Gigi Hadid Vodka Pasta without Vodka
This Gigi Hadid pasta without vodka is creamy, spicy, and ready in about 30 minutes. Inspired by the viral pasta recipe, this version skips the alcohol while keeping the rich tomato flavor and silky sauce. It can easily be made vegan or with heavy cream for a simple, comforting pasta dinner.
Servings: 4
Calories: 497kcal
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
Calories: 497kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 527mg | Potassium: 1103mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1037IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 4mg