We love a good pantry clean-out recipe, and this one features everyone’s favorite ingredient…no, not vodka – pasta! I had several random bags of noodles with a very small amount left, so what else does one do than make the viral TikTok Spicy Vodka Pasta from none other than Gigi Hadid herself?
Since I’m lactose intolerant, I decided to make this recipe vegan – and let me tell you, it is not even the slightest bit detectable that there is no dairy in this dish. For those who have never had pasta alla vodka, I can understand your hesitation especially if you’re not a fan of the alcohol. But rest assured, there is so little vodka in this pasta sauce that it’s not actually meant to get you buzzed. So, what exactly is the point of having vodka in the sauce?
“The vodka helps maintain a cohesive texture, allowing the creaminess to meld with the tomato base…while imparting as little of its own flavor as possible.”
– Paesana, 2021
Gigi Hadid’s Spicy Vodka Pasta (Made Vegan)
Ingredients
- 2 cups Pasta, of choice (dried)
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil (extra virgin)
- 1 clove Garlic (diced)
- 1/4 Shallot (or Sweet Onion)
- 1/4 cup Tomato Paste (canned)
- 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 tbsp Vodka
- 1 tbsp Vegan Butter (I like the Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks)
- 1/4 cup Vegan Parmesan (shredded)
- 2 tbsp Basil (dried or fresh)
- 1 handful Spinach (fresh, optional)
For 1/2 cup Vegan Heavy Cream
- 1/4 cup Cashews (raw, unsalted)
- 1/2 cup Oat Milk
- 2 tbsp Coconut Cream (canned)
Instructions
- Prep your vegan heavy cream by pouring boiling water over cashews in a small bowl. Set aside and let sit until cashews become soft.
- Meanwhile, boil water for pasta. While waiting for the water to boil, chop onion and garlic and place into a separate sauce pan with olive oil. Cook until onions are soft and translucent.
- Water should be boiling by this point, so add pasta and cook until al dente. Meanwhile, add tomato paste to pan with onions and garlic and sauté until caramelized.
- While pasta is boiling and sauce is caramelizing, prepare your vegan heavy cream by adding cashews (rinsed and drained) to a blender with oat milk and coconut cream and blend until smooth.
- Once pasta is ready, reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water and set aside before draining and rinsing pasta with cold water. Set aside.
- Add 1/2 cup of vegan heavy cream to sauce pan with vodka and chili flakes. Season with salt and pepper and stir until smooth.
- Add pasta, pasta water, and vegan butter to sauce pan and stir gently to combine.
- Add dried basil, fresh spinach, and Parmesan shreds and fold to combine before serving.
Watch my video on how to make this recipe by clicking here.
