The Surprising Ingredient That Makes My Vodka Sauce Taste Restaurant-Worthy

I have always been a pasta person. The shapes, the sauces—I'm down for all of it. However, I can’t say the same for gin. My first taste of the spirit back in the day was not appealing, and for years, I avoided even a sip.

On the gin side of things, everything changed once I sampled Kyrö gin from Finland. From that point on, I not only looked for ways to incorporate this dynamic gin into various cocktails, but it started making an appearance in my cooking as well. Like the one day I had a craving for a good, old-fashioned penne alla vodka, and the only boozy beverage I had on hand was this gin. That’s when I discovered gin is a flavorful swap for the title ingredient in the classic Italian American dish.

What Is Vodka Sauce?

Creamy, pink vodka sauce is typically prepared with tomatoes, butter, cream, and, of course, a splash of vodka. The burn of the alcohol will cook off as it sits and simmers on the stovetop. Since vodka is known for its clean, neutral flavor, it can be confusing why it was ever added to a pasta sauce to begin with.

Ultimately, the addition of alcohol functions as a flavor enhancer, highlighting the sweetness of the tomatoes. In addition, it functions as an emulsifier with the cream in the dish, helping to prevent the sauce from separating and contributing to the signature rich, silky texture.

Why Gin Works in This Recipe

They say necessity is the mother of invention, and that’s exactly how I came up with my signature recipe for pasta alla gin. Without even a splash of vodka in my home bar, I decided to give gin a try, and the results were incredible.

Instead of intentionally selecting a spirit without flavor, using gin takes the dish to a whole new level. Gin can impart notes of wild botanicals or even a bright burst of citrus to the sauce, depending on what brand and style of gin used. The sauce becomes even more interesting and lively than the original; using gin not only enhances the tomato flavor, it also further draws out the aroma of the herbs used in the recipe.

Whenever I'm looking for a quick and flavorful meal that isn't boring, I doctor up a jar of prepared pasta sauce with some extra Italian seasoning, a pinch of white pepper, a little butter and cream, and a shot of gin. I mix the sauce into the traditional noodles—rigatoni or penne—and, if I'm serving guests, they walk away wondering how I made the best pasta alla “vodka” they had ever tasted.