Sausage Vodka Pasta

This sausage vodka pasta is a delicious twist on a classic favourite, bringing together the rich, savoury notes of sausage with a creamy, velvety vodka-infused tomato sauce. It’s the kind of dish that feels comforting yet a little bit luxurious, perfect for those evenings when you want something both satisfying and special. The vodka helps emulsify the cream and tomatoes. It also adds a subtle warmth and depth to the sauce, balancing the robust flavours of the sausage beautifully. Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or just treating yourself to a midweek pick-me-up, this sausage vodka pasta will definitely hit the spot.

If you’d prefer a meat-free version, why not try my Spicy Vodka Pasta, published on the BBC Food website.

Table of Contents

• Ingredient Breakdown
• The History of Vodka Pasta
• How To Properly Brown The Sausage Meat
• The Importance Of Caramelising The Tomato Purée
• The Role Of Vodka In This Sausage Vodka Pasta
• Best Pasta Shape For This Sausage Vodka Pasta
• More Pasta Inspo

Ingredient Breakdown

• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: It serves as the base for sautéing the sausage, shallots and garlic.
• Sausages: Opt for good-quality sausages, as they are the star of this dish. Removing the casing allows the sausage meat to break into chunks easily. This helps in achieving a wonderful texture throughout the sauce.
• Echalion Shallot (Banana Shallot): These shallots have a mild, sweet flavour that adds a delicate oniony base to the sauce. Finely chopping the shallot ensures it melts into the sauce seamlessly.
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic adds aromatic depth to the dish.
• Chilli Flakes: They introduce a gentle heat that balances the richness of the cream and the sweetness of the tomatoes. Adjust the amount to suit your heat preference.
• Double Concentrated Tomato Purée: This is a key ingredient in achieving a rich and intensely flavoured sauce.
• Vodka: Adding vodka to the sauce might sound unusual, but it plays a crucial role. The alcohol in vodka helps to release flavours from the tomatoes. It also helps emulsify the cream and tomatoes, creating a luscious, creamy sauce.
• Single Cream: This adds a luscious, velvety texture to the sauce. The cream balances the acidity of the tomatoes and mellows the bold flavours of the sausage and garlic.
• Dried Pasta of Choice: You can use any pasta shape you prefer. Short pastas like penne or rigatoni works particularly well as they catch the sauce in their ridges.
• Parmigiano Reggiano: Freshly grated Parmesan adds a salty, umami kick to the dish. A generous sprinkling on top just before serving takes the dish to the next level.
• Basil Leaves: Fresh basil brings a fragrant, herbal note that lightens the richness of the sauce. It adds a fresh, aromatic finish to the dish.

The History of Vodka Pasta

Pasta alla Vodka, a dish that emerged in the late 20th century, has an intriguing and somewhat debated origin story. Some believe it was first crafted in Italy during the 1970s, intended to appeal to American tourists with its blend of Italian and American culinary elements. Others suggest it was invented by Italian chefs in New York who sought to infuse traditional Italian pasta with a modern twist, using vodka to create a smoother, more cohesive sauce. The vodka itself, while seemingly an unusual choice for a tomato-based sauce, serves to emulsify the cream and tomatoes. This lends the sauce a rich, silky texture without overpowering the dish with alcohol.

This Sausage Vodka Pasta recipe puts a twist on the classic Pasta alla Vodka by incorporating sausages. They add a robust, savoury depth to the sauce, complementing the creamy vodka-infused base. Moreover, the addition of chilli flakes introduces a subtle heat, creating a more complex flavour profile that balances the richness of the cream and sausage.

How To Properly Brown The Sausage Meat

Browning sausage meat isn’t just a step—it’s the foundation of the recipe. The process of browning isn’t about cooking the meat all the way through straight away; it’s about developing flavour. Here are some useful tips to help you achieve this.

• Break Up The Sausage Meat: Breaking the sausage into small chunks allows for more surface area to brown. The aim is to get those crispy, caramelised edges that add both texture and flavour.
• Don’t Stir Too Quickly: When sausage meat hits the hot oil, the fat begins to render. This is where you want to be patient. Don’t stir too quickly. Let the sausage meat sit for a bit and develop a deep golden crust.
• Don’t Overcrowd The Pan: Resist the urge to overcrowd the pan; if necessary, cook the sausage in batches. Overcrowding leads to steaming, which prevents browning and leaves you with a different texture altogether.

The Importance Of Caramelising The Tomato Purée

Caramelising the tomato purée might seem like a step you can skip, but it’s where you build the backbone of the sauce. This step is all about coaxing out the natural sugars in the tomatoes, intensifying their flavour and creating a robust base for the sauce. As you cook the tomato purée over medium heat, you’ll notice it gradually darkens from a bright red to a deeper, more intense hue. It is caramelising, which helps it develop a richer, more complex flavour—a balance of sweetness and acidity that is essential for a well-rounded sauce.

Stirring frequently during this process ensures even caramelisation without burning. A slight darkening around the edges is a good sign, but keep an eye on it—there’s a fine line between perfectly caramelised and burnt. The aim is to develop a depth of flavour that will marry well with the cream and vodka, creating a harmonious sauce.

The Role Of Vodka In This Sausage Vodka Pasta

Adding vodka to the sauce isn’t about the alcohol; it’s about chemistry. Vodka plays a twofold role in this recipe. On the one hand, it serves to prevent the sauce from separating. Alcohol helps emulsify the mixture of cream and tomatoes, ensuring a smooth, cohesive texture that coats the pasta perfectly. This is particularly important when you’re aiming for that glossy, restaurant-quality finish.

On the other hand, the vodka serves as a flavour enhancer in a way that water or stock simply can’t. The alcohol in vodka acts as a solvent, which helps release flavours trapped in the tomatoes and sausages that wouldn’t be as pronounced otherwise. It’s a bit like adding a secret ingredient that intensifies all the others.

Moreover, when you add vodka to the sauce, it deglazes the pan, lifting those flavourful browned bits stuck to the bottom. This is where so much flavour lies, and vodka helps to incorporate that back into the sauce. As the vodka reduces, it evaporates, leaving behind just a hint of warmth and complexity. It doesn’t make the sauce taste boozy, but it does add a subtle depth that you can’t quite put your finger on—a little kick that brightens the tomatoes and cuts through the cream.

Adding vodka might seem a little unorthodox, but it’s a clever trick that transforms a simple tomato-cream sauce into something much more layered and intriguing.

Best Pasta Shape For This Sausage Vodka Pasta

Not all pasta shapes are created equal, especially when it comes to a sauce as rich and robust as this one.

• Penne/Rigatoni: Penne is a classic choice for vodka sauce, and for good reason. Its tube-like shape and ridges are perfect for catching the sauce, ensuring each bite is packed with flavour. But don’t stop there—rigatoni offers a similar advantage, with its larger size allowing for even more sauce retention.
• Fusilli: Fusilli is another excellent option, with its spirals effectively capturing bits of sausage and sauce in every twist. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for a bit more texture in each mouthful.
• Orecchiette: For something a bit different, try orecchiette. This pasta, shaped like little ears, has the perfect indentations to hold onto the sauce and sausage, providing a delightful combination of textures.

Whichever shape you choose, make sure to cook the pasta al dente. This gives it the perfect bite and ensures it doesn’t become mushy when tossed in the sauce. And don’t forget to save some of that starchy pasta water before draining—it’s a secret weapon for adjusting the sauce’s consistency, ensuring it clings beautifully to every piece of pasta.

More Pasta Inspo

If you love this Sausage Vodka Pasta recipe, here are some other rich, indulgent pasta recipes you might like:

• Creamy Tomato and Harissa Pasta: This tasty pasta number is the perfect balance of flavours. It’s creamy and bright, with just a hint of spice.
• Caramelised Fennel and Sausage Pasta: Sometimes all you need is a big bowl of beige and this caramelised fennel and sausage pasta delivers both on taste and comfort.
• Creamy Brown Butter Pumpkin Pasta: Pumpkin purée gets cooked down in brown butter, before being combined with mascarpone, parmesan and warm spices to make the most delicious pasta sauce.