This simple vegan vodka pasta recipe is my take on a classic pasta alla vodka but made completely dairy free! This simple sauce is so full of flavour, incredibly creamy, and just a little spicy, plus it’s ridiculously easy to make. You’ll have the perfect date night dinner on the table in just 20 minutes!
I’ve been dairy free now for over 10 years, and the one food group that I can’t stop trying to recreate at home is a creamy pasta. There is something so indulgent about a big bowl of spicy, creamy pasta and just because we don’t eat dairy doesn’t mean we should be missing out.
This recipe is simple, but it feels more elevated than just a simple tomato sauce pasta. It’s fancy enough for a low key date night with a bottle of wine, or a simple girl dinner when hitting those protein goals just don’t matter.
This vegan vodka sauce is made using simple, everyday ingredients that you may already have in your pantry.
What does vodka pasta taste like?
One of the biggest questions when it comes to a pasta alla vodka, is what does adding vodka to the sauce actually do? Can you even taste it?
The vodka balances the sweetness of the tomato with a subtle pepperiness. The specific flavour will depend on the vodka but it’s a spicy, delicious and creamy result that is so addicting.
Also, in this recipe, the sauce is not really cooked long enough for all of the alcohol to cook out, so I probably would keep this recipe as an adults only, date night, kind of dinner.
Key Ingredients
This vegan vodka pasta recipe is made without cashews! So you should find most of the ingredients you’ll need in the pantry already, and of course in the liquor cabinet.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Onion – I use both red onion and brown onion fairly interchangeably in this recipe without too much difference in my opinion so use what you like, just make sure to chop it nice and fine.
- Garlic – I usually do 3 good sized cloves of garlic and find that it gives a really good amount of flavour for my liking, but adjust based on your tastes.
- Tomato paste – this will be what gives the sauce that rich, tomato flavour and vibrant colour.
- Chilli flakes – add as much or as little as you like based on how spicy you want the sauce to be.
- Vodka – any brand works, just make sure it’s plain, not a flavoured option.
- Coconut milk – I like to stick the can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight and then just use the solid coconut milk that you can scoop out of the top of the can. The result is a much thicker and creamier sauce.
- Pasta – I prefer to use either rigatoni or penne as these shapes are going to catch as much of that creamy sauce as possible, but you can use what you like.
Step-By-Step Instructions
This dairy free vodka pasta recipe is really quick and simple to make without any special equipment needed.
Start by boiling a large pot of salted water and cook the pasta to the package directions. Reserve about ½ a cup of the cooking water before draining and setting aside.
To the base of the pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onions and garlic. Sauté until the onions are translucent and soft, turning down the heat if they are browning too quickly.
👉Tip! To ensure a smooth and silky sauce, you want the onions and garlic to be chopped as fine as possible. If you’re not confident with your knife skills, you can easily achieve this using a mini chopper or food processor.
To the onions, add in the tomato paste and chilli flakes and cook for another minute or two so the tomato paste darkens in colour slightly.
Add in the vodka and coconut milk and simmer gently so that the sauce thickens.
To the sauce, add in the cooked pasta and a little of the reserved pasta water to loosen up the sauce. Add more water if needed and toss the pasta through the sauce until all of the pasta is completely coated and the sauce is silky smooth and creamy.
Serve the vegan vodka pasta between two bowls and top with chopped parsley or basil and an extra sprinkle of chilli flakes.
Recipe FAQs
Technically you can (I recommend replacing it with some vegetable stock) and it will just be a creamy tomato sauce. For a more robust flavoured sauce without the vodka, I’d recommend using a traditional marinara sauce instead.
Yes you can make it ahead of time and store in the fridge or freezer until ready to use. Simply heat up in a saucepan over medium heat and cook a fresh batch of pasta.
You can! Like all creamy sauces, it will lose a little of its creamy texture when being reheated, but it will still taste delicious. You can also add a tiny splash of water to the pasta to loosen up the sauce before reheating.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More easy vegan pasta recipes:
Vegan Mac and Cheese
Kale and Walnut Pesto Pasta
Lentil Bolognese
Vegan Pumpkin Rigatoni
Vegan Vodka Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ red onion finely diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic crushed
- 100 grams (¼ cup) tomato paste
- Pinch chilli flakes to taste
- ¼ cup vodka
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 200 grams pasta such as rigatoni or penne
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh parsley or basil to serve
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the penne pasta to the package directions. Reserve about ½ a cup of the cooking water before draining and setting aside.
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute until the onions are translucent and soft, turning down the heat if they are browning too quickly.
- Add in the tomato paste and chilli flakes and cook for another minute or two so the tomato paste darkens in colour slightly before adding in the vodka and coconut milk. Simmer gently for 10 minutes so that the sauce thickens.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce with a little of the reserved pasta water and start to mix together. Add more water if needed until all of the pasta is completely coated and the sauce is silky smooth and creamy.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve with fresh basil and extra chilli flakes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
This recipe was originally published in April 2022 and has been updated in 2025 with new photos and more helpful information. The recipe remains the same.
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