This Sun-Dried Tomato & Broccolini Vodka Pasta is SO good! This dish comes together in 30 minutes including prep time. The creamy sauce is made with sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, vodka, and heavy cream, creating a rich and decadent flavor. The broccolini adds a fresh crunch that perfectly complements the bold flavors of the sauce.
Sun-Dried Tomato & Broccolini Vodka Pasta Recipe Details
I am obsessed with vodka sauce, and this dish is an amazing twist on the classic vodka sauce you may be used to. The sun-dried tomatoes add a delicious complexity and the sliced broccolini adds some crunch and brightness to this extra-rich sauce.
I used calamarata pasta for this recipe, but this shape can be somewhat difficult to find. I found the shape at World Market, but I think rigatoni or penne would work perfectly as well. Overall, any shape that will catch all of that creamy and delicious sauce is ideal.
Recipe Ingredients
- 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1/3 jar Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes – these are optional. I love spice and used closer to 1 tsp, but adjust to your spice preference!
- 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1/4 cup Vodka – the alcohol will cook off, but you can substitute with water or broth as well.
- 6 oz Broccolini – Broccolini is a vegetable that is a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale. It has a long and slender stem topped with small florets, and its taste is similar to that of broccoli, but with a milder and slightly sweeter flavor.
- 1 cup Pasta Water
- 3/4 cup Heavy Cream – use more or less depending on how creamy you want the sauce
- 8 oz Pasta
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese – freshly grated is best!
Recipe Instructions
Cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often.
Add the tomato paste and stir well to combine. Cook for 4 minutes until the tomato paste darkens in color. Pour in the vodka to deglaze the pan. Let the alcohol absorb for about 2 minutes.
Add the sliced broccolini and about a 1/2 a cup of hot pasta water. Stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes until the broccolini is softened.
Turn the heat to low and pour in the heavy cream. Stir until well combined. Add the cooked pasta and the other 1/2 a cup of hot pasta water as needed to thin out the sauce and combine well.
Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
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This is a delicious, easy, and flavorful 30-minute pasta recipe. It’s perfect for a date-night dinner or an easy weeknight dinner!
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If you enjoyed this dish, make sure to check out these as well:
Sun-Dried Tomato & Broccolini Vodka Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1/3 jar Sun-Dried Tomatoes I used an 8.5 oz jar from Trader Joe's
- 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes optional; use more or less to taste (I used closer to 1 tsp)
- 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1/4 cup Vodka can substitute with water or broth
- 6 oz Broccolini cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup Pasta Water divided
- 3/4 cup Heavy Cream more or less depending on how creamy you want the sauce
- 8 oz Pasta I used Calamarata but this would also be great with rigatoni or penne
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated to serve
Instructions
- Cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the tomato paste and stir well to combine. Cook for 4 minutes until the tomato paste darkens in color. Pour in the vodka to deglaze the pan. Let the alcohol absorb for about 2 minutes.
- Add the sliced broccolini and about a 1/2 a cup of hot pasta water. Stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes until the broccolini is softened.
- Turn the heat to low and pour in the heavy cream. Stir until well combined. Add the cooked pasta and the other 1/2 a cup of hot pasta water as needed to thin out the sauce and combine well.
- Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Video
@carolbeecooks Calamarata pasta is my new favorite pasta shape. Have you tried it? #pastatiktok
♬ original sound – Carolyn | Easy Recipes
April 24, 2023 at 4:50 amCarol, my first recipe to try of yours, and wow! It was delicious, and so very easy. I even got distracted when my son came home from a trip, burned the garlic and tomato paste! Started over, and it turned out amazing. It looked just like your photo! HAHAH! I’m Italian and appreciate a simple but tasty weeknight pasta dish. This one hit every mark. Can’t wait to try others!M
April 25, 2023 at 7:05 pmSo so happy to hear you loved this one! I’m happy to hear you recovered from the garlic and tomato paste incident!
April 6, 2024 at 2:48 pm[…] Sun-Dried Tomato & Broccolini Vodka Pasta […]