Vegan Pasta Alla Vodka

This vegan twist on the Italian American classic gives you all the rich creaminess of the original without any actual cream. Sprinkle in some crushed red pepper to add a welcome bite to the otherwise rich and mellow flavours.

Ingredients

3 tbsp Olive Oil
¹/₂Onion, raw
1 tbsp Garlic, raw
4 tbsp Tomato Paste, unsalted
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 can Tomatoes, red, ripe, diced – can
¹/₂ tsp Salt
60ml Vodka
450g Pasta, dry – rigatoni
240g Cashews, raw – soaked
475ml Water
237ml Water – pasta water
1 tbsp Vegetable bouillon
2 tbsp Parsley – optional garnish

Directions

Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 7-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and pepper flakes and sauté for an additional 3 minutes. Add the whole tomatoes and salt and cook for 5 minutes, crushing the tomatoes with a wooden spoon to release their juices as you stir the mixture.

Add vodka and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool.

As your sauce cools, bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta to al dente texture and drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water.

Attach the Pitcher to the Motor Base. Drain the cashews, then add to the Pitcher. Blend until creamy.

Once the tomato/vodka mixture has cooled for at least 20 minutes, transfer to the Pitcher. Add pasta water and vegetable bouillon and blend until creamy.

Pour mixture into the pan and bring to a simmer.

Add cooked rigatoni to the warm sauce and gently toss until all the pasta is warm and evenly coated with sauce. Serve and garnish with parsley, if desired.