Vodka Sauce

Better than the store-bought vodka sauce, this is made with a mix of fresh and pantry ingredients and simmered with a little vodka (of course!) to make a beautifully rich sauce for pasta night.

Author: Pesto & Potatoes

Category: Vegetarian

Cuisine: Italian

Difficulty: MEDIUM

Prep. Time:

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 348 kcal per serving

Ingredients

2 tablespoons - olive oil
1 - sweet onion
2 cloves - garlic
28 ounces - canned whole tomatoes
8 ounces - canned tomato sauce
2 tablespoons - tomato paste
½ cup - vodka
2 tablespoons - balsamic vinegar
⅓ cup - heavy cream
⅓ cup - fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons - fresh parmesan
1 tsp - kosher salt
½ tsp - black pepper

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pro tip: Use a skillet with a lid.
Once oil is heated, add diced onion and cook until translucent, about 7-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Add whole tomatoes and break up with the back of a wooden spoon. Pour in vodka, tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Add lid and bring to a boil.
Once sauce starts to boil, reduce heat to simmer. Add tomato paste and balsamic vinegar. Cover and continue to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a blender, grate parmesan cheese and add fresh basil leaves.
Once sauce has cooked and thickened a bit, stir in the cream. Carefully pour sauce into the blender with cheese and basil, and blend until smooth.
Taste, adjust seasoning and serve with your favorite prepared pasta.