This Spicy Rigatoni recipe with tomato vodka sauce is some of our favorite pasta dinners. Chewy rigatoni pasta is tossed in a thick and creamy tomato sauce made with vodka that is tangy with a hint of sweetness and spiciness. And if you’re on the hunt for the ultimate spicy vodka pasta, this Carbone Spicy Rigatoni copycat is exactly what you need.
This decadent pasta recipe is inspired by the spicy rigatoni vodka dish from Carbone, the famous high-end Italian restaurant. Cheesecake Factory carries a version of this dish today too.
Love Italian food and pasta? Check out some of my other favorites such as Pork Milanese, Lemon Garlic Parmesan Pasta and Cherry Tomato Pasta with Chicken.
Spicy Rigatoni with Vodka Sauce
This dreamy and decadent Carbone copycat spicy rigatoni has quickly become my new pasta obsession and my go-to for a cozy date night at home.
Something about chewy pasta coated in that flavor-bursting creamy tomato vodka sauce has me coming back for more, and more, and more… I can’t stop and it’s a problem!
If you are familiar with penne alla vodka, spicy rigatoni vodka is basically the rigatoni version of that. The tomato vodka sauce is very similar to sauce in penne alla vodka, but with a hint of spiciness.
Vodka brings a complex and delicious flavor to the tomato sauce in this spicy rigatoni recipe. The alcohol content would be cooked off completely, leaving behind clean and slightly sweet flavor that makes the creamy tomato sauce incredibly tasty.
Vodka is definitely the secret ingredient in making this the bomb sauce that it is, and brings so much to this incredible spicy rigatoni recipe. So do not, by any means, skip this ingredient!
Carbone makes their spicy rigatoni vodka without meat – just pasta and sauce, but you can definitely add protein to it such as prosciutto, Italian sausage, chicken, shrimp, or even burrata for extra cheese.
Spicy rigatoni is a must try for all pasta lovers out there. It is a simple yet elegant meal that you can prepare in your home under 30 minutes, and save lots of money while enjoying the Carbone specialty in the comforts of your own home.
Kitchen Tools
Here’s what you’ll need to pull together this spicy rigatoni recipe in about 30 minutes:
- Large pot: For boiling the rigatoni pasta – make sure it’s big enough for the pasta to cook evenly.
- Large skillet: You’ll want one big enough to hold the pasta and this creamy sauce together once you toss everything at the end – it also gives the vodka room to evaporate quickly. Don’t have one? A wide saucepan works too.
- Strainer: For draining the pasta once it’s cooked to al dente.
Ingredients
Here is the short list of pantry-friendly ingredients needed to make spicy rigatoni with vodka sauce:
- Vodka: The most important ingredient that gives this dish its signature flavor. Use decent quality vodka for best taste, but don’t overspend on expensive vodka. It gets cooked down, leaving behind clean, smooth and sweet flavor that really brings out the tomato cream sauce.
- Heavy cream: This is what thickens the tomato vodka sauce and gives it a smooth, creamy texture. You can substitute half and half for a lighter option, but heavy cream is truly the best-tasting choice thanks to its high fat content – yes, that comes with a bit of a cost!
- Tomato puree: Comes in canned or bottled form. Tomatoes need to be finely pureed so the sauce comes out smooth. If using diced or whole tomatoes, use an immersion blender to puree the sauce once it’s fully cooked – using tomato puree just saves you that extra step. Crushed tomatoes work too; I’d avoid whole or diced tomatoes unless you’re ready to blend them yourself.
- Tomato paste: Brings more intense tomato flavor without adding extra liquid.
- Rigatoni pasta: This pasta shape traps sauce along its ridges, creating the perfect sauce-to-pasta ratio in every bite. Yum!
- Red pepper flakes: This is what brings the spice to this spicy rigatoni recipe. Leave it out for a non-spicy version, or use calabrian chilis – the traditional chili pepper used in Italian pasta – if you want to get fancy. Calabrian chili peppers can be harder to find, so I typically sub in red pepper flakes and to me it tastes just fine!
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic is key to bringing incredible flavor to this dish. Avoid garlic powder.
- Onions: Sweet, white, or yellow onions all work well here. Dice them finely so they cook down quickly and dissolve into the sauce. Shallots make a good swap too.
- Salted butter: Brings so much lovely flavor to the dish. You can substitute another cooking oil for a lighter option, but honestly, it just doesn’t taste as good. Avoid unsalted butter.
- Parmesan cheese: Use good quality! Parmigiano-Reggiano is the best choice if you can find it – read about the difference between parmesan and Parmigiano-Reggiano here.
How to Make Spicy Rigatoni
It takes only about 30 minutes to make this restaurant quality rigatoni. This is one of those simple recipes that you won’t believe you can actually make happen.
You’ll be so impressed with yourself and realize there’s not much to it after all!
Step 1: Boil Pasta
Bring water to boil in a large pot, and cook rigatoni pasta until al dente.
Halfway through cooking, reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water.
I typically bring water to boil, and proceed to Step 2 to make the pasta and the sauce simultaneously to save time.
Step 2: Make Vodka Sauce
To make the delicious vodka sauce for this spicy rigatoni recipe, you’ll need a large skillet that will hold both the sauce and the pasta, because we will eventually be tossing pasta in sauce using this skillet.
Start by melting butter in the skillet under medium high heat, then add diced onions and cook for a few minutes. Once onions are fairly translucent, add minced garlic.
This right here contributes so much flavor to the sauce.
Add tomato puree, tomato paste and red pepper flakes to skillet, and stir to combine.
Make sure you are still on medium high heat, then add vodka and watch it evaporate. Let it cook for a few minutes.
Next, add 1/2 cup of pasta water and heavy cream. Stir to combine, lower to medium low heat and let it simmer for 3-5 minutes.
At this point, vodka sauce should have thickened but feel free to add more pasta water to dilute it more if needed.
Remove sauce from heat, and the last step for the tomato vodka sauce is to add salt to open up the flavors.
Give it a taste and adjust the salt as needed – that’s always good practice before serving! You’ll be surprised how a pinch or two of salt really brings out so much flavor.
Step 3: Combine Rigatoni with Vodka Sauce
Once pasta is done, drain excess water using a strainer. Then bring cooked rigatoni pasta to skillet with tomato vodka sauce.
Toss rigatoni in sauce using a spatula, avoid squishing pasta.
And that’s it! So dreamy, so delicious, so ADDICTIVE!
An easy homemade Spicy Rigatoni that will remind you of Carbone’s signature dish without spending the money!
I love to serve my spicy rigatoni with some freshly grated parmesan cheese, which gives it another dimension of flavor. But it is not necessary because it sure is already super tasty by itself!
Tips and Tricks
- Use high quality ingredients: This makes a real difference in the final flavor. I love using Kerry Gold Butter (or another high-quality option), good pasta so the sauce clings well, fresh garlic and onions (not powdered, please), quality canned tomato products, decent vodka, and Parmigiano-Reggiano instead of regular parmesan.
- Avoid overcooking pasta: Cook it to al dente and stop there – overcooked pasta turns mushy fast.
- Do NOT rinse cooked pasta: Rinsing with cold water strips away the starch that helps sauce cling to the pasta. If you’re worried about the pasta sticking together, toss it with a few drops of olive oil instead.
- Remember to reserve pasta water: This is the step I forget most often! It brings starchy water into the sauce and helps thicken it slightly.
- Adjust the spice level: Swap the red pepper flakes for fresh chiles or calabrian chili peppers if you want a brighter, more authentic kick – or leave them out entirely for a mild version.
- Add fresh herbs: A sprinkle of fresh basil or parsley right before serving brightens up all that rich sauce and adds a nice fresh finishing touch.
- Stir in protein at the end: If you’re adding spicy Italian sausage, shrimp, or chicken, cook it separately and stir it in during the last step so it doesn’t overcook while the sauce simmers.
- Keep the heat moderate: Once the cream goes in, simmer this spicy vodka sauce over medium heat, not high, so it thickens gently into a silky, creamy sauce instead of breaking or turning greasy.
- No large skillet? Use a saucepan: Any wide, deep pan that can hold the pasta and sauce together will work just fine.
Variations And Substitutions
- Different cheeses: Instead of parmesan, pecorino romano is another traditional Italian cheese that pairs beautifully with this dish.
- Adding protein: Toss in cooked spicy Italian sausage, chicken, or shrimp to bulk up the dish – burrata is another great (and cheesy!) addition.
- Adding white wine: Stir in 1/4 cup of white wine right after the vodka for another layer of flavor.
How to Serve spicy rigatoni
One of my favorite ways to serve Spicy Rigatoni is with warm crusty bread or garlic bread, and a side salad. Simple yet so delicious!
If you want to get even fancier, make a simple charcuterie meat and cheese board or bruschetta as an appetizer.
And of course, you can never go wrong serving spicy rigatoni with a glass of red wine. In fact, I highly recommend it! 🙂
Frequently Asked Questions
You can and they are definitely healthier option. However, spicy rigatoni will not be as creamy and rich in flavor.
To thicken sauce, let it cook longer under medium low heat so that more liquid evaporate, or add more heavy cream. To thin out sauce, add more pasta water to sauce.
Yes! They freeze just fine! After cooking, store in air tight container and bring to cool before freezing up to 1 month.
If frozen bring to a complete defrost. Sprinkle a few drops of water or drop a few dollops of butter all over pasta before microwaving to reheat. You might need to stir halfway and continue microwaving so that pasta heats evenly.
They’re very similar – the tomato vodka sauce is nearly the same, but this version leans spicier and uses rigatoni instead of penne.
You can make the sauce a few hours ahead and keep it in the fridge – just reheat gently and cook the pasta fresh right before serving so it doesn’t get mushy.
ENJOYED THIS RECIPE? Tell us what you think by leaving a rating and review below! 🤍
More Pasta Recipes
- Chicken and Spinach Manicotti
- Chili Mac and Cheese
- Creamy Sundried Tomato Pasta with Chicken
- Cheesy Tomato Chicken Spaghetti
- Baked Ziti
- Tomato Basil Gnocchi
Spicy Rigatoni with Tomato Vodka Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lbs rigatoni pasta
- 1/4 cup salted butter
- 1/2 sweet onion diced
- 4-6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cup tomato puree
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- In a pot, bring water to boil. Add rigatoni pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Halfway through, reserve 1 cup of pasta water and set aside for later. When pasta is done cooking, drain and set aside.
- In a skillet, melt butter under medium high heat and add diced onions. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until onions are slightly translucent, then add minced garlic, Cook for 30 seconds or until garlic is fragrant.
- Add tomato puree, tomato paste and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and bring to boil.
- Make sure heat is still on medium high. Add vodka and it should evaporate quickly. Stir to combine and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir and bring to a boil. Lower to medium low heat and let it simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add more pasta water to dilute sauce if needed.
- Switch off heat and add rigatoni pasta to sauce. Toss to combine.
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- use good quality ingredients (butter, pasta, canned tomatoes, vodka) for best taste!
- DO NOT rinse pasta with cold water after it is cooked. To prevent pasta from sticking to each other, toss with some olive oil instead.
Tried this tonight for dinner, and my pickiest eater asked for seconds! It had good flavor, a bit of tang, spice and creamy too. I used Smirnoff Vodka, and I added a little sugar to the sauce. It was delicious!
Thank you Allie! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it so much 🙂
This came out so tasty! I love the rich flavors in the sauce and the tender pasta. I”ll be making this one again for the family for sure!
Thanks Jan! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This was delicious. It’s my first time using vodka in a pasta sauce and what a difference. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the vodka sauce!
I crave pasta with tomato based sauce, therefore when I found your recipe I had to whip it up. I was happy to find I had all the ingredients on hand. We loved it for dinner with a slab of fresh bread!
Yay! That’s so great to hear! Thank you!
This rigatoni made such a delicious dinner! The spice was perfect from the red chili flakes and it was so easy to make especially for busy moms like myself!
That’s wonderful! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
A pasta dish with a kick! The heat, the savory sauce, and those perfectly cooked rigatoni noodles make for a flavor explosion that was impossible to resist
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Sophie!
Pasta ala vodka is one of my favorite dishes and I loved the sauce on these rigatoni! We ended up serving it with roasted chicken, it was so good!
Thanks Veronika! Happy to hear that you enjoyed this!
I was transported to Italy with this homemade pasta recipe! Layers of perfectly cooked rigatoni, and a savory sauce made this simple dish an unforgettable five-star experience.
Makes me so happy to hear that! SO glad you loved this.
Oh hello there! This is my ultimate comfort food right here. The vodka sauce is on point. Everyone polished their plates clean. Great recipe!
I’m so glad everyone loved it! Thank you for sharing!
This rigatoni was SO good and had just the right amount of spice. This recipe is definitely going to be a regular repeat on our weeknight menu.
Makes me SO happy to hear that!! Enjoy!!
I was searching for pasta recipes and I stumbled here and tried it. I did not regret it, it was so gooood!
I am thrilled to hear that!!!
This was such an awesome pasta dish. It was very tasty, the spicy flavor and creamy broth was perfect together. Plus it was very easy to make and have it on the dinner table. Feels like a fancy dinner but it didn’t take much effort at all. I served with a simple salad.
That’s great to hear you enjoyed this! Love an easy tasty meal that looks harder to make than it actually is! 😉
Done this 50 times, I skip the tomato puree, it becomes a pink sauce instead and less acidic. Also, the onions take a long time to turn translucent, not a few minutes, patience is key. Best version I’ve seen on the net.
Thanks for sharing the modifications! Glad you liked it!
Great recipe, so delicious. I would recommend to everyone who loves a little spicyness.
Thanks Elena!!!
5*
Thank you!!
Happy to hear you enjoyed it! <3