Make Shrimp Vodka Sauce Pasta at home with our easy recipe. Enjoy the perfect blend of shrimp, creamy sauce, and parmesan. Try it today!
Shrimp Vodka Sauce Pasta is perfect for when you want a fancy dinner in a hurry. The shrimp, pasta, and vodka sauce combination is impressive enough for your next dinner party, but it only takes a few minutes to make on the stovetop! This pasta dish is one of the best comfort food recipes. It takes our Vodka Sauce Recipe and combines it with an incredible shrimp pasta dish for the ultimate Italian Dish. If you like how shrimp and pasta come together in this recipe, be sure to give our Shrimp Scampi Pasta recipe a try.
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Shrimp Vodka Sauce Pasta
This Shrimp Vodka Sauce Pasta recipe is a delightful Italian-inspired dish featuring a fun fusion of flavors. This pasta dish combines spaghetti with succulent shrimp and a creamy vodka sauce. The key steps involve cooking the pasta until al dente, sauteing shrimp in butter for a delectable seafood touch, then combining them with Parmesan cheese and the rich homemade vodka sauce.
The vodka sauce makes this hearty pasta dish irresistible. As soon as you take your first bite of comforting pasta, juicy shrimp, and delicious sauce, you won’t be able to get enough of the unbelievable flavor combo! You can also enjoy shrimp and noodles in other cuisines, like Shrimp Chow Mein.
What is Vodka Sauce?
Vodka sauce is a rich, creamy tomato sauce made with red pepper flakes, crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, and vodka. You can follow our recipe to make your own vodka sauce fresh, or if you’re in too much of a hurry, pick up a jar at the grocery store.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Spaghetti: Spaghetti serves as the base of this dish, providing the comforting and familiar texture of pasta. You can substitute it with other pasta varieties like fettuccine or linguine if preferred.
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter: Butter adds a rich and creamy flavor to the shrimp while also preventing them from sticking to the skillet. You can use salted butter if unsalted is not available, adjusting the overall salt content accordingly.
- 1 pound Shrimp: The fresh shrimp flavor is the perfect pairing for vodka sauce, and it’s an excellent protein to go with the pasta dish. You can use different types and sizes of shrimp, but ensure they are peeled and deveined for convenience. Bonus points if it’s wild-caught shrimp!
- ½ cup Shaved Parmesan Cheese: Sprinkle fresh parmesan cheese into the sauce, shrimp, and pasta mixture. It’ll melt a little while you simmer the dish and adds a sharp but comforting flavor to Creamy Shrimp Vodka Sauce Pasta. You can use grated or shredded parmesan if shaved is unavailable.
- 4 cups Vodka Sauce: Vodka sauce is the heart of this recipe. It is a rich sauce offering a unique creamy tomato flavor with a hint of vodka’s warmth. You can make homemade Vodka Sauce (takes about an hour) or use store-bought varieties for convenience.
- Parsley (optional garnish): Parsley adds a fresh, herbaceous note as a garnish, brightening up the dish’s flavors. It’s optional but recommended for a touch of color and freshness.
Kitchen Tools and Equipment
- Large Pot: A large pot is essential for boiling the spaghetti. Ensure it’s spacious enough to comfortably cook the pasta without sticking. Add salt to the boiling water for flavor.
- Skillet: A skillet or frying pan is used to cook the shrimp in butter. Opt for a non-stick skillet for easy flipping and to prevent the shrimp from sticking.
- Colander: You’ll need a colander to drain the cooked pasta effectively. Make sure it’s sturdy and large enough to hold the spaghetti without spilling.
- Grater (Optional): If your parmesan cheese isn’t pre-shaved, a grater can be used to grate it fresh. It adds a delightful texture to the dish.
- Pasta Tongs: These are useful for mixing cooked spaghetti with the vodka sauce and shrimp efficiently. They help in evenly coating the pasta.
How to Make
Time needed: 35 minutes.
- Cook the Pasta
Boil a large pot of water (salted) and add the spaghetti once it starts to boil. Cook until al dente (not fully softened), then drain the pasta water in a colander. Do not rinse.
- Saute the Shrimp
In a skillet, melt unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Add the peeled and deveined raw shrimp, cooking for 1-2 minutes on each side until they turn pink and opaque. Remove the shrimp from the skillet. Feel free to sauté in a couple of cloves garlic (minced) for an extra garlicky taste.
- Combine Ingredients
Return the cooked spaghetti to the pot. Add the sautéed shrimp and shaved parmesan cheese.
- Add the Vodka Sauce
Pour the vodka sauce over the pasta and shrimp in the pot. Stir well until the sauce starts bubbling and everything is heated through.
- Garnish and Serve
If desired, season with salt (very little) and black pepper, and garnish the dish with fresh parsley for a burst of color and freshness. Serve it hot and enjoy your delicious pasta with vodka sauce!
Can I Make This In Advance?
Shrimp Vodka Sauce Pasta can be made ahead of time, but it’s best served fresh for the best flavor and texture. If needed, you can prepare the components separately (pasta, shrimp, and sauce), store them in airtight containers for a day or two, and assemble and reheat when ready to serve.
Nutritional Facts
How to Store
Storing
After cooking, don’t leave this creamy pasta recipe at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Let the Creamy Shrimp Vodka Sauce Pasta cool completely, and transfer it to an airtight container. Then it will stay good in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat at a gentle simmer before serving leftovers.
Reheating Tips
To reheat Shrimp Vodka Sauce Pasta, gently warm it in a skillet over low to medium heat. Add a splash of water or broth to prevent the pasta from drying out, and stir occasionally until heated through. Alternatively, you can reheat it in the microwave in short intervals, stirring in between to ensure even heating.
Freezing
You can also freeze this dinner recipe for up to 3 months. For best results, freeze the shrimp, pasta sauce, and noodles separately. But, if you’ve already combined them, then you can freeze them all in one container.
Frequent Questions
You can freeze this recipe for later. Make sure only to cook the pasta until al dente. Otherwise, it will become mushy when frozen. As long as it’s al dente, you can keep this shrimp pasta in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw on the countertop or in the fridge before reheating.
Most of the alcohol cooks out of the vodka sauce during the cooking time. However, trace amounts remain. It’s not so much that it should be harmful to anyone, but if you want to be careful, you can always substitute vodka for chicken or vegetable broth.
Yes, you can substitute spaghetti with other pasta varieties like fettuccine or linguine!
If you haven’t used vodka in cooking before, don’t worry. Your pasta won’t end up tasting like vodka! During the cooking process, most of the sharp alcohol flavor cooks out. Instead, the vodka enhances the other flavors in the creamy sauce. It also helps the heavy cream and tomato sauce to combine smoothly into the perfect blend of flavors.
Certainly! You can omit the shrimp and still enjoy a delicious vodka sauce pasta. Replace with tofu if you’d like. Consider adding veggies like mushrooms or spinach for added flavor.
Homemade Vodka Sauce can be made by combining tomato sauce, heavy cream, vodka, and seasonings. The homemade version takes about an hour but is so worth it for the fresh flavors!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound shrimp , peeled and deveined (appx. 21 regular shrimp)
- 1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese
- 4 cups vodka sauce
- parsley , optional garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta and drain it, but do not rinse it.
- Add the butter to a large skillet on medium high heat and cook the shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side.
- Add the shrimp, parmesan and vodka sauce to the pot of pasta and cook until the sauce starts bubbling.
- Garnish with parsley if desired.
Notes
- Click on the “yield” amount to slide and change the number of servings and the recipe will automatically update!
- Click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.
- To convert measurements to grams, click on the “Metric” option next to “Ingredients” in the recipe card.
Nutrition
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Variations
- Pasta: You can substitute spaghetti noodles for other kinds of pasta. Linguine, fettuccine, or penne pasta would all work well for Creamy Shrimp Vodka Sauce Pasta.
- Cheese: Another easy way to experiment with this pasta dish is by adding other kinds of cheese. Along with the fresh parmesan cheese, you can sprinkle in shredded cheddar, mozzarella, Pepper Jack, Gouda, or Monterey Jack. I like adding the extra cheese to the top right before serving.
- Creamy vodka-lime shrimp: For a boost of flavor to this recipe, you can make it with fresh lime. Add a healthy splash of lime juice to the shrimp while you’re cooking them. You can also add a little lime zest to the shrimp and sauce mixture.
- Seasonings: Try adding your favorite Italian seasonings like fresh basil leaves, oregano, rosemary, or garlic powder to this recipe. Depending on your heat tolerance, you can also add a little extra red pepper flakes to the sauce mixture.
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