In early 2020, Gigi Hadid posted a recipe for spicy vodka pasta sauce on her Instagram Stories, and I was instantly inspired. Pasta is one of my all-time favourite dinners, and considering the fact that I eat it in some form at least two or three nights a week (don’t judge me), I consider myself a pro when it comes to cooking delicious sauces.
But I have to admit, for a long time, I hadn’t tried a spicy vodka pasta sauce before. At the end of 2019, I finally paid a visit to Carbone in New York City, a traditional Italian restaurant that serves a spicy vodka rigatoni dish costing a cool $32. It’s worth every penny – hands down, one of the top five pasta dishes I’ve had in my life. I never thought I’d be able to re-create it at home, and I certainly never thought it’d be Gigi Hadid who helped me get one step closer to that dream. So when I saw Gigi’s step-by-step spicy vodka pasta recipe (which seemed easy enough) on her Instagram Stories, I knew I had to give it a go.
Fortunately, I had most of the ingredients in my kitchen already, and after forcing my boyfriend to go to the store to buy a box of penne pasta (the closest we could get to rigatoni), I was ready to go. I followed Gigi’s vodka pasta sauce recipe to the letter, and the result was so delicious – and definitely reminiscent of the Carbone classic. Of course, even I have to admit nothing will come truly close to sitting in one of Carbone’s plush leather booths with a fork in one hand and a Negroni in the other, but eating my spicy vodka pasta on the couch in my London flat while doing a pub quiz with my friends over Zoom came pretty close.
Ahead, see how I re-created Gigi Hadid’s spicy rigatoni pasta at home.
Instagram user gigihadid
Step 1: Sauté Onion and Garlic in Olive Oil
In a large saucepan:
- Heat 1/4 cup olive oil.
- Add a small clove of garlic, diced, and 1/4 of a shallot.
- Cook till soft.
Editor’s Note: I thought there was too much oil in this recipe from the very first stage, but persevered and found the final dish wasn’t oily at all. That said, if you don’t like using much oil in your cooking, I’d suggest halving Gigi’s suggested amount.
Instagram user gigihadid
Step 2: Add Tomato Paste
- Add 1/4 cup tomato paste.
- Cook the sauce until it’s darker and a bit caramelised.
Instagram user gigihadid
Step 3: Add Vodka, Heavy Cream, and Chili Flakes
- Add 1 tablespoon vodka and cook until it almost evaporates. (You can also skip the vodka altogether if you prefer.)
- Add 1/2 cup heavy cream.
- Add 1 teaspoon chili flakes – or more if you like it hotter.
Instagram user gigihadid
Step 4: Season With Salt and Pepper and Cook Pasta
- Keep stirring until the sauce is combined.
- Season it with salt and pepper.
- Remove the sauce from the heat.
- Cook your pasta (about 250 grams for two people). When the pasta is cooked, save 1/4 cup pasta water before draining.
Editor’s Note: I recommend reserving an additional 1/4 cup pasta water, just in case you need it in the next step.
Instagram user gigihadid
Step 5: Add Cooked Pasta, Pasta Water, and Butter to Pan
- Add the cooked pasta, the 1/4 cup reserved pasta water, and 1 tablespoon butter.
- Stir over medium heat till the butter has melted and the sauce is “sauccyyyyy.”
Instagram user gigihadid
Step 6: Add Parmesan Cheese
- Add 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and stir.
- Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Editor’s Note: if your sauce is too thick or simply not saucy enough, slowly add the additional pasta water you put aside earlier until it reaches your desired consistency.
Instagram user gigihadid
Step 7: Serve Topped With Parmesan Cheese and Chopped Basil
