This Gigi Hadid Pasta Without Vodka is ready in just 30 minutes and delivers the same spicy, creamy flavor as the viral recipe but without using alcohol. The rich sauce gets its silky texture from caramelized tomato paste, cashew cream, and a splash of starchy pasta water. It's simple to make vegan and gluten-free, making it perfect for an easy family dinner.
For another easy pasta meal, try this easy tagliatelle pasta with homemade pesto next!
👩🏼🍳 Quick Look at Gigi Hadid Pasta Without Vodka
- 🕒 Ready in: 30 minutes (+ 30 minutes to soak cashews - optional)
- 👪 Serves: 4
- 🍽 Calories: 497
- 💪 Protein: 19 g (using cashew cream)
- 🔥 Cooking Method: Stovetop
- 📖 Dietary Info: Vegan, Dairy-Free, can be made Gluten-Free and Vegetarian (using heavy cream and Parmesan cheese)
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- ❤️ Why You'll Love It: This Gigi Hadid pasta without vodka is creamy, spicy, and full of rich tomato flavor, and it comes together in about 30 minutes with easy vegan or dairy options.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS RECIPE ON:
Vodka Pasta is one of my favorite pasta recipes to date, but there's always one problem - I never want to buy a whole bottle of vodka just for this one dish, only for it to sit in my cupboard for months, slowly getting shoved to the back and completely forgotten about.
After a few tests, I realized that you can absolutely make this pasta without vodka and still get a rich, delicious sauce. The tomatoes, cream, garlic, and chili flakes create plenty of flavor on their own, and the result is just as silky and satisfying.
It's the same approach I take with other classic dishes, too, like my traditional French onion soup without wine.
If you love rich, cozy pasta dishes like this, you might also enjoy my saffron garlic pasta or this one-pot caramelized onion pasta, which are just as comforting but with their own unique twist.
what readers are saying:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Thank you for sharing this recipe. I made it with cashew cream and it wasn't heavy, yet it was very creamy. Loved it!
-Majathis review was submitted by a reader who made the recipe.
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Why This Recipe Works
This pasta may look simple, but a few key techniques are what give the sauce its signature creamy texture and deep flavor - no vodka required.
- Tomato paste caramelization. Instead of adding tomatoes or cream right away, the tomato paste cooks in the pan for a couple of minutes first. This step concentrates the flavor, deepens the color, and removes the raw acidity, creating a rich tomato base that makes the sauce taste much more complex.
- Pasta water emulsification. A splash of reserved pasta water helps bring the sauce together. The starch in the water acts as a natural thickener, helping the sauce emulsify so it coats every piece of pasta instead of separating or becoming oily.
- Creamy finish. Whether you use cashew cream or traditional heavy cream, the final step adds richness and smooth texture to the sauce. Combined with the tomato paste and pasta water, it creates the creamy, spicy sauce that made this viral pasta so popular.
Ingredients
- Tomato paste: Double-concentrated tomato paste gives the sauce a deeper flavor and richer color because it contains less water and more concentrated tomato solids than regular tomato paste. If you only have regular tomato paste, it will still work, but you need to cook it for an extra minute or two to help intensify the flavor and remove the raw taste. You can also use ½ cup (50%) more regular tomato paste if you want a stronger tomato base.
- Creaminess: Use soaked cashews for the vegan version or heavy cream for a traditional option. If using cashews, if your blender is not high-speed, go ahead and soak them in hot water for 30 minutes. If you have something like a NutriBullet, which is very powerful, no soaking is needed!
- Cheesy Flavor: Nutritional yeast adds a savory, cheesy flavor to the sauce without using dairy. If you're not making the vegan version, you can use finely grated Parmesan cheese instead.
- Red chili flakes. The spicy flavor balances out the sweetness of the tomato paste and the onion.
See the recipe card for the full list of ingredients with quantities.
Variations
- Make it nut-free: Use sunflower seeds instead of cashews for a nut-free vegan cream. Another option is to use a store-bought vegan cream, such as soy cream or full-fat coconut milk.
- Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free penne or any gluten-free pasta of your choice!
- Adjust the spice level: The red pepper flakes give this pasta its signature kick. Use less for a milder sauce or add more if you like extra heat.
- Add protein: Stir in some crumbled tofu, tempeh, or cooked chickpeas to make the pasta more filling. You can even try adding in some Beyond Beef crumbles, just like I did in this vegan tomato meat sauce, to boost the protein.
How To Make Gigi Hadid Pasta without Vodka
To get started, cook your pasta in boiling salted water. Stop cooking 1 minute before the time on the packaging. Save 3 cups of pasta water and then drain the remaining water. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pasta to prevent it from sticking.
If using the cashew cream, you will want to make it once the pasta is done cooking. Add the soaked cashews and ½ cup of pasta water to a blender, and blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Step 1: Cook the Onions. Cook the onions in a heated skillet with olive oil for 5-6 minutes or until translucent.
Step 2: Add the Tomato Paste. Add the garlic, chili flakes, and tomato paste to the cooked onions, and cook for 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add Pasta Water. Add half of the pasta water and black pepper to the tomato paste mixture. Stir the sauce and let it simmer on low for a few minutes.
Step 4: Make It Creamy. Add the cashew cream or heavy cream to the sauce and mix well.
Step 5: Add the Pasta. Add the cooked pasta and nutritional yeast and stir until the pasta is well coated. Cook for 2-3 minutes on medium-low heat.
Step 6: Finish the Dish. As the pasta cooks, it will absorb the sauce. In order to keep it all creamy, keep adding a splash or two of pasta water as needed. When ready, serve into bowls, top with Parmesan cheese, or a bit of straciatella cheese as I did here in the photos. Enjoy your bowl of pasta with a slice of Parmesan garlic ciabatta bread.
Expert Tips
- Salt your pasta water generously. Well-salted pasta water is key to flavorful pasta. It should taste quite salty, almost like the sea.
- Drain the pasta 1 minute before al dente. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce, which helps it absorb flavor and allows the sauce to cling to the noodles.
- Reserve some pasta water before draining. The starchy pasta water helps emulsify the sauce and loosen it if it becomes too thick.
- Salt at the end. Because pasta water is already salted, wait until the sauce and pasta are combined before adding extra salt. Taste first to avoid oversalting.
Gigi Hadidi Pasta Without Vodka Recipe FAQs
No, vodka isn't required. While traditional vodka sauce uses a small amount of vodka to help balance acidity and bring flavors together, the sauce still turns out rich and creamy without it. Cooking the tomato paste well and adding starchy pasta water helps create the same silky texture.
Yes! If you want to skip both dairy and cashews, you can use a store-bought vegan cream such as soy cream or oat cream. Full-fat coconut milk also works in a pinch, though it may add a slight coconut flavor. These options still create a creamy sauce without using heavy cream or nuts.
This usually happens when the tomato paste isn't cooked long enough. Let it cook in the oil for a few minutes until it darkens slightly in color and smells rich and fragrant. This step caramelizes the tomato paste, removing the raw taste and creating a deeper, more balanced flavor. If your sauce already tastes too tomato-forward, let it simmer for a few extra minutes and add a splash of pasta water or cream to mellow the flavor.
The key is to add a splash of reserved pasta water when combining the sauce and pasta. The starch in the pasta water helps emulsify the sauce so the oil and cream blend smoothly. Toss the pasta and sauce together over low heat until everything looks silky and well-coated.
You can, but it's best to freeze the sauce separately. Let the sauce cool to room temperature and transfer it to a jar or a covered container. Freeze for 3 months. To thaw, let it sit in the fridge overnight. Reheat the sauce over low heat and stir in freshly cooked pasta to finish the dish.
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge: Let your leftovers cool to room temperature. Then, transfer it to a covered container in the fridge. If the pasta and the sauce are stored separately, they can last for up to 7 days. If they have been mixed, they will keep for 3-4 days.
- Reheating: To reheat on the stove, add the leftovers to a small pot, along with a splash of water. Heat on medium-low heat, stirring often, until hot. You can also microwave individual servings on a plate for 1-2 minutes or until heated through.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy pasta is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner but feels special enough for a casual date night or cozy dinner with friends.
Serve it topped with vegan Parmesan (or regular Parmesan if you prefer), fresh basil, red pepper flakes, or a drizzle of good olive oil.
Pair it with a simple green salad with arugula and spinach or a vegan Caesar salad for something fresh and crisp. I also love add these hearty vegan meatballs made with tofu to turn it into a more filling meal. A slice of crusty bread on the side is never a bad idea, either for soaking up the extra sauce.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Gigi Hadid Vodka Pasta without Vodka
Equipment
- Stovetop
- Blender
Ingredients
- 11 oz (300gr) dried penne pasta (use gluten-free if needed)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup tomato paste in a tube double concentrated
- ½ teaspoon red chilli flakes
- ½ cup raw cashews* OR 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 cups pasta water
For serving (optional)
- Vegan Parmesan regular Parmesan cheese, or a creamy cheese, such as straciatella cheese
- Fresh basil
Instructions
Pasta
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Salt generously and add your pasta. Cook for 1 minute less than al dente. Stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Once ready, remove from the heat and preserve 3 cups of pasta water. Then drain the pasta and drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
Sauce
- Heat a rimmed pan (I used my shallow Dutch oven) over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding a splash of water as needed to prevent burning, until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Next, add the red chili flakes and tomato paste, then cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the tomato paste darkens and begins to caramelize.
- Add 1 ½ cups of pasta water and a few cracks of freshly ground black pepper. Stir until you have a thick but emulsified sauce. Let simmer on low for 2-3 minutes.
Cashew cream
- In the meantime, prepare the cashew cream. Add drained cashews to a blender, alongside ½ cup of pasta water. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Pour into the sauce and mix well.
- Add the cooked pasta and nutritional yeast into the sauce and stir until well-coated. Cook for 2-3 minutes, adding more pasta water as needed to keep it creamy. If the pasta begins to look dry, add more pasta water a splash at a time.
- Serve immediately. Top with cheese of choice (I like straciatella cheese), olive oil, and some fresh basil. Enjoy!
Notes
- Quick soak: If you forgot to soak your cashews you can boil them for 10 minutes on the stovetop, then drain and rinse well.
- Salt the pasta water well: Properly salted water ensures the pasta itself is flavorful. It should taste lightly salty, like the sea.
- Cook pasta just shy of al dente: Drain the pasta about 1 minute early so it can finish cooking in the sauce and absorb more flavor.
- Save some pasta water: The starchy water helps emulsify the sauce and loosen it if it becomes too thick.
- Season at the end: Because pasta water is salted, taste the finished pasta before adding extra salt to avoid oversalting.
- Storage: Let leftovers cool, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or up to 7 days if the pasta and sauce are stored separately; the sauce can also be frozen on its own for up to 3 months and reheated with freshly cooked pasta.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with third-party calculations without including the optional ingredients.
Maja says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I made it with cashew cream and it wasn't heavy, yet it was very creamy. Loved it!
Petra says
Hi Maja, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe and found a way to make it work for you. Cashew cream is def my prefered way to make this pasta too. Cheers!
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