If so, are any adjustments required?
Yes! Be sure you use a large enough pot — my largest skillet is filled with a single recipe. No other adjustments required.
This is absolutely delicious! Followed your recipe then added chicken and veggies.
Roasting the Roma tomatoes really made it pop with so much flavor! Will be using this recipe from now on. 5 stars!
Thank you so much!
So nice to hear this Dunia! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi! I am going to make this recipe tonight and I am super excited!! However, I am curious to know if I can use a large Pyrex dish to roast the tomatoes with? I do not have an oven safe pan large enough to hold the ingredients! 🙁
Hi Sarah! Apologies for the delay here! Yes, you can use a large Pyrex. And you can use foil if you don’t have a lid for the dish. Hope it turned out well for you!
Hi, can I double this recipe to serve 6 people? I am planning on hosting a dinner to 6 people and need to know if this would work. Please let me know. Thanks.
Ah, I just saw that you responded to a comment asking if doubling the recipe will work and I’m so glad that it will !
Glad you found the answer, Alex!
I love this recipe! But I must confess to some big modifications. The first time I made this I hadn’t read through the instructions, just the ingredients. When I went to make it I realized I didn’t have time to put the sauce in the oven. At that point I decided to follow the recipe up to adding the hand crushed tomatoes. Instead I dumped 2 jars of my favorite marinara in the pot and simmered for about 20 minutes. Then I proceeded ,without blending, and added cream and cheese etc. it was fabulous. So much so that I now always make it that way. Thanks Ina your recipes are the best! I usually follow them to the letter.
Wow, amazing! Thanks for writing and sharing your notes 🙂 🙂 🙂
Can you freeze the sauce?
Yes!
Seems a lot of sauce for 3/4 lb. of pasta?
Two 28 oz. can of tomatoes + 1 C cream should be enough for 2 lbs, of pasta? Or does the 90 minutes in the oven reduce the tomatoes a lot?
Hi Matt! The recipe makes more sauce than needed for 3/4 lb. pasta. You can store the remaining sauce in the fridge or freezer. The sauce does reduce in the oven, but you will still have more than you need for 3/4 lb. pasta.
This sauce was fantastic! Thank you for the recipe! I have a lot left over. How long will it keep in the fridge?
Great to hear, Amanda! It should last at least a week in the fridge. You can also freeze it.
This was an absolute home run! I made it with home grown tomatoes instead of canned, and it turned out great – I first blanched them, removed the skin, and diced them, and the rest went according the recipe. I served it with pork Milanese and arugula salad, and plan to use the other half for penne alla vodka!
Wow, amazing! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes. How fun to use your homegrown tomatoes here?!
Can’t wait to try this recipe. Just wondering if I could put it in a slow cooker instead of the oven to cook? Thanks 😊
Hi! I’ve never tried so I don’t know how to advise, but I imagine it would be great 👍
Delicious! Thank you for the great recipe!
Great to hear, Janice!
My daughter loves ordering vodka sauce when she goes out to eat. She asked me to try and make it so I came across and looked at all the reviews so I decided to try it. It is delicious she even asked for another bowl. Followed the recipe exactly I did use a whole cup of cream. 1/4 teaspoon red pepper is all you need. Will make this again and again I’m sure.
Great to hear, Jennifer! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes. So glad your daughter approved, too 🙂 🙂 🙂