Vegan Vodka Sauce
A divinely creamy vegan vodka sauce! This recipe is easy, comforting, and super satisfying and made creamy from two secret ingredients!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 6 medium-large cauliflower florets
- 1/4 cup raw, unsalted cashews
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- pinch salt
- 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon (or more) red pepper flakes
- pepper
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 1 14.5-ounce whole, peeled canned tomatoes
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 sprig basil (plus more for topping)
- 1 pound short pasta
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1/4 cup vodka
- 2 cups pasta water*
- vegan parmesan, for topping
Instructions
- Place your cauliflower florets and cashews in a food processor and blitz until it resembles small pebbles. It should yield ~1 cup (a little more is okay). Set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat your olive oil over medium heat.
- Add your onion and a pinch or two of salt, and cook until the onion is translucent, 6-8 minutes. Add a splash of water if things are browning.
- Add your garlic, red pepper flakes, and a few cranks of black pepper, and cook for another minute.
- Add your tomato paste with a splash of water, and cook for another minute. You’re caramelizing the sugars and developing more flavors in this step. Look at you!
- Add your canned tomatoes, water, and your cauliflower/cashew mixture and stir to combine. Add a pinch of salt.
- Allow the sauce to simmer, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook your pasta 1 minute less than package instructions (we’ll finish it in the sauce). Reserve two cups pasta water.
- Remove and discard your basil, and then carefully transfer your sauce mixture to a high-powered blender with a tablespoon of vegan butter, and blend until rich and creamy.
- Transfer your sauce back to your pan (wipe it out first to ensure a super smooth sauce!), and return to a simmer over medium heat.
- Stir in your vodka and cook for 1 minute, then add your cooked pasta.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook until the pasta is cooked to your liking. You can add your pasta water here to thin out the sauce if needed.
- Carefully taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with additional fresh basil and / or vegan parmesan!
Notes
* You probably won’t add all of this, but it’s better to have more than run out!
Recipe adapted from Serious Eats
Keywords: creamy vegan pasta sauce, no cream vodka sauce, dairy-free vodka sauce
Find it online: https://www.fooduzzi.com/2023/09/vegan-vodka-sauce/
