Creamy 20 Minute Chili Oil Vodka Pasta
Spicy, creamy, and ready in just 20 minutes, this One Pot Chili Oil Vodka Pasta is the perfect cozy dinner for two. This easy pasta sauce combines the creamy vodka sauce with extra fragrant shallots, garlic. and Mama’s Chili Oil. It’s a simple twist on the classic that adds just the right amount of heat and umami, and perfect for spicy lovers looking for a bold, flavorful one pot pasta.
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One Pot Easy Weeknight Creamy Spicy Pasta
I’m always craving something spicy, and most nights, that means noodles. Vodka pasta has been one of my comfort meals for years, but I started adding a spoonful of Mama’s Chili Oil one night and it completely changed the game. The slight kick in the creamy tomato sauce made the chewy pasta so much more addicting!
What makes this dish even better is how simple it is to throw together. The sauce uses mostly pantry staples like tomato paste, garlic, and cream, and everything cooks in one pot in 20 minutes. Cozy, spicy, and easy enough for a weeknight.
Chili Oil Vodka Pasta Ingredients
- 200 g pasta of your choice, rigatoni or penne works best
- 2 tbsp Mama’s Chili Oil
- 2 shallots finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp vodka
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- Salt to taste
- Black Pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
- Fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)
Garlic Chili Oil
To add another layer of heat to this sauce, we’re adding in a Garlic Chili Oil. Heating up Mama’s Chili Oil, then layering in garlic and shallots adds a bold but balanced spiciness that builds on the classic vodka sauce without overpowering it. Heating the aromatics directly in the chili oil lets all the flavors meld together. It is fragrant, savory, and just the right amount of heat.
Best Pasta For Spicy Vodka Pasta
To soak up the spicy-savory vodka sauce, I recommend using a short, tubular pasta. Pastas like rigatoni or penne have hollow shapes and ridges that grab onto the sauce just right. Other short, sturdy pastas like fusilli, farfalle, or even orecchiette work well too. The key is choosing a shape that has enough surface area or texture to hold onto the sauce.
As the pasta cooks, don’t forget to reserve a 1/4 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. The pasta water helps emulsify the chili oil, cream, and tomato paste into a glossy sauce that clings to the noodles rather than sliding off.
Creamy Vodka Sauce
This sauce is made with a base of classic creamy vodka sauce, made with tomato paste, vodka, and heavy cream. It’s tart, velvety base for our spicy pasta.
With vodka, the sauce turns out smoother, slightly more balanced, and a touch more complex. The alcohol helps dissolve and release flavor compounds in the tomato paste that water or cream alone can’t. It also helps the cream and tomato emulsify, so the sauce has a more even texture.
Step By Step Instructions For Spicy Vodka Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- In a large pan over medium heat, add chili oil. Sauté the shallots and garlic for 2-3 minutes until soft and fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the color deepens. Pour in vodka and simmer for 1 minute to cook off the alcohol.
- Add heavy cream and season with salt and pepper. Stir until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Add in the cooked pasta, reserved pasta water (as needed to loosen sauce), butter, parmesan cheese, and parsley. Toss until everything is well coated and glossy.
- Plate it up and finish with extra cheese and a drizzle of chili oil if you love heat.
Best Protein Mains To Serve With Creamy Spicy Pasta
Creamy 20 Minute Chili Oil Vodka Pasta
By Tiffy Cooks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 200 g pasta of your choice, rigatoni or penne works best
- 2 tbsp Mama’s Chili Oil
- 2 shallots finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp vodka
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- Salt to taste
- Black Pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
- Fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- In a large pan over medium heat, add chili oil. Sauté the shallots and garlic for 2-3 minutes until soft and fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the color deepens. Pour in vodka and simmer for 1 minute to cook off the alcohol.
- Add heavy cream and season with salt and pepper. Stir until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Add in the cooked pasta, reserved pasta water (as needed to loosen sauce), butter, parmesan cheese, and parsley. Toss until everything is well coated and glossy.
- Plate it up and finish with extra cheese and a drizzle of chili oil if you love heat.
