Vegan Vodka Sauce With Rigatoni

What can I use instead of heavy cream in vodka sauce?

Coconut milk is the fastest, easiest substitute for heavy cream. Just open a can and pour it in (bonus: this recipe uses an entire can). You can also blend raw cashews in a high-speed blender to create a kind of cashew “cream.” If using cashew cream, use half as much as you would coconut milk. If you’re not vegan or dairy-free, you can also use whole milk or half-n-half.

How to make vegan vodka sauce

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously. Add in the rigatoni and cook for 1 minute less than package directions. Scoop out 1 cup of pasta water, drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet (or another pot) over medium-low. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt and cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, followed by the tomato paste and cook until it’s loosened, bright orange-red, and starting to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add a splash of pasta water if the tomato paste starts to burn. Add in the vodka and simmer until almost completely evaporated, 3-5 minutes.

Slowly add in the coconut milk, stirring constantly, until a smooth sauce forms. Turn off the heat, add in the red wine vinegar, a big pinch of salt, and several cranks of black pepper. Taste the sauce and add more salt, pepper, or vinegar as desired.

Add the pasta to the pan with the sauce. Turn the heat back on to medium-high and simmer the pasta with the sauce, stirring constantly, until the sauce evenly coats the pasta, and the pasta is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add a splash of pasta water if the sauce is too thick (if you’re using regular coconut milk, you will probably need about ¼ cup of water, lite coconut milk usually does not need any added water). Taste again and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Serve with extra black pepper and dairy-free Parmesan cheese.

What to serve with this pasta dish

• Mixed Greens and Herb Salad
• Vegan Caesar Salad With Spiced Chickpeas