Description

Vodka sauce is utterly delicious, especially when it coats a bowl of perfectly al dente pasta. Hit it with some fresh basil and serve it with a glass of red, and you’ve got yourself the perfect any-day-of-the-week dinner.

Directions

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over medium-high heat.
3. Place cashews in a small saucepan and add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and let soak for 15 minutes.
4. Drain cashews, then transfer to a blender, add the 3/4 cup water, and puree until smooth and creamy.
5. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes (reduce heat if browning).
6. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook 1 minute less than indicated on package directions. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water and drain the pasta.
7. While the pasta is cooking, continue to cook the sauce. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, if using, to the pan with the onions. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
8. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until deep red and fragrant, about 1 minute.
9. Stir in the vodka and continue to cook until it mostly evaporates.
10. Stir in cashew cream, 1 cup of the reserved pasta water, butter, and salt. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vodka flavor has mellowed and the sauce is smooth and glossy, 5 to 8 minutes.
11. Stir in the pasta, and continue cooking until coated in sauce and al dente, another 1 to 2 minutes.
12. Add additional pasta water as needed to reach desired sauce consistency. Serve immediately topped with the basil.