There are few pasta dishes more satisfying than a big bowl of Spicy Sausage Rigatoni alla Vodka. It has everything you want in comfort food: spicy Italian sausage, perfectly al dente rigatoni, and a rich, creamy tomato vodka sauce that gets into every ridge and tube of pasta.
Adding sausage takes classic vodka sauce and turns it into a complete meal. The sausage brings plenty of savory flavor and a little extra heat, while the creamy tomato sauce balances everything out.
It looks and tastes like something you’d order at an Italian restaurant, but it’s surprisingly easy to make at home.
What will you need?
- Italian sausage
- shallot
- garlic
- salt
- pepper
- Calabrian chiles
- extra virgin olive oil
- tomato paste
- vodka
- heavy cream
- unsalted butter
- parmesan cheese
- burrata cheese, for garnish
- basil, for garnish
How to make it
Add extra virgin olive oil top a pan over medium heat. Once hot, add in the Italian sausage. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook until browned and fully cooked. About 5 minutes. Remove from the pan leaving about 1 tbsp of the oil.
Turn the heat to low and add in the shallot and garlic. Sauté until soft. About 5 minutes. Turn the heat to medium and add in the Calabrian chiles and cook for 30 seconds. Mix in the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper. Add in the vodka and flambe. Cook out the alcohol for 1 minute.
Add the rigatoni to salted boiling water and cook until al dente.
Add 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the pan and mix to combine. Add back in the sausage and mix to coat in the sauce. Pour in the heavy cream and mix.
Strain the pasta, reserving at least one cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the pan and mix. Add in the butter and mix until fully emulsified. Mix in the parmesan. If you want it creamier, add more pasta water.
To serve, ladle some pasta onto a serving bowl and garnish with dollops of burrata cheese, grated parmesan, fresh basil, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Hope you enjoy!
