VeganMoFo: Rigatoni Vodka {Recipe}

Rigatoni Vodka

Pre-Vegan, my favorite meal was Rigatoni Vodka. Whenever we went to an Italian restaurant this is what I always ordered. I would try to order something different but I just couldn’t because I loved it so much. Rich and creamy with a bit of kick from the red pepper flakes and vodka. Its the perfect comfort food and I’ve missed eating it oh so much. 

I’ve made it myself a few times and it’s always been just ok. The creaminess was never up to the creamy standards I was used to in this dish. While making a cashew cheese, at home, the other day I added too much water and made this beautiful cream and I instantly thought of using it in a pasta recipe. Rigatoni Vodka was the first dish I though of. Vodka isn’t an ingredient I usually keep on hand but luckily it’s something my parents do and I was able to borrow/steal some from their freezer downstairs!

This recipe was a big hit with my family. My daughter came into the kitchen and said how amazing it smelled. I was surprised she actually tried it and was so happy that she actually liked it. My son wouldn’t try it but I mixed a bit into his pasta anyway and put a few dabs of vegan butter on his to trick him. He ate it all up! 

Rigatoni Vodka

2014-09-03 06:30:27

A rich and creamy tomato sauce that takes me back to my pre-vegan days ordering take out from the Italian place in my neighborhood. This recipe makes a large amount of pasta. 1 1/2 pounds! We are big on leftovers in our house for work and or school lunches.

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Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 pounds of Rigitoni Pasta, cooked according to box directions
2. 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
3. 1 medium onion, small diced
4. 4 cloves of garlic, minced
5. 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (use more for more spice!)
6. 1 28oz unsalted crushed tomatoes
7. 1/4 - 1/3 cup vodka
8. 1 cup cashews (see notes)
9. 1 cup water
10. 1/3 cups basil, thinly sliced
11. salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add onions and saute for 3 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for 5-7 more minutes or until onions are translucent.
4. Carefully pour in the can of crushed plum tomatoes and vodka and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes or more.
5. In a high speed blender, blend the cashews and water into a cream.
6. Pour into the tomato sauce, adding the sliced basil and season with salt and pepper.
7. Cook for 5 minutes.
8. Mixed into cooked rigatoni and serve immediately.

Notes

1. The amounts given for the cashew cream makes a lot. It creates a very thick, rich and creamy sauce. Feel free to use 1/2 a cup of cashews and 1/2 a cup of water for the cream for a slightly less rich and creamy sauce. It will still be delicious while saving on fat and calories!

By Jenna (good-good-things.com)

good good things http://good-good-things.com/