The Best Carbonara Recipe Also Has Vodka Sauce
You’ve had a traditional carbonara recipe, that classic Roman dish with pancetta, eggs, cheese, and pepper. And you’ve most likely enjoyed an authentic vodka sauce recipe, or as Americans like to call it, “Pink Sauce,” because of the beautiful hue it turns when heavy cream hits rich tomato sauce. This vodka sauce carbonara recipe is the most delicious marriage of these two favorite Italian pasta dishes.
We Answer Your Vodka Sauce Carbonara Questions
Does vodka sauce have vodka in it? We hope so. We mean, yes! It does contain vodka, which helps intensify the bright tomato flavors of this easy vodka sauce recipe.
What is in vodka sauce? Vodka sauce, like many popular dishes, has an unclear origin. Maybe Italian, maybe an Italian-American creation, or maybe even a creation of vodka companies to encourage their products to be imbibed. In any case, vodka sauce is a tasty combination of tomato sauce, vodka, and heavy cream.
What does carbonara mean? One piece of pasta folklore points to an origin story adapted from the word carbonaro, or coal-burner, connecting the dish with laborers who cooked their meals outdoors. Fundamentally, a pasta carbonara recipe calls for noodles tossed in a creamy sauce made from raw egg yolks with crispy cured pork, Pecorino Romano cheese, and fresh cracked pepper.
How To Make Vodka Sauce Carbonara
Cook the onion (‘til soft!) and pancetta (‘til crispy!) Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes more.
Make the vodka pasta sauce: stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, red pepper flakes (if you’re looking for a spicy vodka sauce), salt, and vodka. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. Slowly stir in the heavy cream.
Cook the pasta. We’ve got you covered with our tips for How To Salt Water for the perfect al dente pasta every time. Make sure to reserve one cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain.
Make an easy carbonara recipe by beating the egg yolks until smooth. Add the Parmesan and whisk to combine. Slowly pour in ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water, whisking constantly.
Very slowly add the egg mixture to the tomato sauce and cook, stirring constantly, until fully incorporated, 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir pasta into sauce adding remaining pasta cooking water a little at a time as needed.
Divide between bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan before serving. Top with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and fresh parsley for maximum classic Italian restaurant vibes.
What To Make With Vodka Sauce Carbonara
The answer to this question is Garlic Bread. Always garlic bread. Maybe Homemade SpaghettiOs for the kids. But maybe you want to mix things up with a tasty Panzanella. We also suggest a crunchy Caesar Salad to start. If you’re feeding a crowd, and would like this to be a real feast Stuffed Mushrooms and Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip are some of our favorite apps. On the side of your vodka sauce carbonara you can serve a hot dish of Zucchini Bake or simple Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
Tools You’ll Need
More Pasta Dishes To Fall In Love With
Whether it’s a one-pot pasta, or a more elaborate affair, here’s more of our favorite pasta dishes for your next noodle night!
Get Out Your Cheese Grater And Snap Some Photos
Did you make our homemade vodka sauce carbonara? Show us your sauce, and maybe even a video of the beautiful people you feed it to! Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Buon appetito!
