Vodka Sauce with Rigatoni and Sausage

heavy cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: milk + cornstarch

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess

Parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: Pecorino Romano

Pecorino is often less expensive and still provides a similar flavor.

Start with a cold pan and add Italian sausage; turn heat to medium-high to render the fat.

While the sausage cooks, season a pot of water heavily with salt and bring to a boil.

Break up the sausage as it cooks until browned; transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.

Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to the pan and then add 1 diced onion and 3 sliced cloves of garlic; sauté until the onion is translucent but still has a bite.

Add 12 ounces of tomato paste to the skillet and cook until it darkens to a rust color.

Pour in 4 ounces of vodka and stir until incorporated, allowing it to cook down.

Add the browned sausage back into the sauce and season with salt and black pepper; let it simmer.

Once the water is boiling, add the rigatoni and cook until al dente.

Tear fresh basil leaves and stir them into the sauce.

Ladle some sauce into the hot pasta pot, add the cooked rigatoni, and then ladle the rest of the sauce on top; stir to combine.

Plate the rigatoni and top with additional sauce and shavings of Pecorino cheese.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens