This easy Spicy Vodka Pasta is creamy, rich, delicious- and ready in under 30 minutes! My take on the viral Gigi Hadid vodka pasta recipe, this spicy and flavorful sauce is sure to be on heavy dinner rotation!

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Easy and Delicious Spicy Vodka Pasta (Gigi Hadid Copycat recipe)

This quick and tasty Spicy Vodka Pasta is my take on the viral TikTok Gigi Hadid Vodka Pasta recipe that took the internet by storm, for good reason! This delicious and creamy pasta sauce is velvety smooth, spicy and just the thing you need when you're craving pasta!

Making the spicy pasta sauce

To make this creamy and delicious Spicy Vodka Pasta, you will need:

Some butter. I use unsalted for this recipe. If going with salted, adjust seasoning as needed.
One small red onion. You could also use shallot, white or yellow onion.
6 garlic cloves. You can either slice these ultra-thin, or mince them.
Tomato paste. You can use a tube or the canned stuff. Got leftover canned? Freeze it n ice cube trays and stick it in a freezer bag for later!
Some vodka. A little goes a long way here. If you don't have or don't want to use vodka, you can choose to deglaze with a bit of water, or some dry white wine.
Red pepper flakes. This recipe goes heavy on these for the spice factor. If you'd like your pasta a little less hot, try reducing the amount you add to the sauce. You can always add more!
Heavy cream. This imparts a rich, luxurious and creamy texture to the decadent sauce. Don't skimp!
Reserved pasta water, to help thin the sauce a bit and add body.
Fresh grated parmesan cheese. This will be added to the sauce at the very end, and putting a little on top for serving never hurt anyone ether.
Fresh basil leaves, for serving. This is optional, but highly recommended to add a fresh bite to the rich and spicy sauce.

Cooking the sauce

The ingredients for the Spicy Vodka Pasta are simple, but this sauce is anything but basic! To make the sauce, you'll start by cooking the onions and garlic, then adding the tomato paste. Cook the tomato paste for about 5 minutes to develop a richer flavor and deeper color. Next up, add the vodka, red pepper flakes, and cream. Stir in your pasta of choice, the reserved pasta water, and parmesan- and it's time to eat!

What kind of pasta should I use for the Spicy Vodka Pasta?

I love to use orecchiette for this pasta, but this sauce is great on just about any shape. The original Gigi Hadid recipe called for shells, which is also a great option! Here are some of my faves to serve it with!

rigatoni
penne
papperdelle
gemelli

My spin on the famous Gigi Hadid vodka pasta recipe!

Heard of Supermodel Gigi Hadid's vodka pasta? She first made it in 2020, and it soon went viral on social media! Her pasta recipe is super easy to whip up, and tastes restaurant worthy! My spin on the famous Gigi Hadid vodka pasta recipe is just as easy and delicious, and is super easy to make any night of the week.

Substitutions & Additions

Here are a few ideas you can use to add to the spicy vodka pasta, or substitute with what you have on hand:

Add in some crumbled Italian sausage. You can cook it with the onions and cook it right into the sauce!
Substitute shallots, yellow onion or white onion for the red onion.
Try a different pasta shape!
Add chopped veggies, such as zucchini or bell peppers.

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Looking for more delicious pasta recipes?

Why not try my 5 Cheese Sausage and Spinach Lasagna, Sunday Sauce with Bracciole, Meatballs and Sausage, One Pot Sausage Artichoke Pasta Bake Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce, or Cheese Tortellini with Roasted Tomato and Sausage Cream Sauce!

Made this recipe? Leave a review and rating below!

If you make my version of the famous Spicy Vodka Pasta Recipe, please be sure to leave me a comment! I would love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Lastly, if you make the recipe and love it, please tag me on Instagram! I love to see your photos!

Print Recipe

Spicy Vodka Pasta

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Dinner

Keyword: pasta, sauce

Servings: 4

Ingredients

½ lb orecchiette, or your favorite pasta shape
4 tablespoon butter
1 small red onion, finely diced
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or minced
½ cup tomato paste
¼ cup vodka
1 ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups heavy cream
¼ cup reserved pasta water
1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
fresh basil leaves, for serving

Instructions

1. Boil pasta according to package directions for al dente. Salt the water well before cooking the pasta (should taste like the ocean).
2. Heat butter over medium-low heat in a large, deep sauté pan.
3. Add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, stir and cook until just fragrant, 1 minute.
5. Add the tomato paste and cook stirring occasionally, until darkened in color, 5 minutes.
6. Add the vodka and cook until evaporated, about 1 minute.
7. Add the heavy cream and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring well occasionally for 2 minutes, until slightly thickened.
8. Add the drained cooked pasta and reserved pasta water, and toss to coat.
9. Turn off heat, add parmesan and stir.
10. Serve with additional grated parmesan and fresh basil leaves.

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