Sun-Dried Tomato & Broccolini Vodka Pasta
Updated Jul 14, 2025, Published on Mar 12, 2023
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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!
If you try this Sun-Dried Tomato & Broccolini Vodka Pasta Recipe, feel free to rate/leave a review. You can also tag me on Instagram or TikTok!
If you enjoyed this dish, make sure to check out these as well:
Gochujang Vodka Pasta
Tortellini alla Vodka Soup
Hot Italian Sausage Sundried Tomato Rigatoni
Sun-Dried Tomato & Broccolini Vodka Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon 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 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, optional; use more or less to taste (I used closer to 1 tsp)
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoon 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
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Carol, 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
So so happy to hear you loved this one! I’m happy to hear you recovered from the garlic and tomato paste incident!