What Is Vodka Sauce?
Vodka sauce is the result of combining smooth tomato sauce with heavy cream, a bit of vodka, plus seasonings. Despite the heavy cream, it’s still a light, almost thin, sauce that gets its famous pink color from these three base ingredients. Although vodka is a main staple in this dish, it doesn’t take over the sauce, but rather helps to combine the common ingredients in a unique way.
Difference Between Vodka and Marinara Sauce
Marinara is a well-known sauce that’s tomato based and combined with seasonings, herbs, garlic and olive oil. It’s a simple sauce and used in so many different dinner recipes, as well as for dipping bread. The biggest difference between vodka sauce and marinara is the addition of vodka and heavy cream. The acidic flavor of the tomatoes still comes through even with heavy cream, but the tomatoes tend to caramelize as the vodka binds everything together beautifully.
What’s Vodka Sauce Made From?
Vodka sauce begins with smooth tomato sauce and is then cooked with vodka to create a rich creamy sauce that comes together once the heavy cream is added. The vodka is worth adding because it balances out the sweetness of the sauce.
Does Vodka Sauce Have Peas?
You will find various versions of vodka sauce and some incorporate peas into the mix toward the end, along with pancetta. There’s no wrong way to make it, so cater it to your liking!
Can You Make Vodka Sauce Without Heavy Cream?
While you can substitute heavy cream for another ingredient, this is a key ingredient. Substitutions you might use are half and half, whole milk or coconut milk.
Can Kids Eat Vodka Sauce?
Yes! You can feel fine about serving vodka sauce to your kids. This sauce does incorporate vodka, but it’s prepared in a small amount per serving and cooked down into the sauce. It’s not something they’ll get intoxicated from.
Vodka Sauce Variations
When cooking any sauce, there is an element of time needed to really deepen the flavor in order to achieve those complex rich flavors. Chopped fresh or dried herbs can be added to your liking. Vodka sauce can be made with meat or without. For an added flavor boost, add chopped spinach, mushrooms, peppers or eggplant.
What to Serve With Vodka Sauce
Pasta is the most common ingredient to serve this sauce over, since it’s a traditional Italian-American dish. Pappardelle or tagliatelle are great options, but penne pasta works well too because the sauce will cling to the shape, ensuring each bite has a good amount of sauce. Now you have everything you need to make the best vodka sauce ever! Next: The Best TikTok Pasta Recipes That Are Trending Right Now
