Gnocchi In Vodka Sauce

This creamy gnocchi alla vodka recipe combines a traditional Italian vodka sauce with soft pillowy gnocchi. Vodka sauce is a tomato sauce made with, you guessed it, vodka. Some heavy cream is added to it at the end to give it a slightly creamy feel, while still offering the fresh flavor of a tomato sauce. I used shelf stable gnocchi in this recipe and it came out delicious.

Creamy Gnocchi in Vodka Sauce

What is Vodka Sauce? Have you ever ordered penne alla vodka at a restaurant? It is incredible, sweet, creamy, and a little tangy. It has tomatoes (or tomato sauce), tomato paste, cream, onions, garlic (or shallot), basil, a little spice, parmesan cheese, and vodka!

Traditional vodka sauce is a little heavier than a traditional tomato sauce, but lighter than an alfredo sauce, it is similar to a Blush Sauce with a couple of differences. I remember my first time trying it and just falling in love. I was always into creamy sauces as a kid, so this one really felt like the best of both worlds, plus I loved that it was pink. Pink pasta sauce for the win!

I have made traditional Penne alla vodka in the past, but I don’t always have vodka on hand, so I also have a Vodka sauce recipe that doesn’t include vodka. You can find that recipe here: Vodka Sauce with no Vodka.

When I do have vodka at home, I always include it because it definitely adds to the flavor and honestly, I love making recipes the “traditional way”. There is something cool about making a dish that has been passed on from generation to generation and has been made for hundreds of years.

Italian Gnocchi in Vodka Sauce

Italian vodka sauce is usually served with pasta. Pappardelle, tagliatelle, and penne are most commonly used shapes to pair with vodka sauce because the sauce clings well to these shapes. Vodka sauce is not normally used with gnocchi but I chose this combination because I knew in my heart that it would work well.

Potato gnocchi is one of my favorite types of pasta. It is also one of the easiest to make. Potato gnocchi is made from flour, eggs, salt, and boiled potatoes. You combine the ingredients into a ball, roll them out into long tubes, cut them to your desired shaped and then boil them until they float. It is commonly eaten in the Northern part of Italy, where the cuisine is a bit heavier and, in my opinion, more comforting. I feel like this is due to them being near The Alps and having a colder climate, but don’t quote me on that.

If you don’t want to make your own gnocchi, you can simply buy shelf stable gnocchi at your local grocery store. Honestly, that is what I normally do. I normally only have time to make half of the meal from scratch and I rely heavily on convenience items like pasta, dough, bread, etc.

What can I serve with Gnocchi in a Vodka Sauce:

My first choice would be a light salad. Lots of greens, maybe even a little arugula. The gnocchi dish is heavy so you want a light dish that is going to compliment the comforting nature of this recipe. Instead of a salad, you can also just steam broccoli and add it to this gnocchi and sauce. Broccoli, even cauliflower, would go great with this delicious vodka sauce.

Another good option would be a light soup made with a simple broth. I think of gnocchi as a Fall/Winter dish, so a nice light brothy soup would go well with this. You can steam some light greens in there like bok choy or another type of cabbage.

My third choice would be a nice crusty loaf of bread that you can use to dip into the sauce. I have a friend who makes some great bread so I am thinking of that as I write this. It would be perfect to dip in this flavorful vodka sauce.

How to make Gnocchi Alla Vodka

INGREDIENTS  

• 16 oz Gnocchi Shelf stable or fresh – Some grocery stores have this in their pasta aisle, and some have this in the refrigerated section with freshly made pasta sauces.
• 2 tbsp Salted Butter – I don’t even buy unsalted butter anymore. I feel like I never want to use it.
• 1/2 Yellow Onion Chopped
• 3 cloves Garlic minced – you may also use shallot
• 3 tbsp Vodka
• 28 oz Crushed Tomatoes
• 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 10 Basil Leaves
• 1 cup Heavy Cream – you can use half and half to lighten it up a bit.
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated – pecorino cheese also works really well.

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Add butter to a 4 quart pan or pot on medium heat.
• Once the butter is melted, add in your onions and garlic and cook for 7 minutes or until soft
• Add in your tomato paste and mix well
• Add in your vodka, mix well, and let it simmer for 3 minutes
• Add in your crushed tomatoes and cook for 20 minutes on low heat
• Once your sauce is ready, add it a high speed blender with your fresh basil. Blend it until super cream
• Add the sauce back to your pot and cook it for an additional 5 minutes
• Cook your gnocchi according to the package directions.
• Turn off the heat on the vodka sauce and add in your cream and parmesan cheese. Stir well.
• Once your gnocchi is ready, drain it, and add your sauce.