Vodka Sauce with Whipped Ricotta is your favorite classic vodka sauce with a simple twist. It’s still the creamy, bright, gorgeous orange sauce you love, but without the heavy cream. The flavor leans richer and more tomato-forward, built from a deeply cooked tomato paste that gives the sauce its depth.
This sauce is built in layers. The tomato paste is cooked until it deepens in color and flavor, then finished with whipped ricotta instead of cream. Blended until completely smooth, the ricotta melts into the sauce, creating that same glossy, silky texture without overpowering the tomatoes.
What Makes This Vodka Sauce Different?
Most vodka sauces rely heavily on cream to create that smooth, velvety texture while also losing the flavor of the tomatoes. But I do not want a cream sauce! I wanted a really flavorful vodka sauce that still kept the creamy element.
Instead of finishing with heavy cream, whipped ricotta is blended until completely smooth and stirred in at the end. It melts into the sauce, giving you that same creamy, glossy finish, but with a lighter, more balanced feel that lets the tomato flavor really come through.
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil: use the best you can find for sauce bases. I love Frankie's
- yellow onion
- garlic cloves
- tomato paste
- vodka: any vodka works!
- crushed tomatoes: can also use whole peeled
- kosher salt
- whole milk ricotta (or homemade): you can use part skim, but without the cramy
- parmesan cheese
- pasta water
- pasta: I love a tube pasta for this (rigatoni, ziti, penne, mezzi rigatoni)
How to make Vodka Sauce with Whipped Ricotta
Start by heating olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until soft & golden brown, letting it build flavor without browning too much. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add the tomato paste and cook it down for a few minutes, stirring often. You’ll notice the color deepen slightly and the texture become more concentrated. This step is what gives the sauce its richness.
Your pan may seem dry or like it's browning too much. That is okay - the vodka is going to hit the pan now while it is hot. It will sizzle and rapidly bubble. Scrape the bottom as it does & it will basically clean your pan while adding even more flavor to your base. If it doesn't sizzle or bubble right away, turn your heat up a little to get the liquid out. We don't want a vodka-y vodka sauce. Stick your nose in there. If it still smells like college memories, it's not cooked out yet.
Add the crushed tomatoes and a pinch of salt, then let the sauce simmer until slightly thickened & vodka is definitely cooked through. While the sauce cooks, blend the ricotta until completely smooth and creamy. Lower the heat and stir the whipped ricotta into the sauce. Add pasta water a little at a time until the sauce becomes glossy
FAQ & Notes
What Does Vodka Sauce Taste Like?
Purpose of Vodka in Vodka Sauce
The Best Pasta to Pair with Our Vodka Sauce
From the Kitchen
Connect with Me
When you make this Vodka Sauce with Whipped Ricotta please let me know your thoughts in the comments or give it a writing. I love the feedback! Or tag me on Instagram @homecooksnotes
📖 Recipe
Vodka Sauce with Whipped Ricotta
Ingredients
- 12oz-1lb penne pasta (or pasta of choice)
- 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup finely diced yellow onion,
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup tomato paste, or 1 4.5oz tube
- ⅓ cup vodka,
- 14 oz crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, + more for serving
- kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta* ,
- 1 cup pasta water (or less) ,
- serve with fresh torn basil, a dollop ricotta, & freshly grated parmesan
Instructions
- Cook the aromatics: In a large skillet, heat 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil until warm. Add ½ cup finely diced yellow oniona pinch of salt. Sauté onion until golden, soft & browning (5-7 minutes), the onion should be quite cooked. Add 3-4 garlic cloves minced garlic & cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant.
- Build tomato base: Add the ½ cup tomato paste and cook. Stir often, for 3 to 5 minutes until it deepens in color and becomes a little caramelized. Pan will seem a little dry and there may be bits starting to stick to the pan, that is okay.
- Deglaze with vodka: Pour in ⅓ cup vodka, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it cook until vodka evaporates & stir together. Add 14 oz crushed tomatoes, ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese & pinch salt. Stir to combine & simmer 10 minutes or so. It will be thicker. The vodka smell & taste will cooked out by now. If it is tasting too acidic, it may be your canned tomatoes. Add a pinch of sugar. While sauce is simmering & pasta is cooking, whip ricotta.
- Whip Ricotta: In blender or food processor, add 1 cup whole milk ricotta* with pinch salt & black pepper. Blend on high until whipped, smooth & creamy. Add sauce contents to blender with ricotta in it & blend on high 30 seconds to one minute.
- Finish the sauce: Lower the heat and stir in the whipped ricotta. You can use blender or immersion blender here to make it completely smooth. Add pasta water starting with ¼ cup*, a little at a time until the sauce is smooth and glossy. Adjust salt or add pinch of sugar or red pepper for heat. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat. Finish with fresh basil and grated parmesan cheese and a dollop more ricotta.
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